Serious Ratings Abuse Still Happening

rehashing an old favorite

from WinCustomize Forums
I can't help but notice that as of late, there has been some serious rating slamming happening particularly in the Windowblinds section.
There have been some fine themes that are getting hammered with 1 and 2 stars and some mediocre themes getting 3 and 4.
When Boxxi puts out a new one like Gold Carbon and its getting rated at 2 stars, I think that is proof enough.
It seems we have hashed and rehashed this issue, yet nothing ever gets done about it.
Why can't we have the following rules for ratings, it WOULD do a great deal to solve the issue.
#1) If you are going to rate, you MUST leave a comment.
#2) Your username, comment and rating are visible to the skinner at least.
27,248 views 103 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm sure it's happening Phoon, but in your example I downloaded it, used it, left a comment and I did rate it 2 stars, I didn't particularly like the quality of it in general, had a couple of specific comments, and have seen tons of stuff from Boxxi that is much better. Irregardless of who created the skin, I personally didn't think it was very well made..
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
its getting rated at 2 stars
....one of the pitfalls of being a Journeyman if no one rates your skins. I think the 3-star rating or 6 that a Journeyman's skin has when it first posts should stick, instead of being wiped out bu a single rating.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Seconds the motion..Even tho I am absolutely nobody here other than a citizen. I have witnessed the exact thing Phoon is talking about and agree 100%..if that means anything at all.
I'll shut-up now and let the powers that actually matter concern themselves with the topic..::laughs::

Good Luck Phoon,
Zero.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I only rate what I use for more than a week. That said I leave comments as well. I support Phoon's arguements and love his solution.
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Boss.. I used Boxxi's skin just as an example as it is extremely uncommon to see on one of his works. You left comments and rated according to your comments. That is a valid proceedure IMHO. What I can't stand are the anonymous 1's and 2's that do it just to be mean and try to glorify their own works, or just because they don't like your name, your screenshot, or you in general. I think the anonymity involved is very very counter productive in this environment.
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It's not fair at all, but exposing ratings will cause feuds. Boss rated Phoon a 2 so Phoon will get him back(just an example). I don't know what the answer is, but you're right; it's not fair. Maybe no ratings? Or maybe everything starts at a 0 and increases in rating by the number of downloads and comments? I don't know.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Exactly Phoon, that's the way it should be done, and there was a long long thread on this last week, and maybe some got it and will either try the skin and comment from there, and only then should they rate it, if at all..if I take the time to download something and use it, I will comment on it and I will rate it, if I don't download it, I won't do either...and the only way to get rid of the bashers is to monitor them and take action if they are abusing the system, talking about them and saying what crap it is in the forums won't do a bit of good if they want to be ass****s
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Or we can all just go to every skin and say "Good Job" and rate it a 3
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I support number one, but not number 2
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think the anonymity involved is very very counter productive in this environment.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
but not number 2


Skins that go through moderation, usually come out with a 6 rating that sticks, so a drive-by 1 or 2 doesn't make it a 1 or 2. A journeyman's skin doesn't go through moderation, comes out with a 6 rating that doesn't stick, so a drive-by 1 or 2 makes it a 1 or 2. So Joe you think that's fair?
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I would like to see ratings tied to comments also. IMHO it would limit or at least curtail ratings based on the things Phoon noted above and it would also make bogus ratings apparent; whether they were very low or very high for no valid reason. It would be a lot easier to discount a rating if it was clear from the comment that there had been no real evaluation of the skin.
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
oh, and Essencay, my rating was 2 stars....a 4 rating....not a 1 star , just to clarify..
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hmmmm, Ok..I know I said I would shut-up but..LoL.. Is there no way to run perhaps a "Dual" Rating system? I mean..being judged and rated by the other artists would be definitely more satisfying if your work got high marks, but could there not also be a rating system put forth to the everyday user? maybe for a certain time frame..say..2 weeks after the Skin/? becomes available? and then maybe a combination of these ratings average to become a final rating in the end?

just a minimal scenario without going into too much detail, and of course just a thought/comprimise/possible solution. After all, it would be a shame to lose any of the talent that is here at wincustomize, and it does seem to be a *Very heated topic.

Shutting-up again,
Zero.
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
... just get rid of ratings
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Boss019....no issues...the way you rate is fair and is all any skinner hopes for is someone who downloads and uses a skin before rating and commenting My comment wasn't directed at you, sorry if it seemed that way. Since Phoon brought up a skin from someone that doesn't have their work moderated, I am trying to point out the irony of an apprentice skin being protected and a journeyman skin isn't by a single rating.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It might be a good idea if the ratings were taken off the main browsing page and only available or visible when your click on comments. Kind of out of sight out of mind for some of the "drive-by" types. At least then an individual couldn't just go down one page and rate 25 or more skins at once.
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If you dont use it or download the skin to see if its any good how can you rate it? I only rate a WB or any skin if I download it, use it to see if I like it. If its a good quality skin that I use then I go back and rate it and leave a comment on how I like it! I second Lantec's idea!
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
That's not bad, Lantec, a decent patch of sorts..simple but would help...and all is cool Essencay, wasn't sure if we were on the same page, used to be numbers, now stars...and I don't think I've ever rated anything a one or two..not right to do that to someone who actually took the time to create a skin, I think
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I don't get it, either. What is the benefit of drive by ratings? What pleasure does it give the rater? I don't rate anything without d-loading first and there are a lot of things I don't rate because I'm ignorant about what I would be rating. A wall I will rate, or a screeny, a rainy, an occasional widget, and a blind that I have used quite a bit. That's it. How can I assess the quality of something I don't know anything about?
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
why ratings at all?

doesn't the numbers of downloads speak for themselves?
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
(I just cant help myself..LoL)

"I don't get it, either. What is the benefit of drive by ratings?"

I think that would be to show appreciation and support for that artisits hard work and effort, while trying to maintain a non biased opinion of it..

As far as not knowing anything about it, I know you definitely know quite a bit about it..::laughs:: you can tell how usable a skin is and most of the mass's can pretty much determine most of the basics as well..I mean the DL's do speak for themselves.. The very good skins are usually the most popular DL's.

Zero.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
think that would be to show appreciation and support for that artisits hard work and effort, while trying to maintain a non biased opinion of it..


How can you tell how well a Toyota Tacoma handles unless you drive one. How can you rate a skin without downloading it?
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I think what would be nice is to have the rating buttons disabled by default, then have them "activated" when the download button has been clicked.
As far as download numbers, they don't mean a thing. You download something, you don't like it, then you rate it a 2. Counts as a download, but you still hated it.