Rate post not users

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56 comments, last by phresnel 14 years ago
I'd like that.
And I really don't like the current rating system. People can rate you down simply because you don't agree with them. And some dicks that think they're experts of some kind are actually newbs in psychology. They simply lay off their anger they got from their jobs on everyone that says something that they don't like. (No offence, just ask a question like that to yourself).
I'd suggest adding a feature that allows to rate post as good/neutral/bad and that would add to the user rating too (which would be 0 by default). And I suggest the developers to make the influence on rating to be independent of user's rating. There's no chance that some newbies will join together to downrate some posts that they don't like anyway. So go for it! ;)
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Forgive my post if it is out of place. Since I haven't been active here very long, 2-3 months or so, I don't really see the entire point of the User Rating. I've seen it, I've seen users with ratings almost twice mine, and I've seen users with ratings of half mine. 1000 is the starting point from what I understand, and users with a higher rating have more effect when rating other users. Even if the system worked differently I don't quite fully understand what the use is of this rating system.

I've read a few things about it, and a blurb about the proposed new system, and in either case some things I've noticed is it gives impressions. What I mean by that is sometimes, and without meaning to, bad vibes come from people with lower ratings. Be it before or after reading their post. However I digress because I am not here to list what I've read, felt and observed (good or bad) about the current or proposed rating systems.

Though I would like to ask a fundamental question; why have a rating system in the community? What are the benefits and do they outweigh the costs of such a system?

Again, take this post as you will, with the understanding I've only been active for a few months.
Quote:
why have a rating system in the community? What are the benefits and do they outweigh the costs of such a system?

Ratings systems -- not just GDNet's, but those on StackOverflow and any other site -- are a form of community moderation. They are designed, usually to empower the community to be able to provide persistent feedback about users or topics or other pieces of content as a way of helping to guide other users. Which answers are considered most useful by the consensus of the community? Which users are considered most helpful by the consensus of the community? And so on. That's generally the goal of any kind of community feedback system.
Okay, I get that the number is representing that the person is; nice, helpful, friendly, or just in general agreeing. But I don't get the purpose, and maybe there is no underlying purpose. Like stated in another thread about this topic, A person asks a question, along comes someone with a rating 1800 with answer A and another person with a rating of 750 with answer B. Their rating is suggesting that in the past the first answer is the one to follow, however B might be the better answer for the particular question. The person asking the questions, if smart, will read both answers and choose for themselves without letting the rating get in the way. Sure, at that point the person who answered B might get a bonus for their answer, or maybe not as another point was made that people with less points have a hard time gaining them.

I apologize in advance if I am being naive about this but my two cents is that this rating really doesn't do anything positive besides some form of boost to the person who's rating climbs.

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If somehow the Rating by Post was to happen, completely ignoring who wrote the post, then I could see something useful. As it could work something like I've seen before where negative posts in a thread hide unless clicked. Or if positive answers got bumped up - although this would be tricky since discussion is on going in a thread, and a particular post may be confusing if bumped above others... I do realize that you can ignore any user below a certain rating, but I do not find that helpful; that particular user might actually have solid advice on a specific topic - that wouldn't be heard.
Quote:
Okay, I get that the number is representing that the person is; nice, helpful, friendly, or just in general agreeing. But I don't get the purpose, and maybe there is no underlying purpose. Like stated in another thread about this topic, A person asks a question, along comes someone with a rating 1800 with answer A and another person with a rating of 750 with answer B. Their rating is suggesting that in the past the first answer is the one to follow, however B might be the better answer for the particular question. The person asking the questions, if smart, will read both answers and choose for themselves without letting the rating get in the way. Sure, at that point the person who answered B might get a bonus for their answer, or maybe not as another point was made that people with less points have a hard time gaining them.

I apologize in advance if I am being naive about this but my two cents is that this rating really doesn't do anything positive besides some form of boost to the person who's rating climbs.

Well yes. What the system was designed to accomplish and what the system does accomplish differ, and that is why a lot of people feel the rating system as implemented is problematic, and why it will be different for V5.
It's interesting. I've got downrated because of the previous post I wrote here. Just because people like those that I described are here. There are actually few people who can be polite in any situation even with a high rating.
Quote:...a lot of people feel the rating system as implemented is problematic

Then why is it still here after so much time? :) If I remember correctly, it is here for quite a long time...
Because despite its problems, it's still better than nothing.
I'm sure you have a lot of smart people here, so you should have been able to fix all this. ;) Well, if the changes are coming soon, we all just might forget the laziness. :)
Good to hear this change is being made in V5.

There's lots of highly rated users that tend to make rather useless posts from time to time, but no one says anything because of their high rating. Being able to rate posts rather than users will correct this issue.

The problem that the OP brings up is also of high significance. When a guy with a 500 rating comes in and completely and correctly answers someone's question, he is usually ignored in favor of some higher-rated individual who didn't even thoroughly help, but has the influence of a big rating.
The current rating system only measures political correctness.
[size="2"]I like the Walrus best.

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