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# Dissed by an Algorithm
- URL: https://toodlepip.co.uk/blog-2008-09-dissed-algorithm/
- Published: 2008-09-26T21:08:03.000Z
- Updated: 2019-01-22T15:48:12.000Z
- Author: Sam Michel
- Tags: Half-baked, algorithm, amazon, dissed, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-10-23 15:06

Oh yeah, you’re a super-clever, behaviourally targeted leading e-commerce website, but basically you’re calling me a fat geek. To my face. Nice.

Check out the homepage below, which greeted me when I cruised past the Amazon website the other day. O’Reilly books, donut maker and a chocolate fountain.

And what’s worse is the suggestions are based on a book I bought for the office, and a gift for my sister. Honest.

It’s a sad day when you’re getting slagged off by an algorithm. Perhaps I do need to get out more. And maybe I should take in a bit more literary culture. Damn it, maybe the targeting *is* right.

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### Comments from the original blog

*These comments were left on the original WordPress version of this post and are kept for reference. Comments are closed.*

**Benjamin** · 26 September 2008

Not the old ‘office’ and ‘present for my sister’ line. Common, everyone know that PHP coders eat donuts dipped in chocolate from a chocolate fountain. That page is a badge of pride!

**Jon Aizlewood** · 26 September 2008

Hey Sam,

If you want my honest opinion, I think you two should fight. I mean, you can take that algorithm. What’s he made of? A few 1’s and 0’s? Go on, don’t stand for that. I’ve got Â£10 on you to win in round 1.

Make me rich!

J

**Sam Michel (author)** · 26 September 2008

@Jon Aizlewood – good point, I mean what’s the worst it can do? Apart from delete all my digital data, remove any record of my existence. I’ve seen the films, I know what can happen.

Paranoid, moi?

**Mat Morrison** · 29 September 2008

You can, of course, tell Amazon to "Fix this" on the recommendations page where it tells you why it’s making the recommendation.

Â

Of course, if it tells you that it’s "Recommended because you ate too many pi-s" there’s little you can do.Â

That gag was probably never funny. It’s even less funny now that it’s on the page. Ah well.Â