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Subject: 
Re: Opinions wanted: article rating harmful? (was: New feature: Article rating)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.admin.general
Date: 
Fri, 21 Apr 2000 02:46:32 GMT
Viewed: 
2144 times
  
Todd & All,

However, it seems that the high visibility of both the raw and composite
numbers are having an overall negative effect on the community's morale.
Some of the deeper concerns are raised in this message and its replies:

   http://www.lugnet.com/admin/general/?n=6130

I pretty much agree with Thomas Main's assessments of the rating system. I
don't use the system in terms of the website interface, since I get all my
LUGNET info from the NNTP. One of the most visible complaints I have of the
ratings system is the inability of seeing these ratings on the various
postings submitted on the web interface locally.

Clearly, these are very strong feelings being expressed by people.  How • many
others feel this way?  What would you like to see happen?  Post your • thoughts
as a reply to this message (or reply privately if you prefer not to post • your
thoughts publicly).

See above.

It was never a purpose of the ratings system to make anyone ever feel bad
or unwanted or unwelcome.  It's core purpose is simply to highlight "neat • or
noteworthy stuff" but not to downgrade "un-neat or un-noteworthy stuff" or
regular "fluff" (which there's nothing wrong with).

Hmm... this sounds interesting in theorey, but knowing a little bit of human
nature, it can be abused. If I really don't like someone in debate, or in
another area, I can trash all their posts by giving them a 0 or 10. (I have
not done this, BTW, I have not voted for any posts one way or another)

I think this is a matter of interpretation of what a 0 rating as opposed to
a 100 or a 90. Some people differ on intrepretations.

It seem that no amount of education about what the numbers mean will be • able
to make a meaningful dent in the natural inclination to view, say, a 40 as
having baeen "marked down" from its default of 50.  Even if the default • were
changed from 50 to 0 (so that numbers tended almost always to climb rather
than to climb half of the time and fall half of the time), it seems likely
that feelings will still be hurt, because it seems that some people are • hurt
by the fact that others are getting 80's and 90's while they are getting • 40's
or 50's or 60's.  Going with a scale 0 to 100, in retrospect, hasn't been • any
better from an overall morale point of view than if a scale -100 to +100 • had
been used.

Specific personal questions:

1.  How would you feel (better or worse) if the numeric values of the • ratings
were not displayed to you unless you specifically requested (via some • simple
setting) that they be displayed to you?

Since I don't see them, I don't know. I guess if I would use the web
interface, I would probably not read the lower rating ones. I read a
majority of the e-mails I get, unless I am definately not interested in it
(IE Castle auctions) I don't think displaying the numbers is good.

2.  How would you feel (better or worse) if the numeric values of the • ratings
were not displayed ever to anyone but collected and used by the server • only
for internal calculations, hotlist generation, and personal • recommendations
to you?

I think this is better. That way you can still generate the hotlists
automatically.

3.  How would you feel (better or worse) if the ratings were not even
collected and collated in the first place?  (i.e. the destruction of the
feature altogether)

Well, I don't think it is necessary to remove it all together, private
voting might be better.

4.  Have you ever felt victimized by the rating system?  Have you posted
something which has obtained a low rating and felt uncomfortable or • unhappy
about yourself or about LUGNET because of the low rating?  How often?

Well, I don't know if any of my posts have been, I frankly don't care
anymore if they do, simply because I am a big guy and can take it. I would
hate to see debate anymore, however, especially since I am not in the
"majority" in terms of  leftists thinking. I think this is an area where
ratings do little.

5.  Have you ever felt victimized indirectly by seeing someone else's post
get a high rating?  How often?

Well, from what I have seen, some of the postings get really bad ratings for
no reason, and some get good ratings for, IMO, are not. It is a flawed
system in terms of some people throwing off the numbers.

6.  Do you feel that the article rating system makes it easier for you or
harder for you to share your ideas?  And does this bother you?

Harder. That is one of the reasons I dropped out of debate. It does bother
me.

7.  How does your initial reaction to the announcement of the article • rating
system compare to your current opinion of it?

I think my concerns were promptly validated.

8.  Do you feel that it is too early, too late, or the right time to • address
these issues?

I think it is a good thing, before it goes for too long.

9.  What other areas (besides news articles) can you imagine that a
collaborative ratings system would be most helpful to you?  LEGO sets?
Websites?  Individual web pages?  etc...

I don't really think I would want a ratings system on my page. i am
flattered if people visit it, period. I would hate to have mine downgraded
because of my lack of html. My website will undergo a major change, since I
have learned a lot since I put it together, once I get the my steatlh
project going. I think I good way of portraying websites would be a major
links page with themes, and construction techniques and so on, and you could
submit your thoughts on building mechs, or something.

Thanks for your time,
--Todd

Thank you, Todd, for your continuous efforts to get LUGNET as good as it can
be. I for one, still enjoy it, and look forward to the improvements ahead.
It is a substantial monument to all AFOL'S to have a home on the internet to
share and exchange ideas, projects, likes, dislikes, etc. and I am glad to
be a part of it. : )

Sincerely,

Scott S.
--
Scott E. Sanburn
Systems Administrator-Affiliated Engineers -> http://www.aeieng.com
LEGO Page -> http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3372/legoindex.html
Coming Soon: The Sanburn Systems Company







[followups to .admin.general]



Message is in Reply To:
  Opinions wanted: article rating harmful? (was: New feature: Article rating)
 
All, It seems at this point that the article rating feature -- intended to help -- is actually causing more harm than good to the community. It's difficult to gauge how much harm is being done when opinions are so varied, but it's clear that (...) (25 years ago, 20-Apr-00, to lugnet.admin.general, lugnet.general, lugnet.announce) !! 

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