Interesting idea: rating system for comments

marmel87 · Post by **marmel87** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:31 am

I'm fairly new to this forum and find it extremely helpful. In some of the other forums I visit they have a rating system for comments/advice. From my experience such systems allow me to place value to the advice given by other users. Most of the ones I have seen only allow members to select positive feedback. For example excellent advice would receive a 5 star rating and decent advice might receive a 1 star rating.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:19 am

I dislike rating systems because groups form and it leads to abuse. People might have good advice but because a few people don't like them they get voted down.

I prefer it the way it is.

luddhus · Post by **luddhus** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:55 am

Perhaps the first question should be if that feature is available for the forum software used here?

Personally I don't like post rating, because how do you know that those who rate have the competence to do so (who will rate the raters)? Many new members know very little about cacti/succulents, how would they be able to tell a good advice from a bad one?

marmel87 · Post by **marmel87** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:34 pm

Peterthecactusguy and luddhus - Thanks for the responses. I was hoping this would stimulate some discussion about the pros and cons of such systems.

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 2:16 pm

I am also against rating responses if only because what might be valuable to a few people might not be of any value to others whose situation is slightly different. An answer that I need might be overlooked if it has received, for example, only one star--or no star/points. It's too arbitrary.

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:05 pm

This is a nice friendly group and I think a rating system would put that at some risk. Too many specialty forums on the web are very snobby and and clique-y and unwelcoming to newcomers, etc. I like how friendly and patient people are here.

I do wish it were possible for me to "like" someone's post, without commenting, similar to Facebook. I read and enjoy a vast number of threads here I never comment on, just to avoid cluttering the forum with "me too" comments.

peterb

Post by **daiv** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 7:57 pm

Well if anyone makes a post with something disagreeable, there will definitely be someone here that will speak up. If you look at the ID threads, you can see this happens a lot there.

Peterthecactusguy · Post by **Peterthecactusguy** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:46 pm

I agree Daiv, but at the same time with a lot of things, there are opinions. One plant might look very much like something, but we ID it as something else. Sometimes we are right. Sometimes not. I think esp in the ID section ratings would be bad because people's posts might be "thumbed down" if you will when they might have the right answer.

I have been apart of some forums that were like what PeterB has mentioned, and I don't like them.

Even tho sometimes on the forums we have disagreements about what a plant is, the conditions it should be grown in, etc, it doesn't mean we are wrong if someone does it a different way right?

I guess it just seems to me that having a rating system would turn this into youtube or something.

(I do agree with the like idea tho, that way if someone makes a good point it would be better, however I think NO dislikes should be here either)

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:45 pm

Apparently I have elected myself Chief of the PC Police today, but this kind of rating system can lead to unnecessarily hurt feelings and embarrassment. So, please leave the rating system out. If advice is bad it generally gets out voted by the number of posts with good advice that surround it. No need to start pointing out negatives!

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:49 pm

peterb wrote:I do wish it were possible for me to "like" someone's post, without commenting, similar to Facebook. I read and enjoy a vast number of threads here I never comment on, just to avoid cluttering the forum with "me too" comments.

+1

tumamoc · Post by **tumamoc** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:51 pm

The poll results are inconclusive.

Harriet · Post by **Harriet** » Sun Jan 08, 2012 4:59 pm

tumamoc wrote:The poll results are inconclusive.

Sometimes I wish there was an emoticon that conveyed sarcasm. (Possibly an image of Sheldon from TV's Big Bang Theory.)

But if there was such an emoticon, would that not render the sarcastic comment moot?

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:05 am

Harriet wrote:
tumamoc wrote:The poll results are inconclusive.
Sometimes I wish there was an emoticon that conveyed sarcasm. (Possibly an image of Sheldon from TV's Big Bang Theory.)

But if there was such an emoticon, would that not render the sarcastic comment moot?

like!

RichR · Post by **RichR** » Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:36 pm

A rating system invites people to be nasty somewhat anonymously and without explanation and to make their comment without giving it as much thought as they would if they had to write it down. I'd rather be ignored than receive a "strongly dislike" or "you suck" rating without saying why they felt that way. It's much more helpful and personal to receive real comments from real people. That's what makes this forum so valuable.

Interesting idea: rating system for comments

What do you guys think about this kind of system ?

Interesting idea: rating system for comments