Watch Out, It's a Drive-By!
Thursday, October 15, 2009 by Island Dog | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
No, not that kind, but this one is just as shady as the real ones.
Every once and a while we get "drive-by" raters as we call them. These are people who are either regular or new users who just instantly give low ratings for whatever reason.
In some cases it's done because of "competition" and that is pretty low in my honest opinion. In the example above, this is a skin that has an overwhelming amount of high ratings, except for one. This is common with many skins, and I know who rates a skin like that without even looking at the name.
Some could argue that "well it's their opinion", and I although that is a possiblity, I do look at patterns and I know the difference between randomness and intention.
I think everyone should rate and comment on a skin with honesty, and offer constructive feedback, but this is wrong. In cases like this, the delete button is used as it's an abuse of the system. The mods here do keep an eye on ratings and let Jafo and I know when suspicious things like this come up. It's not a common occurance, so don't get alarmed in that respect.
The rating system in the next WC is drastically different, and issues like this will be null for the most part. I'm writing this to let everyone know we are not tolerating things like this as it's un-fair, and just plain sucks.
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Reply #2 Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:26 AM
Agreed. 
Why isn't Administrative punishment (i.e. loss of rating privileges for 30 days) given when such a pattern occurs?
* edit: The "real" rating system is number of downloads, anyway.
Reply #3 Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:33 AM
I agree with BoXXi, rating systems are pointless.
Reply #4 Thursday, October 15, 2009 10:09 AM
astonishing.
People have complained about the rating system here for YEARS and said they don't like it, have offered numerous viable suggestions, and always have been shot down. There is no fix. It's totally FUBAR and should go away.
Reply #5 Thursday, October 15, 2009 10:33 AM
This rating system is going away.
Reply #6 Thursday, October 15, 2009 10:35 AM
in WC2Kwheneveritsready 
Reply #7 Thursday, October 15, 2009 11:39 AM
* edit: The "real" rating system is number of downloads, anyway.
Not necessarily. Number of downloads shows popularity, not necessarily quality. If 2 skins are uploaded simultaneously, one that is "cool" and one that is "refined" -- the cool will win out on downloads over the refined (BTW, I'm not saying my skins are refined -- they aren't - I'm still learning. I'm just stating the fact that what appeals to the common masses isn't necessarily of the highest quality sometimes).
Reply #8 Thursday, October 15, 2009 11:48 AM
a new system is definitely in order.. there is another way to look at it as well.. many skins that probably arent good enough to get rated very high... are... so it can work badly both ways.
Reply #9 Thursday, October 15, 2009 11:52 AM
Download whore......
Reply #10 Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:01 PM
I think, sometimes, friends will rate things done by other friends highly just based on friendship....this too is wrong. Rating based on quality of past work is wrong too.
But should ratings be about quality? Or just about how much one likes a skin? I think the latter, because, from the point of view of the user, not the skinner, what I like is gonna get a higher rate from me than something I don't like, that may be of the highest quality. We can't all be mods, or critics. Some people only know what they like and what they don't.
Just redneck thoughts...... 
Reply #11 Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:18 PM
Not a skinner but I do put up Theme Manager Suites and I have in the past done ScreenShots. I will say that I do look at both the rating and downloads, it's the natural thing to do.
What ever system is used to show how the community either likes or doesn't like a particular skin seems like it will always have the 'opportunity' to be misused.
The skinners and the Moderators are the ones that need to be satisfied with what ever system is put in place, downloaders of the skins are basically going to mess things up. (Did I type that) 
Reply #13 Thursday, October 15, 2009 12:54 PM
I rate consistantly on what I like. As long as I use the same criteria *every* *single* *time* it becomes fair.
When some one rates for Differently based on friendship (or lack thereof) the system fails.
Thankfully, the mods *do* keep an eye on things and oftentimes a drive-by rater will get a short note pointing out that maybe they need to find a better way of rating. Usually that works. When it doesn't . . . well . . . jafo needs to eat, right?
Reply #14 Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:01 PM
Surprised no one has mentioned the rate button being badly placed too close to the download button could also be the source of some mis-rates. Hopefully that gets re-thunked on new site.
Reply #15 Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:05 PM
There won't be a rate button - no rating!
Reply #16 Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:19 PM
I've had to deal with several drive-by individuals in my time. One was so bad (he put a '1' on every skin he could find) it took me nearly four hours to clear the mess up...
Just when I think I miss the job I remember things like that...!
Reply #17 Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:29 PM
i guess ... the rating should be available for selected ppl .... like staff or senior community members .... 
Reply #18 Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:33 PM
The rating system is past its sell by date and needs to go
Reply #19 Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:53 PM
People have complained about the rating system here for YEARS and said they don't like it, have offered numerous viable suggestions, and always have been shot down. There is no fix. It's totally FUBAR and should go away.
This rating system is going away.
That's it--I'm leading a protest of the rating system by rating every skin on the site -2 until it changes. I figure I should be finished by 2012. Oh, wait, that's when Roland Emmerich says the world is going to end. . . or was that the day after tomorrow? I'm so confused.
Reply #20 Thursday, October 15, 2009 5:42 PM
ill be glad to see it go, i think its more abused than used. (as in used for the wrong reasons more than the right ones)
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Reply #1 Thursday, October 15, 2009 9:26 AM
It's nothing new.... and it happens everywhere there is a rating system, which is why I dislike it. Just recently, on the Xion website, some guy went through and systematically rated ALL my Xion skins with a 1. I know who he is, but I haven't retaliated. No point, he has 2 skins which are dreadful.
I have always thought that rating systems are pointless on a site like this, and are just open to the kind of abuse we see above. If a skin is good it will get lots of downloads, and that should be how the cream rises to the top, not via a flawed rating system. If you want to see the best skins, sort by DOWNLOAD instead of RATING, as the latter will never be a fair reflection of the skins quality due to people either not rating, or abuse.