I love the new DU but am not crazy about the Rating feature

[Maine Mary]

Anyone else feel this way? I posted a poll the other day (basically just to try out the new software) It really wasn't one of my better threads, I'll admit, but someone gave me a 1 !!!! :-( Maybe I'm a little too sensitive but it kind of hurt my feelings. ;(

Since then I've deceided I won't be rating threads unless I think it deserves a 5. Kind of following my mom's philosophy of "If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all".

Am I the only one slighty bothered by the rating thing?

[bluestateguy]

1. Silent Freeping

I agree. Freepers can do their deed here silently by rating every thread a 1 as soon as it hits the board. It's not the same kind of red flag as a right wing post.

[aquaman]

2. I don't like it either......

but hey, whatever. If someone else does then thats cool.

[number9]

3. It seems distracting more than anything else

I pay no attention to it. My focus is finding the threads with titles that interest me - not what others thought about it. Popularity in any community does not necessarily equate with quality.

[bookman]

4. Ok, I'm not paying attention, but...

.... where do you see the poll ratings? I'm not even sure why I would bother to rate something.

[DUreader]

6. On the individual forum pages reply#/view#/rating#

I don't even see them anymore and just look at reply/view count

[phishhead]

5. What do you mean you don't like the Rating feature?

Thats Un-American. You don't want to be Un-American, do you? ;)

[Wonk]

7. The more DUers that use it the better it'll work.

You might want to read this other thread about the rating feature as well.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=120&topic_id=552&mesg_id=552

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Actually I saw a thread today where an earnest question was asked

in an intelligent manner, and answered in an intelligent manner by experts in the field and it was rated a 1. I could not justify in my mind how anyone could have rated it a one based on the information and the thoughtful replies. Not just that but, since when is the request for information followed by credible information ever a 1? Is there a silent rebellion against learning by a stealth and silent few?

Now contrast rating a thread, and the acknowledgement it is of the thread starter, with the popularity contests that post counts and post celebration threads were alleged to be.

Even in the thread you offer Wonk, there is a response in there from a poster who admits rating several threads a one in order to spare other Du'ers the anguish of clicking on them ( my parapharase there.)

Which would you rather have? A community that acknowledges posters based on their overall participation ( or doesn't acknowledge them by not posting) with a celebration thread? Or a community that can stealthly rate you a one whther it is truly objectively warranted or not?

[Wonk]

13. I'm not sure which thread you're referring to but if you think it deserved

a rating higher than a 1 then rate it a 5 and it'll average out to a 3 (assuming only one person who disliked the author and not the thread rated it a 1 out of spite).

Imho, though, threads that ask questions that could be easily answered with a quick google deserve a low rating.

my 2¢

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. I did rate it a five but it sat there a while as a one

And fine that that's your opinion but to have a question asked that flushes out an understanding of something technical can be very helpful at DU.

An example would be the googled info on flight crashes versus Demo Tex's contributions to those threads.

[Wonk]

17. Couldn't have stayed a flat 1 if you did that

and if it was rated something like 1.07 then that'd mean that an awful lot of DUers thought it was a waste of time.

Skinner, in that other thread I linked to above, said "I actually think this could be a really great feature if people decide to use it. IMO, a lot of the threads in the General Discussion forum actually deserve to be rated "1". I think it's useful to know what the good threads are."

YMMV

[number9]

18. that is what I consider to be a problem

"I think it's useful to know what the good threads are."

What's good for the goose.....

Good is probably what's interesting to you. Someone else may have a different opinion, so in effect, rating a thread highly shows it is interesting to you. Nothing personal, but I don't really care what others think is interesting, and don't like the idea of being affected by it - the herd mentality and all.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. No it moved to a three when I changed it

That is the point and I did read Skinner's comments. I agree if people use it it might be good. I also know one can click on a thread and rate it a one in their head or comment that it is a one. One requires a bit more courage. I am sure there are many things I consider to be a one that others do not.

[burr]

16. Funny how I never paid attention to that box everytime I have posted.

To me the standard is should be simple. If many different people respond you have an interesting thread, if they don't something's wrong.

[oneighty]

23. Thanks NMSA

Ed

[Kenneth ken]

8. I wanted to rate

a thread the other day, but there isn't a 0 option. So, I've decided I'll pretty much ignore that feature. And, since the rating shows all the way to the right, I pretty much never notice how a thread is rated before I read it.

But then, I only go by subject titles, so author, replies, views, ratings I hardly ever notice.


exception: once in a while I check GD for Bev Harris threads, because the BBV thing interests me. ( I am sort of aware other people are posting threads on this issue too, but that would be too many people to try to keep track of.)

I like my life simple as possible.

[mitchum]

9. I'm too lazy to use it...

and too disinterested to care.

[burr]

10. Rating thing???

what's this?

Does everybody get a rating or just those that start a thread?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

12. Any registered user can rate a thread

Even if they come over from freeperville and never once post but only register. It is the bottom left under Maine Mary's original post. If you scroll up you will find the feature. It has been interesting seeing the reactions of long time members who do post thoughtful contributions and see a "1". Granted, they can even the rating out by rating it themselves but it is also a stealth form of judging and evaluating others.

I suspect it might be used more honestly if a list of people who rated the thread were available....

[ClintonTyree]

14. Ignore it...........

I am. Every post has some redeeming value to at least one other member. In my opinion it's a juvenile option that has no place on a message board, but it probably came with the package. Just say no to the rating system.

[papau]

20. We know each other by now - ratings are not needed and only hurt feelings

Enjoy Maine in the summer (black fly season has to end soon just as the noseeins did)! and Greenhead is 6 weeks from now and not even a season in most places. Folks do not know how "big sky" Maine is so pleasant - I do - and I envy your location!

:-)

Meanwhile ignore the idiot ratings!

:-)

[SoCalDem]

21. For a few days we had a disruptor

who probably was the one posting all the 1's.. As soon as he was banned, the rating frenzy seemd to subside.. Just don't even pay attention to the ratings :)...

At least they don't have negatives or zeros. That would be even worse :(

[jonnyblitz]

22. I don't even pay attention to the ratings!

I always like reading your threads because I am from Maine also and I can relate to the "context" from which you speak!! To hell with those who rate your threads low Maine Mary!! :hi:

[LynneSin]

24. I think we have outside influences on the ratings system

I had a corny post where folks could rate me. Everyone who posted was like "Yeah Lynne, you deserve a 5!!" (Well except that Loser GOPisEvil who said he couldn't give me a 5 since a 5 means 'I want you as my nextdoor neighbor - you SLACKER!!!).

But yet my rating never got above 4.

So I did another rating - rate Bush (1 being really bad and 5 being 'he's the best')

You think with the DU that guy wouldn't get anything higher than a 1 (he'd get less than 1 if that feature was available).

Somehow his score was just shy of a "2" which means all the ones we were giving him was offset by someone giving him a high rating.

I think the ratings are a goof - but to make ya feel better I'm giving you a "5" cause you're a 10 in my book!!!1

[WHAT]

25. I just rated you...

mostly I wanted to see how the feature worked. There is a lot of room for mischief with this feature. On the other hand, it could be fun. Someone in the lounge wanted to be rated an irrational number! i wonder...what would an imaginary number look like?. It could be fun for playing number games in the lounge.

Seriously, I like it. There are some posters I'd like to give a 5 to just for their lucidity....hmmmmaybe jack rabbit's post yesterday!!

[ibegurpard]

26. I rarely even notice the ratings.

I guess it's just me

:shrug:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

27. From now on when you start a thread, immediately rate it a 5 yourself

that'll fix it. :D

[thermodynamic]

28. I've made 2 posts so far about the issue

You're good at wording things because I always get a "1", even for posts which aren't frivolous.

I even "asked the admins" about the anti-niceness of the ratings concept. :-(

It used to bother me, but these days I just accept it as the proverbial fly in the soup.

[DagmarK]

29. I agree MaineMary and Therm.....

I think there should just be an option to say "MUST READ!" and leave it at that. That way...the really supercalifragilisticexpealidocious threads can be marked in a special way.

AND...don't give it its high rating until 3 different posters have rated it a "must read"