Path: cdrom.com!barrnet.net!agate!ucbvax!dog.ee.lbl.gov!ihnp4.ucsd.edu!news.acns.nwu.edu!aragorn46.acns.nwu.edu!user From: kdunston@merle.acns.nwu.edu (Ken Dunstone) Newsgroups: alt.cd-rom Subject: Re: Movie Select CDROM Message-ID: Date: 6 Jun 94 20:21:11 GMT References: <13818PWGAVTHXDPPRTA@castlebbs.com> Followup-To: alt.cd-rom Organization: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Lines: 51 NNTP-Posting-Host: aragorn46.acns.nwu.edu 1. Cost - I've seen it going for $25-$40. CD-ROM Warehouse had the cheapest price ($29.95) when I looked through some sources just now. 2. Ease of use - All parts of this title are very easy to use, with or without the instructions provided. 3. Prediction ability - This has been disputed in several reviews I have read. You choose three of your favorite movies from a fairly extensive list, then mark movies that you "really liked" from a small program-generated list (10-15 titles). The computer then offers a 'highly-recommended' and a 'recommended' prediction list for you. Some people like the choices it comes up with, some don't. I have found the highly recommended list to contain mostly movies that I *have* liked a great deal (naturally it picks some great movies that many people have seen). The recommended list is slightly less accurate for me, but is longer and has been useful. The benefit of the CD is that you can run the 'recommend' feature as many times as you want changing your three favorites to reflect a particular genre or category, or simpy different favorites. 4. Save feature - Not. But you can print the recommendations immediately (2 pages). 5. Multiple user preferences - Naw, it's so easy to use, anyone who sits down with three titles in mind can have recommendations in about a minute. I'd have to say this is the most popular CD I own when friends come over - they all wnat to try it. 6. Artificial intelligence - Not that allows it to learn anything. It thinks it already knows everything. Then again, it makes no claim to be perfect. I find that my frequent trips to the video store are taking longer and longer as I mull over what I haven't seen and what I may or may not like. My wife and I also disagree on quite a few choices, so when we use the CD together (only mutual choices allowed), we have a simple way to help us sort through Blockbuster's overwhelming number of titles. 7. *One of the most important feautures* - You left out my favorite feature - the search function! You can look up directors, actors and titles leading you to a brief synopsis, rating, date, category, and list of other actors. But wait, there's more!...From there you can click on any of the actors or directors that you might be interested in and voila! - a list of *their* movies pops up, from which you can skip to another movie/director/actor, etc., etc., etc.. This feature is available during the recommend function also. 8. There are also several quicktime previews of last year's Paramount movies. I've watched 'Searching for Bobby Fischer' about 50 times - it always makes me cry. So, is it worth $30? I think so, but don't expect more than a simple reference tool. It won't always pick your favorites, but on the whole it comes close for me. Then again, I use it just as much for the search function now as for its recommendations. I have found that 'picky' movie watchers tend to find it less useful. If you tend to like only a few movies - I'd be willing to bet you'll be disappointed. Hope this helps! Kenneth C. Dunstone kdunston@merle.acns.nwu.edu Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary