A mashup, according to wikipedia (4/28/08), is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool. The similarity web for Amazon.com, created by a self-proclaimed starving student, takes information from "Customers who bought this item also bought..." and displays it in a very useful and visually interesting way.
I like it because I am often looking for several books on the same topic. Instead of following the links away from my original find and getting lost on another topic, I can now use this tool. It keeps my original book in the center which helps to keep my ADD in check. Books that customers also bought are in the first circle out from the center.
When I roll over the photo of the book with my mouse, the cover of the book and it's description appears in the box on the right hand side of the page. I can either look at the next book, or click through to get more details.
The only disadvantage I can see is that it takes some time to create the web. For me, however, it's worth the wait.
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