this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2023
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I mean, if an algorithm can recommend me books I might enjoy based on things I've previously read, that's not a bad thing?
Algorithms aren't always bad.
Plus people apparently don’t know what „algorithm“ means. Sorting by average rating is an algorithm. Filtering by genre is an algorithm. Anything that takes an input (a database of books), performs a discrete set of steps and produces an output (an ordered list of books) is an algorithm. Even if it’s not performed by a computer but yourself standing in front of your bookshelf.
This is true, but colloquially when people say "I dislike algorithms," we are referring to any system that automatically sorts or elicits information, apart from responding to user input. I like having the ability to sort and filter things manually, but I dislike unsolicited recommendations and things of that nature. I think most people know the technical meaning of the word.
I do not think most people know about the computer science definition of algorithm involving discrete steps. For average people I feel like your definiton of "any system that automatically sorts or elecits information, apart from responding to user input" is the only one known.
You may be right, I'm not really sure. And in this case, this is still what people are referring to colloquially.