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Is the thread rating feature useful?

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kristina_f View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (4) Thanks(4)   Quote kristina_f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Is the thread rating feature useful?
    Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 6:15pm
It doesn't seem to be used frequently, but the bigger issue for me is the ratings don't impart useful information.

I've noticed a couple of new threads I've started have earned one-star ratings. Whether this means someone thinks those threads are horrible or I, individually, am horrible (or both or neither), I don't know. All potentially valid opinions, I suppose, but it's not like I intend to change.

The issue, however, is I've noticed that one user in particular is getting one-star bombed. If you sort by rating in the feedback forums, you can see it plain as day. Her content is objectively good both in that her stories posted to those threads consistently do well, and consistently garner positive response. The rating doesn't reflect reality.

It's possible someone is using the rating system as a crude sorting mechanism. But it's also possible the rating system is being used passive-aggressively. In either case, it's pretty meaningless if not misleading.

If I had to rate the importance of this issue? One star out of five. Perhaps some do find it useful. Just thought it was worth putting out there for consideration.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote AineKnees Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 6:49pm
Interesting! I've only used the ratings thing to give a 5 star rating to the thread of someone's story that I thought was exceptionally good, so that this would flag it up so other people could see and read their excellent story. (And there are lots of excellent stories, I've only done this a few times for ones that really wowed me.) I've no idea if that's the correct way to use the ratings function, but it wouldn't have even occurred to me to give anyone a 1 star rating. Why would someone do that? Maybe someone else can shed light on this whole thing. Also, the ratings things don't seem to be used much, but maybe we should use them more? Or not at all? Interested to see what others think.

Edit: I've rated this topic LOL


Edited by AineKnees - 14 Jul 2021 at 6:50pm
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kristina_f View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kristina_f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 6:59pm
Originally posted by AineKnees AineKnees wrote:

Also, the ratings things don't seem to be used much, but maybe we should use them more? Or not at all? Interested to see what others think.

If it were used more as a rating system, that would likely mitigate the issue. The way you've used it seems pretty much what it was designed for.

Quote Edit: I've rated this topic LOL

I feel unexpectedly validated. Maybe deep down I was just hungry for stars. Though I also would have laughed pretty hard had you given it a one.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (3) Thanks(3)   Quote taaaylor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 7:23pm
Hahahha oh man. Either this is happening to more than one person, or you're definitely talking about me Shocked

First of all, you're a really considerate person to mention it! I likely would have taken a while to notice something like that. I appreciate the kindness of bringing this up, as I doubt the organizers intend the forum software to be used for low-effort trolling. My ego is hearty and difficult to wound, for better or worse, so I literally laughed out loud when I saw it, but I'd hate for that kind of passive aggression to happen to someone who really would take it personally. It's such petty, unproductive behavior.

To my secret admirer: feel free to PM me if you have anything to say or resolve. Or, hey, you know what? You missed a few pages of threads. Go ahead and grab those if you still feel like wasting your own time and making me laugh some more.

If anything, this thread is inclining me to stop and add a high rating to threads when I crit them, just to counteract this frankly pathetic behavior. Like I said, my primary concern is this happening to someone who would be genuinely bothered by it. This is meant to be a supportive place, after all
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote kristina_f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 8:00pm
Originally posted by taaaylor taaaylor wrote:

Hahahha oh man. Either this is happening to more than one person, or you're definitely talking about me 

Definitely you. Just didn't call you out by name as you didn't strike me as the type to be too concerned.

I always wonder about one-star ratings on anyone's story or thread. For me, one-star is like, your story was flat out racist or something—problems beyond writing quality or execution. Others are, perhaps, more hardcore with ratings, and that's their prerogative.

But in your case, it really seems like you've made an impression on someone. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote ZoeLou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 8:02pm
Ouch. 

I thought it was a bit of an unspoken agreement here that if you genuinely don't like someone's story, you either give them some (constructive!) feedback, or just move on. 1 star ratings don't help anyone, and when they're targeted like that it becomes pretty obvious the motivation is really just pettiness or jealousy. 

Hey, I'll admit I'm jealous of taaaylor's writing too. Buuut rather than flinging passive aggressive stars across the forums, I've taken it as motivation to improve and joined the Shameless Groupie Squad instead. ;)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (3) Thanks(3)   Quote ZoeLou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 8:36pm
Update: I'm cracking up. Immediately after I posted here someone snuck over to my story and got me too LOL

Screw it - I'm wearing my solitary star as a badge of honour.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kristina_f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 8:49pm
Huh, AineKnees got one-starred too. 

I think we may be unintentionally stuck in a thriller or crime caper subplot. Due to conservation of characters...

...dangit, I'm not the killer again, am I? 


Edited by kristina_f - 14 Jul 2021 at 8:54pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ZoeLou Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jul 2021 at 9:28pm
Originally posted by kristina_f kristina_f wrote:

Huh, AineKnees got one-starred too. 

I think we may be unintentionally stuck in a thriller or crime caper subplot. Due to conservation of characters...

...dangit, I'm not the killer again, am I? 

Uh oh I think you may be right. I'm calling dibs on writing this story in Challenge 2 - it's about time I wrote another mystery. 

I can see it now: the killer poses as a detective, calling attention to the crime in order to avoid suspicion falling on themselves... It's the ultimate plot twist, the criminal hiding in plain sight pretending to ally with their own victims.

That's it - kristina_f, you're under arrest.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (2) Thanks(2)   Quote Joan of Snark Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jul 2021 at 1:11am
Well whoever is that jealous, they have reason to be. I went and read taaaylor's stories, and they're the sh*t. So I gave them all 5 stars (at least those I could find).

I think a much better use of this person's time would be to actually write instead of being petty and passive aggressive, but, eh, putting in an effort to improve is obviously not as fun as trying to put someone down. 
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