A notice about ratings

from WinCustomize Forums

OK, I think a notice here is in order.

Lets first establish what ratings are and what value they have.  A rating is a way to let peers give their appreciation of your work. Ratings range from 1 to 10, 1 being the worse possible rating and 10 being the ultimate best.  Please keep that in mind when rating a skin.  Please do not abuse of 1's and 2's, just as you should use the rating of 10 rather sparingly as well.  A 1 means "It can't get worse than this", and a 10 means "Nothing can better this".
We have noticed that there is way too many 1's and 10's given out. They should be exception. In theory, only a extreme few skins should deserve one or the other.  So, please try to be fair in your ratings, and never use ratings to punish somebody you dislike or reward reward your friends.  Give your ratings according to what YOU feel about a piece. NEVER give a rating to try to raise or lower an overall rating you feel is too high or too low.  For example, never give a 1 to a skin rated 8 because you feel it deserves a 6. If you think it deserves a 6, then give it a 6.  Same goes the other way: don't give a 10 because you think it's rated too low.

Remember that admins can see all the individual ratings. We can see for each skin who rated what, just as we can see for each user what how he rated each skin.  If we feel there is abuse in the ratings, we could at some point remove the rating priviledges of any individual.

We highly encourage everybody to rate, and to rate often, but be fair, and do not misuse the priviledge.

Thank you.

19,286 views 56 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Mmmm....I have been guilty of giving a 10 to a skin I thought was rated too low. Sorry.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Sometimes, some good skins are indeed rated too low, specifically because somebody had misused his rating priviledges. 
It is specifically a case like this that motivated me to write this notice. I was looking at a very nicely done skin and was surprised by its rather average rating. So I looked at the rating details and noticed that although most people had rated it 8 or 9, there was one person who had given it a 1. This is totally uncalled for. Very few skins deserve a rating of 1, and certainly not that one.

What I suggest is that when you notice something suspicious such as a good skin with a rather low rating, please contact an admin so we can go and see if there is something unfair in the individual ratings.

Note also that I understand that tastes can be different. I wouldn't have thought much of it had it been a 4 for example. But a 1 is extreme, and should only be given to the rare extremely bad skins. Same goes for 10's (for the rare extremely good skins).

Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The reason i don't often rate. if its that good or bad i will but other than that i feel a comment is better than nothing.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Where is the Rating button or whatever? It has never been visible to me.

Do you need to have a Subscrition or WinCustomize Browser?

What am I missing here?

Thanks
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Citizens can't rate unless you are a subscriber.



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Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Thanks
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just my 2 cents worth, I only give a rating when very impressed and as I don't skin and only enjoy the hard work of others I have no idea how much work goes into individual types ie: walls, cursors, blinds & ETC. so I don't feel its my place to be Judgmental. It might be better to let the Citizen types like me make our comments and reserve ratings for those who do the work, maybe only those higher than a Citizen.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey, I'm a Journeyman and I don't always feel competent to give a rating. Too much personal taste involved.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Me thinks, that, at the moment indeed people vote to downgrade or upgrade the current rating. Paxx, the world is not perfect The way ratings have been given in the past year made me conclude not to rate much. I haven't been impressed with a few high rated skins, and I feel being harassed if I sincerely comment on it. Especially when it comes to comment on admins/skinners with a "name". Oh well.
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Also, I have seen too many skins rated "10", after first upload and first rate. There is really no room for people to vote then anymore, you know how psyche works.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A suggestion would be to give skins an initial rate. If admins approve walls and they really like it, give it a 7 so that visitors can see these. Give it an initial 6 if they think the work is worth having it in the library and to the ones that can pass moderation. Same for non-moderated skins. That way there would be room for people to rate.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Lecrayon...putting things into perspective, I think I approved and rated one of your walls a '10'...straight out of the box.....horrifying, innit...
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I know you did Jafo, and it blew me away. You have to understand that I am not making a case for myself. If you will, I look generally, and my opinion is that with an initial 6 or 7, you might get people to rate sooner than the admins having too much to say at first glance.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Note that admins now have the ability to delete ratings.
So, if you feel there may be an unfair rating, you can contact us, we can look and take actions if we feel it's necessary.
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top

But we will only take action on a rating if the rating is abusive.

That is, don't email us because someoen gave your skin a 4.

Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yes, indeed. All in context with my initial post.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think rating and commenting are both part of the appreciation you give a certain design. I try to rate as often as I can. Sometimes I comment on a design and I forget to rate it
But I think its good for the artist and authors to get both a comment and a rating on their work. If you have the privilage to exercise both things, then do it. Its not gonna kill you.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
A small follow up on #11, first the initial 6 or 7, then the admin can rate his or her "10".....Just a thought, we start equal, from thereon it's up to the individual people who want to rate.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
What about only allowing a 1 or 10 to be affective if 3 or more people give it that rating? This way a single extreme positive or negative vote will only count if others echo it.

Just a thought to try and even things out.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Like lecrayon, I have certainly been annoyed by skins from 'names' that are rated 10 straight out of the box and have, on one occassion (sp?) deliberately voted 1 to effectively register a protest.

Perhpas the DevArt 'favorites' count is fairer - you either like the skin or you don't.
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How about throw out the high, throw out the low and disqualify the East German judge

I am serious about the high/low thing.
[Message Edited]
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Judge, I know what your saying, but you have to remember the only one your hurting is the one you gave a 1 to, not the moderator or the system.



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Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
just my 2cents... ( well... paisa in my case.. )...
it will also be nice to see how a skin is rated in the skin details page..
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Honestly its not your decision to say how someone else thinks of a particular skin/wallapaper. It is their own decision, and their choice not to mention an opinion. Freedom of speech what? You give them power, so don't expect everything to turn out the way you want it.