I think I will start this post with an apology, to some of my friends.
For having behaved like a spammer with access to an address books; when I invited most of them to Shelfari. The initial look and design of the site had me really selecting check-boxes against my friends’ names as if check-boxes were going out of fashion. I usually don’t do it, so, I do feel a bit sheepish.
I am moving away from Shelfari. I have not, however, stopped cataloging. I have decided to move away from Shelfari to goodreads.
For one, Shelfari, not supporting multiple search options has bugged me for a while now (I haven’t added my recent books, so I don’t know if they have improved search capabilities now). Then there were the views that were beginning to bug me. Given the image-heavy nature of the site, it also tended to be a bit slow. The most bugging thing however was the interface. On a 13.3″ monitor, that small menu over the cover has annoyed me to no end. I have often deleted books when I wanted to select them.
goodreads is very LibraryThing-like and better!
For one, it doesn’t have a book limit. The interface is a nice change, the features are simple to use. Tagging and classification is simpler, editing is a breeze.
Very 2.0.
Search engines include more than amazon.com. Given that I buy most of my books in the UK and India, it’s nice to have your edition (and book cover) show up, than settle for an equivalent US edition or the equivalent hardcover.
Nitpicking, I know.
What I found really cool, however, is, if you create a “wish-list shelf” (you can create whatever selves you want), keep the link handy, you can access it on your mobile! Helps easily reference the books you want to buy when you are in a book store. The Shelfari site didnt work very well on a Blackberry (needs JavaScript; too heavy for mobile delivery).
I’ll miss some of you, if you choose not to move to goodreads. (No, I am not going berserk with my address book this time). However, moving to goodreads isn’t difficult. You can export your bookshelf as a .csv or a .xls file from Shelfari and import the entire shelf without loss (mostly) into goodreads.
If you do come over, you know where to find me!
In any case, what matters is that the reading goes on! After all, where our books are isn’t as important as much as it is important that we read them.
Atul we’re glad to have you! Please let us know if there are any ways we can improve Goodreads.
best,
Otis (the Goodreads guy)
how do you export a bookshelf to .xls format?
==Otis:
Wow! Am glad to be there too! Will do @ let know!
==MiracleMaker:
If you are logged in Shelfari, you have an option in “My Account”; scroll down on that page and you will see the option. (Isn’t obvious that you can do it from there)
i was initially excited abt it – the shelfari thingie…then it faded. sometimes i think these websites and the works are just not for me. blogs being an exception.
==Dharma:
You sure aren’t the first one @ faded & not for me. Am sure, you aren’t the last one either!
And can we expect you to move from Goodread if you find something else? The problem is that you have such a wonderful taste and collection of books that we will anyways have to run behind. Just keep informing us. We are ready with our pair of shoes.
==Shank:
I doubt it @ move from goodreads. What is nice however, that for whatever reason, I got a comment from you on a post dated November 2007! That’sa good start, I say!
[...] I have just downloaded it, used it and am a happy-happy goodreads fan! I joined goodreads quite a while ago and I am happy now as I was happy then. [...]