That's not what it says on the tin... - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 06-12-2005, 01:19 PM

This thread is about thread ratings. This system attracts a queer response from Barrowdowners, at least in my view.

First of all, does anyone do it? I admit that I've only done it about 4 or 5 times in my 3 years here.

I especially wonder why certain threads have, what seems to me like, bizarre ratings.

There is a thread called The Eagles in the movies section which is essentially a duplicate thread, and it is rated with 5......bones, is it? I think they're bones. Anyway, for anyone who has not actually looked at it, it's a 5-star thread.

Alternatively, there is a thread from a while back called PJ's Sauron which is an absolute riot and very funny indeed, rated with 1 bone for some reason.

The point of the bones is so that people with only a few minutes to spare can safely ignore those threads rated with 1 or 2 bones, which are meant to be of poor quality. But this is just not working properly.

So what? Should we campaign to get everyone to rate every thread they devote some time to? Please share your thoughts. And any answers about that Sauron thread.

VanimaEdhel · 06-12-2005, 01:39 PM

Are there a lot of cliques traveling around on the board? Because I remember on the old board, when we had those ancient User Ratings, there was a lot of strife regarding that - people unfairly rating other users not based on the content of their statements or the validity of their arguments, but rather because the specific poster was their friend or had, at some time, offended them.

I haven't been here in a very, very long time, so I don't know how the dynamic of the board has been lately - whether the "Stuffy Oldies" and the "Fractious Newbies" are still waging a silent war or what, but simply the creator of a thread might spark unfair ratings, if they are based on arbitrary ratings.

Granted, I'm for having ratings - both user and thread - but people still have to allow a margin for the voters' personal feelings regarding the poster. Often, if the creator of the thread is a bit of the pariah on the board, they won't get a high user rating no matter what they do. It may follow suit for their threads. It shouldn't be that way, but it is.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 06-12-2005, 01:57 PM

Cliques, hmm....... I don't think so. Did there used to be?

Just in the last few minutes I was looking at a thread called Young Master Gandalf which includes interesting discussion about Gandalf and Treebeard - rated 1 bone's worth.

VanimaEdhel · 06-12-2005, 02:10 PM

I don't really know how deeply it got - whether it was really a clique or just a bunch of bitter people together. I do know that one of the reasons they abolished the old ratings system was that people were targeting one person, and having all their friends go after them too. If you did something particularly nice one day, for example, they'd go around raising your score everytime they saw it, no matter how juvenile your posting. Meanwhile, you could uncover some deep, meaningful truth regarding Tolkien (granted, that's an exaggeration), but if you, for example, unexpectedly (to them) killed their character off in a role-playing game because they had not been around for a good few months, they would have all their friends go around and lower your score. I don't know if things like that still happen here.

And then there was always a certain degree of discomfort between Oldies - of which I sort of became one - and the Newbies. Especially when a new movie would come out and we'd get that rash of Orlando-lovers and people professing their undying love for Legolas or Aragorn, things got a little tense. That seemed to happen more in the RP-ing rooms, to be honest, though. Every fangirl and her mother it seemed were wandering in there and making a beautiful, golden-haired elf shieldmaiden with blue eyes - named something like Lhunsilwenbainmorsuiladmenelaldardulincelinduialie lienwen - usurped from power (lovechild of Elrond and some hot elf lass), and having her wander off on a quest to win the heart of Legolas. Things got especially nasty then...I think there was even a time when you didn't have to get characters "okay"-ed by someone before you could play. It was actually mayhem quite a bit of the time.

Eomer of the Rohirrim · 06-12-2005, 02:16 PM

I think the newbies are very respectful these days anyway. They probably take after our generation.

But regarding friends unfairly rating your product, VanimaEdhel - are you familiar with the reputation system?

It has the potential to be even worse than the thread ratings. But there's not too much abuse on the Downs.

VanimaEdhel · 06-12-2005, 02:58 PM

Yes, the old "ratings system" I alluded to was like the reputation system...but I think there were little...bones? I don't know...I forget - so long ago. But that was a big old mess.

I'm going to sign off - get ready to go out for a birthday dinner.

the phantom · 06-12-2005, 03:07 PM

You know... I don't think I have ever rated a thread.

It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I never even think about it.

I'll try to remember to rate threads in the future.

Bêthberry · 06-12-2005, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanimaEdhel

Every fangirl and her mother it seemed were wandering in there and making a beautiful, golden-haired elf shieldmaiden with blue eyes - named something like Lhunsilwenbainmorsuiladmenelaldardulincelinduialie lienwen - usurped from power (lovechild of Elrond and some hot elf lass), and having her wander off on a quest to win the heart of Legolas.

Oh, Vanima, how little thou rememb'rest! It was red hair and green eyes, every last loving one of them, and nearly all long lost orphans too. And oh how they could ride! Eminent horsewomen too, without a lock of hair blowing in a manner unbecoming.

But let me not be accused of sexism. I think we had our fair share--oh, very fair!--of sternly jawed, well muscled men of ardour, whose strong-armed swordplay showed greater fealty to steel's edge and maidenly blush than to Strider's lonely campaigns.

Yes, things certainly have 'cimmered' down.

But, to return to topic, I rate threads that I find myself reading even if I don't post--the discussion/wit/humour carries me along. I love giving praise where praise is due! And I do note which threads get rated. It tells me something about at least a few of the Downers here, where lie their preferences. Is this just me, a bit of a modding habit?

EDIT: The old system was a rating of members and it could be turned off at the member's discretion. The new rep system is for ... posts and threads. And you know, Eomer, if you want us to go trouping after some thread to consider your discussion, it would vastly improve the response rate if you provide a link for us lazy gits.

Encaitare · 06-12-2005, 08:43 PM

I think I rated a thread once, and I don't even remember which one it was. Honestly, I don't really look at the bone ratings.

06-12-2005, 01:19 PM	#1
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	That's not what it says on the tin... This thread is about thread ratings. This system attracts a queer response from Barrowdowners, at least in my view. First of all, does anyone do it? I admit that I've only done it about 4 or 5 times in my 3 years here. I especially wonder why certain threads have, what seems to me like, bizarre ratings. There is a thread called The Eagles in the movies section which is essentially a duplicate thread, and it is rated with 5......bones, is it? I think they're bones. Anyway, for anyone who has not actually looked at it, it's a 5-star thread. Alternatively, there is a thread from a while back called PJ's Sauron which is an absolute riot and very funny indeed, rated with 1 bone for some reason. The point of the bones is so that people with only a few minutes to spare can safely ignore those threads rated with 1 or 2 bones, which are meant to be of poor quality. But this is just not working properly. So what? Should we campaign to get everyone to rate every thread they devote some time to? Please share your thoughts. And any answers about that Sauron thread. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond Last edited by Eomer of the Rohirrim; 06-12-2005 at 01:21 PM. Reason: clarity

06-12-2005, 01:39 PM	#2
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	Are there a lot of cliques traveling around on the board? Because I remember on the old board, when we had those ancient User Ratings, there was a lot of strife regarding that - people unfairly rating other users not based on the content of their statements or the validity of their arguments, but rather because the specific poster was their friend or had, at some time, offended them. I haven't been here in a very, very long time, so I don't know how the dynamic of the board has been lately - whether the "Stuffy Oldies" and the "Fractious Newbies" are still waging a silent war or what, but simply the creator of a thread might spark unfair ratings, if they are based on arbitrary ratings. Granted, I'm for having ratings - both user and thread - but people still have to allow a margin for the voters' personal feelings regarding the poster. Often, if the creator of the thread is a bit of the pariah on the board, they won't get a high user rating no matter what they do. It may follow suit for their threads. It shouldn't be that way, but it is. __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

06-12-2005, 01:57 PM	#3
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	Cliques, hmm....... I don't think so. Did there used to be? Just in the last few minutes I was looking at a thread called Young Master Gandalf which includes interesting discussion about Gandalf and Treebeard - rated 1 bone's worth. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

06-12-2005, 02:10 PM	#4
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	I don't really know how deeply it got - whether it was really a clique or just a bunch of bitter people together. I do know that one of the reasons they abolished the old ratings system was that people were targeting one person, and having all their friends go after them too. If you did something particularly nice one day, for example, they'd go around raising your score everytime they saw it, no matter how juvenile your posting. Meanwhile, you could uncover some deep, meaningful truth regarding Tolkien (granted, that's an exaggeration), but if you, for example, unexpectedly (to them) killed their character off in a role-playing game because they had not been around for a good few months, they would have all their friends go around and lower your score. I don't know if things like that still happen here. And then there was always a certain degree of discomfort between Oldies - of which I sort of became one - and the Newbies. Especially when a new movie would come out and we'd get that rash of Orlando-lovers and people professing their undying love for Legolas or Aragorn, things got a little tense. That seemed to happen more in the RP-ing rooms, to be honest, though. Every fangirl and her mother it seemed were wandering in there and making a beautiful, golden-haired elf shieldmaiden with blue eyes - named something like Lhunsilwenbainmorsuiladmenelaldardulincelinduialie lienwen - usurped from power (lovechild of Elrond and some hot elf lass), and having her wander off on a quest to win the heart of Legolas. Things got especially nasty then...I think there was even a time when you didn't have to get characters "okay"-ed by someone before you could play. It was actually mayhem quite a bit of the time. __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

06-12-2005, 02:16 PM	#5
Eomer of the Rohirrim Auspicious Wraith Join Date: May 2002 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 4,859	I think the newbies are very respectful these days anyway. They probably take after our generation. But regarding friends unfairly rating your product, VanimaEdhel - are you familiar with the reputation system? It has the potential to be even worse than the thread ratings. But there's not too much abuse on the Downs. __________________ Los Ingobernables de Harlond

06-12-2005, 02:58 PM	#6
VanimaEdhel Etheral Enchantress Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wellesley College! Posts: 1,461	Yes, the old "ratings system" I alluded to was like the reputation system...but I think there were little...bones? I don't know...I forget - so long ago. But that was a big old mess. I'm going to sign off - get ready to go out for a birthday dinner. __________________ "I think we dream so we don't have to be apart so long. If we're in each others dreams, we can be together all the time." - Hobbes of Calvin and Hobbes

06-12-2005, 03:07 PM	#7
the phantom Beloved Shadow Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Stadium Posts: 5,971	You know... I don't think I have ever rated a thread. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I never even think about it. I'll try to remember to rate threads in the future. __________________ the phantom has posted. This thread is now important.

06-12-2005, 08:43 PM	#9
Encaitare Bittersweet Symphony Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: On the jolly starship Enterprise Posts: 1,814	I think I rated a thread once, and I don't even remember which one it was. Honestly, I don't really look at the bone ratings.