Are you honestly expecting the algorithm to magically know if it is you or your children watching the movie?
They advise against sharing accounts. I understand this is not really enforcable and no one really cares, but it's the only way the recommendation engine works well.
I'm not expecting the algorithm to magically know anything. The first line of my comment was "I wish it let you split out recommendations based on users". I thought specifying "users" was enough to indicate that I meant an account with multiple named profiles.
Now, I understand that Netflix would prefer that everyone have their own separate Netflix account, and that adding this feature might be looked down on as promoting the use of a single account for multiple people, but that doesn't make it a bad feature.
They need to understand that most people don't see the need for having multiple accounts. How often do you really find that two people want to watch two movies at once? When that does occur, how often is it such a high priority that nether party is willing to wait until the other is done to watch their movie?
Adding accounts results in significantly diminished returns right away. The second account is only of use when two people want to watch something at once, which I've never found to be a serious problem. Adding a third or fourth account is absolutely ridiculous[1].
[1] It's ridiculous now, but if Netflix ever becomes a serious provider of new TV, supplanting the current cable TV structure with an a la carte, on demand model, then I'd gladly maintain multiple accounts. When that day comes, they could allow roaming profiles, allowing a new account to start using the viewing history/recommendations of a named profile on another account.
You can stream multiple things at the same time with one account. The limit is low though like 2 or 3. At one point in time you could have sub accounts with their own dvd queue, recommendations, etc. I find the whole thing odd and starting to become user hostile.
You can't stream multiple things at once, at least not in Canada (emphasis mine):
> Q : Can I watch movies instantly on more than one PC or Netflix-ready device?
> A : Your account can have up to six unique authorized devices activated and associated with it at any given time, including personal computers and Netflix-ready devices; however, you may only watch on one device at a time.
I've heard that there's nothing stopping you from starting a second stream, but that it can cut off at any time when the system notices, and that they're enforcing it more now than they used to. YMMV in the USA or UK.
While you might find it user hostile, I, personally, don't see anything really wrong with only allowing one stream per account. I doubt you can't understand why it's being done either.
You have to assume that most people watch a lot more movies via streaming than they did with DVD-Only, both because you don't have the lag time between sending movies back and getting new ones (you just choose a movie and watch it), and because you can't watch a movie then delay the next one by procrastinating/forgetting to send it back (you finish one movie and the next is instantly available without user action). Because of this, there are likely fewer ghost/inactive accounts silently collecting their monthly charge, and content producers probably demand additional funds using the additional viewings as a negotiating tool. Adding additional accounts per household both adds revenue, which is additional funding for content licenses and original productions, and drops the view/account metric, which couldn't hurt when negotiating with content producers.
Again, I can only speak for how things work for Netflix Canada. It could be different in the US, or it could be the same but nobody realizes it because it's never enforced.
We never had a combined service in Canada. The only DVD-by-mail service I've heard of up here is Zip.ca. I looked into them recently and discovered they also have a streaming service now, but I'm much more interested in the service of theirs that was impetus for that search, which was their "redbox"-like DVD/BluRay kiosk I just found at my local grocery store.
I've often heard people speak online about these kiosks, but there weren't any near my current apartment until recently (either that, or I've just never known it was there since it's on the opposite side of the store from the self-serve checkout machines). $1 per movie is a wonderful price point for new releases, though between Christmas present movies and Netflix I haven't really been inclined to use it yet.
Well, yes, if they want to use the recommendation system as it is intended, then yes. It's how the thing works, it recommends based on what has been viewed before...it's not magic guys.
They advise against sharing accounts. I understand this is not really enforcable and no one really cares, but it's the only way the recommendation engine works well.