platypius
Written May 07 2006, 08:11 PM
Shad, I was just reading over some very highly rated work (I won't mention the names or ages of the authors), and it quickly became apparent that the ratings system here doesn't really reflect the quality of the work.
platypius
Written May 07 2006, 08:49 PM
Just wondering if any members among the 'more mature' (lol) contingent of Deliric poets had noticed.
shadowwriter
Written May 07 2006, 11:12 PM
The same problem is being discussed in the spanish site... the webmasters there said that the "raitings" are just a matter of what's popular they give you an 0.2 for everytime anyone reads you (thats before even saying YES or NO in the voting buttons), then, every YES' or NO's vote varies the score, depending on the number of works the "voter" has read so far... So, a better reader can either raise or sink your "score" with just one click. In my opinion, the fact is that the raitings mean nothing, let's stick to paying attention to the comments. I mean, This is not a contest, points or not, every work has its good things and its bad things, lets justread and make a comment and forget about the raitings... In the spanish site, the webmaster promised the system would change into better defined statistics. I proposed a number of columns that would include: one for Total readings of the text, one for how many of the readers are "users" other for how many are "visitors", one for how many users liked it, one for how many visitosr liked it, one for how many users didn't like it, one for how many visitors didn't like it, one for how many users didn't vote and one for how many visitors didn't vote... But they haven't said exactly how they are going to do it. Either way, that is just a statistic that we can use as a guide, but is not a "raiting". People is just saying if they like it or not, thats a personal oppinion, not a fact. As readers, we can't be following the "points" to know what's good or bad, and as writers, we just need to know how the public relates to our work... the raitings aren't doing that well...
ahshadowrai
Written May 08 2006, 07:14 AM
Platypius, I see it too, yes and I did a little playing around yesterday (after I got my pc back in running order hehehe) and found that there can be a lot of votings from visitors (hence, they can keep comming back to vote on the same piece be it good or bad) I truely do not think that visitors should have the "voting" right, if they want to vote, they should join (this includes those troublesome members from the past full of spite) Personally, I'm not for the ratings, I love to share my work and it's nice when people think ur pretty good but, I absolutely love the feeling when I'm blown away with anothers works! So inspirational, and not to make ur head swell but, "both" of you are fantastic as well as a lot of the younger peeps here, there is just so many amazin' writings here, I just come to enjoy it now and it really keeps me going on my personal quest for sucess. (and no, I'm not trying to suck up) This is the way I am, check it on my sites if you'd like......
platypius
Written May 08 2006, 12:08 PM
Shadowwriter, Let me be crystal clear on this point: I put next to no stock in the ratings here, because the system in play is so easily manipulated! Furthermore, since it promotes and produces a "popularity" rating via complete anonymity, there's nothing to deter an individual from doing so! In fact, if I really gave a rat's ass, I'd be playing the system myself!
shadowwriter
Written May 08 2006, 02:09 PM
I didn't try to imply that you cared or not about how the voting turns out, I just wrote what I think about the popularity system and tried to expose a little bit about how this very same discussion was turning out on the spanish (delirica.com). I just keep thinking we should ask here IN the webmaster's page for the changes we want. In the spanish site, they said they were working on it... they already gave us a Users' list, because we asked for it and because I myself endeavored in the task to upload on my geocities account a provisional one. I repeat, I just say I believe we would be better off with reading/ liking statistics than with just a "popularity" system, thinking that, maybe, someone here would say either "hey, that's a good idea" or "you're nuts, shadow, that's crap"... It wasn't an attack towards you, and I'm sorry if it felt like it. I apologize
platypius
Written May 08 2006, 03:58 PM
Group, I wonder what's the consensus opinion in respect to voter anonymity(?). Personally, I believe that, as long as individuals are allowed to operate multiple accounts from a single IP address, voter anonymity is detrimental to any stripe of ratings system.
platypius
Written May 08 2006, 04:21 PM
*pointing to the foregoing post* Group, Allow me to introduce myself.
platypius
Written May 08 2006, 04:34 PM
I doubt there's even a limit as to how many accounts can be operated from a single IP address. Thus, an individual can easily wreak havoc on the ratings system. And I believe that there is, in fact, at least one person engaged in such activity on this site.
shadowwriter
Written May 08 2006, 06:24 PM
Well... IF you CAN vote twice or more from the same IP, I guess that possibility should be eliminated (there are sites that only allow one vote per computer)... Now, I'd exchange the visitor vote for the visitor being able to comment (with the graphic word proof, blogger/yahoo/google style). I'd also think that privacy options in each personal page, where each user could say if he/she would like letting other users or visitors to vote/comment would be nice (blogger style). I, for one, would let visitors vote in the if we had stats, so we would know, though somewhat unaccurate, how's our connection to the reader. I believe that most of us here are the writers, and generally, the visitors are readers who, since they have no interest on publish, wouldn't need to subscribe to give an oppinion. We, (the users) are kind of "compeating" for readers... so not letting them vote doesn't feel "right" to me. Of course, without knowing if the same IP can vote a 1000 times or not, my thoughts are as good as spit, but if they restrict that... well, I'm repeating myself too much.
ahshadowrai
Written May 09 2006, 03:55 PM
I totally agree w a lot you both said but, what if, like, well I have one computer and my daughter is on here also (stormydaze)....(not very much, I might add) I talked her into it and she spied on the site for a bit till she was comfortable enough to use it, now we've gotten others to join from AR. She's tried to use the schools computer but, they are'nt allowing it yet, hopefully we can get the school to join up as I think it's a great outlet and a great way for young poets to voice out.
shadowwriter
Written May 09 2006, 07:46 PM
Well, I see your point... but I think (I'd have to ask, actually, but I believe) that you can block more than one "visitor vote" from the same IP while letting "user votes" go through... then, it would be a matter of how many people would have two or more accounts to play with the stats... but on the other hand Who would the be kidding? I mean, Am I really feel that much better thinking I have the best works just because I voted for myself and sunk the other readers? I think that's just stupid... and if it is just as a way to bother everyone else, well (excuse my french but) F***k that! We are not in a contest, for one, and, well, stats work as an informative thing, not as facts, so I think we can live with some error.
ahshadowrai
Written May 10 2006, 10:28 AM
Wow, I did some surfin' last night and found so many members have quit: daubmir, essex, elohim, johnnyB, eloi, rimbaud,wiltedlettuce, pastoral, sapporo, adonai, geez, what the h*ll's going on? O_O hmmm, Oh well........(sigh) (well maybe not quit but, have removed all their works....I give up, I'm just going to continue having my own great time reading & writing and scr*w it if someone does'nt enjoy the works, it truely it is their opinion right? O O \_/ (so smile)
shadowwriter
Written May 10 2006, 09:25 PM
nopers... I'm just noticing how alike are the spanish and the english sites... It's amazing how not only the same subjects keep coming up. and I said "Right!" about the: "I'm just going to continue having my own great time reading & writing and scr*w it if someone does'nt enjoy the works, it truely it is their opinion right?" :-p
sovereign
Written May 13 2006, 08:52 PM
I'm going have to agree with you people that the ratings don't really mean much. I
ahshadowrai
I enjoy the comments much better LOL, but, seriously, there does tend to be a lot of "downers" lately......... What was on ur mind Platypius?