Is it hard to simply turn off the ratings system until we have the ability to identify who provides a rating?
At the moment, it’s essentially noise. It’s not a big deal, but when even a light-hearted comment spurs a thumbs-down, it persuades me that at least one visitor simply thumbs-down everything they read. Presumably the thumbs-up ratings are equally suspect.
This is aside from the fact that sometimes, I’m unable to click one or the other (I always use Firefox), and sometimes my single thumbs-up click adds “2”, rather than “1”, to the count. If that happened just once, I’d say somebody else gave a simultaneous thumbs up. However, when it starts, my “super approval” mode continues so that I apparently get twice the approval power of a mere mortal for the remainder of that session.
For the moment, it seems that the ratings abuse and bugs together hurt the site more than they help.
Just my thoughts … not a big deal.
just didn’t like Shakey’s pizza.
I agree that the ratings, for all the abuse and sniping, is something from the old platform to be misssed.
really
n/t
Thanks for proving my point, anonymous downrater.
At home, I have access to two different computers on two different network connections running two different operating systems. Comments I write on BMG on Computer A, I can give a thumbs up to on Computer B — even though I’m logged in as kbusch on both. For even more fun, I can give one thumbs up (or down) from each computer. It even seems that if I alternate machines, I can give an infinite number of thumbings.
*
An alternative approach: we dissenters against the rating system could just give out indiscriminate thumbs ups to every comment thereby completely drowning out the churlish raters.
So I posted this comment about legislative redistricting, trying to figure out what the map-drawers were up to, and got 2 thumbs down for it, like I’d directed a sequel to “Battlefield Earth” or something.
If it was someone who didn’t like the maps…well, I’d rather hear a few words about why they suck, and not be blamed for drawing them because I didn’t. If it is someone who disagreed with my analysis of them, I’d like to know where the contention is.
Maybe low ratings aren’t the big deal here they are on DKos, but still, aren’t these supposed to be for spamming, trolling, off-topic posts, and personal attacks?
I first started noticing arbitrary and capricious downratings a while ago, by somebody who seemed to be (inexplicably) enraged by KBusch’s perspicacity and insightfulness.
And now it’s as though a botnet is on the loose, mowing down acres of perfectly reasonable comments.
They are just cosmetic. If you don’t like them, ignore them. Personally, I never look at ratings and consider them largely meaningless.
Watching them was a guilty pleasure when they weren’t anonymous, however.
this.
Can we get a consensus on that and just get rid of them?
support when I really don’t have something to add. Instead of saying “Me too” or “How perspicacious of you!” I would give a 6.
A better system would be have ratings 1-5. With 1 & 2 expressing disapproval and 4 & 5 approval. 3 would be a “meh.”
How perspicacious of you!
Well, I have to say I’m torn between admiring Bob’s consistency (“There are no trolls at Blue Mass Group”) and completely throwing up my hands.
I suppose the question is whether this is a community. Assuming for the moment that it is, the community has become accustomed to, has evolved with, a transparent rating system. I think most regular posters take ratings seriously. (Who doesn’t get a burst of pride when Judy Meredith says “Six 6s for you?”)
If they are now meaningless, that is a big change, no?
Change is good, I voted for it …
I think civility has largely improved on this site. I certainly am happy to spar with Kbusch, lightiris, amberpaw, and SomervilleTom who were my mortal enemies on the old site. I am not sure if its because the community of regular posters got smaller and we have to be friendly or if the anonymous up or down ratings smoothed things over. I know for a fact it was the downrating all the time by the same group of people that got me riled up and probably turned me into an abuser too. I also made a vow after the Giffords incident to be more civil and not get personal and I think I have stuck to that for the most part, certainly better than I expected. Also being a member of the working class now and not an Ivory Tower egghead has given me a lot of perspective and hopefully tempered my arrogance.