Automated recommendation software can be a very efficient technique to increase revenues and doubly so in the world of click-to-purchase materials and low thresholds for impulsive purchases. However, these algorithms can produce some hilarious results given enough interest. For example, after the jump, see Amazon’s current match for Axelrod’s The Complexity of Cooperation.
Dear Amazon.com Customer,
We’ve noticed that customers who have purchased or rated The Complexity of Cooperation: Agent-Based Models of Competition and Collaboration by Robert Axelrod have also purchased Luna and the Well of Secrets (Fairy Chronicles) by J.H. Sweet. For this reason, you might like to know that Luna and the Well of Secrets (Fairy Chronicles) will be released on July 1, 2008. You can pre-order yours by following the link below.
Luna and the Well of Secrets (Fairy Chronicles)
J.H. Sweet
Price: $6.99 Release Date: July 1, 2008
Product Description
Illustrations by: Tara Larsen ChangInside you is the power to do anything
When fairies begin disappearing from around the globe, the fairy team must journey to the darkest place in the world to save them – a place that worries even Madam Toad-the Well of Secrets on the road to Eventide, the Land of Shadow.
In their most dangerous mission yet, the fairies will need all their combined strength to pull off a daring rescue. But in the darkest place, where any light may seem welcoming, the fairies are going to learn that not all that is Dark is evil and not all that is Light is good …
What if you discovered you had magical fairy powers? Meet the girls of The Fairy Chronicles, otherwise normal girls like you who are blessed by Mother Nature with special gifts. Their extraordinary adventures will change the world!
Perhaps the fairies use computer simulated models to discern an optimal strategy for the iterated prisoner’s dilemma? Perhaps they create a double-enforcement mechanism for a new norm that punishes those who defect while also punishing those who fail to punish the defectors? Usually the matches are relevant to my research interests or, at the very least, to the books they are utilizing to match my preferences with forthcoming books. Either way, I bet I prefer the "pictures" in Axelrod’s book more.
