Official Poll to Remove Ratings from Pictures

[Urban Saboteur]

I wanted to post a poll about having the ratings removed from the pictures bit of the site. Is this possible. I'll leave this to site admin to find out.
However I believe its in the site's best interest if the feature weren't no longer available.
*The system is open to abuse, and is abused, and it creates an awkward situation to have to explain to new members if they notice that someone's suddenly got a batch of 1-ratings for no apparent reason.
*As well as the this above, there's the fact that some people ARE getting upset by the ratings abuse, and I'm not ashamed in admitting I am upset that ratings abuse goes on.

Just Vote on the poll and help make a decision towards what I think could work best for the site. No grey Area's.

Vote YES If you think Ratings should be removed (If possible).
Vote NO if you want to keep the ratings system.

Real Simple.
Rich

[Stormer]

It's a reluctant yes from me.

I think the ratings are great, in theory, but we all know that someone (someones?) has been using it to anonymously take swipes at particular people's pics. Taking away that ability will avoid anyone getting upset or frustrated, and stops the low-rater getting their jollies.

I agree that it's a shame when new users notice this and ask "Why has someone given this pic a 1?" and we have to say that there's someone doing this out of spite -- it's not a way to encourage contribution! If it weren't for this I'd say ignore the ratings but that requires everyone to be in-the-know and the reason for the situation would just be a consant downer.

I'm all for giving low ratings when it's deserved, so long as there's an accompanying explanation. Receiving constructive criticism is, I feel, a great way to grow & improve as an artist and I feel that the rating system (and its abuse) can lead to an atmosphere where any negativity is unfairly looked down upon. It'd be great to have the quick-to-do and easy-to-read system being used as originally intended but as it stands I don't see it as a true representation of other users' opinions any more.

[Flatline]

I Voted To Keep Them
I Would Rather Have Em Around To See What Poeple Think Of The Photos. Yes Some Haters Just Abuse This Feature But The Majority Use It For Good. It Should Maybe Be Modified To Let Us Knoe Who Posted That Way They Leave A Reasonable Explination. If Possible By The Site Mods.

[General Scarlett]

[SIZE=5]!!!!READ THIS BEFORE VOTING!!!![/SIZE]

[SIZE=4]In case anyone missed it, there is a disclaimer that your screen name will show up when you vote.......so don't vote one thing and post the opposite, unless you want to get 'called out'!![/SIZE]


Taking down the ratings system might not be as easy as 'flipping a switch'........I think that I remember the last time this all came to a head (when Dave was frustrated at someone targeting him)....if I remember correctly, it's $$$ to make that change......and I do remember Hammerfel saying that if people wanted to 'start a fund', he'd maybe consider it..........

Just some food for thought.........

I hear and understand both sides of this debate......really I do. As a regular poster myself, when someone gets p*ssed off at me or a descision that I make, I find it funny that I go back and see some of my better pics get 'downgraded' as the person(s) who are mad at me try to 'get me back'...........

I won't say that it doesn't offend me, but I also know that it's the childish tantrum of an infant trapped in a supposedly adult body........and I let it go.

Life's too short, I can't worry about making everyone happy.......I post my creativity here for others to see and enjoy and learn from because I want to........
It's the same reason that I agreed to monitor this board.......I have a love for this line.....and I can finally share my talents with like-minded individuals (for the most part). I don't get the cascades of adoration or references that others do, but still, I don't take it to heart as much as people who are trying to 'stick it to me' would like........

I will continue to post up my pictures until I don't want to anymore..........it's between you and your conscience how you rate them.

Thanks for your time,

[COLOR=Red]GS[/COLOR]

[LordRaven]

I think they should go. I voted they should go. It's a system that has seen enough abuse by people who don't want to use it for it's intended purposes that it has become more of a liability than an asset. I know I haven't used it in a long time. If someone needs to work on something, I tell them. 4 out of 5 doesn't tell me I need to work on my lighting or focusing. A post below or a PM does.

[Urban Saboteur]

[QUOTE=General Scarlett]
Taking down the ratings system might not be as easy as 'flipping a switch'........I think that I remember the last time this all came to a head (when Dave was frustrated at someone targeting him)....if I remember correctly, it's $$$ to make that change......and I do remember Hammerfel saying that if people wanted to 'start a fund', he'd maybe consider it..........
Just some food for thought.........
[/QUOTE]

On this I did forget to emphasise that your name will be posted on this vote (it's public). I really think we are a great group here (No. BS.) We're all adults and if we can't sort this problem out in a civilised way then where does that leave us? :)
Ok. On this subject of cost.
I believe the problem of the matter resolves on the coding of my idea. I put to the admin that when someone rates a picture that the comment would be connected.. as in imbed within the ratings.. so you couldn't do one without the other.. this is what would cost the site.
As far as I know I am unsure of the costs involved in removing a feature that may of been put as an accessory or add on. If there is a cost.. and it's impossible for us as a community to sort out then so be it.
This question therefore remains hypothetical. I'd like people to vote with the knowledge that if it were possible to take down ratings.. then they'd like to see it removed.
I'm really basing this on my own thoughts and from what significant others have experienced .. as well as the prospect of new members being confused at the alarming picture abuse that goes on here.

If the ratings thing can be taken down and site admin can see that people don't want it.. at least they have the information to hand to deal with this in a civilised and propper way.
Cheers

[The Faceless Master]

i voted to keep em

basically if i see a pic that I really like, i give it a 5
if someone else doesn't share my opinion, thats just it, THEIR opinion

if a loser out there keeps posting 1s that doesnt derail from the simple
fact that when I like really a pic, i'm still gonna post a 5 on it :cool:

[QUOTE=Flatline]It Should Maybe Be Modified To Let Us Knoe Who Posted That Way They Leave A Reasonable Explination. If Possible By The Site Mods.[/QUOTE]
I highly agree with this

[Prince Adam]

I voted they should be taken off as well. Sadly the system doesn't really work. Which is a bummer because at first I found it to be a pretty cool feature. But now thanks to outsiders, trolls,ex-memebers or whatnot it's become both a grudge and a popularity contest. Also sometimes you see pics where it's obvious it's been "voted" on more than it's been responded too which I think is rediculous. If people want to have opinions fine, I accept and respect that fully. BUT, have the decency to express said opinion in full as a post and not just a random mouse click.

Now that said, I do like Flatline's idea about being able to see who leaves what as far as the rating system goes.

[lehsreh]

[COLOR=Red]dont really care one way or another. it would be nice that you could see whoever voted what, but that takes money.[/COLOR]

[Captain Max]

Dump 'em. It's pretty obvious some little weasels are "downgrading" out of spite.

[Fisher]

I have never really rated a pic I do not think, but I comment on the ones that really catch my eye. However, I say keep the ratings, but I would like to see the only way a rating would be able to be posted is if there was a comment box that had to be filled out as well before rating and the username would appear next to the comment. Such as: Rate this pic 1-5, and comment why you are giving it this score. Then if I were to give someone a 4 out of 5, the user would see that Fisher stated a score of 4 out of 5 due to : The scale seemed a little off or the lighting didn't match the shadows or some such. All critiques can only help the user that posted the pics, as long as they are valid.

Of course, I do realize that someone could always give it a 1 and say i don't like it, and that would be that. There is always going to be the one or two kids that poop in the sandbox.

[Misfits]

I say keep it, the only thing that counts are the post. Why give in to what someone does out of spite.

[Outrider]

This is a really touchy subject. I have been the victim of the "One star bandit" (aka anonymous chickensh#t) plenty of times. The rating system is so open to abuse, that I have gotten to the stage where I totally ignore it. I don't pay attention to the ratings my pics get, and I don't rate other people's pics. If I have an opinion on a pic, I have the guts to put my name to it. It's the comments that matter. If someone is too cowardly to put their name to a criticism by rating a pic as a "one" without posting a comment, then their opinion is irrelevant anyway.

[Scarrviper]

Dispite what happened to my stuff in the past, I said no. If it is going to be trouble to remove it than just don't. I ignore the ratings, and as others have said, its the comments that count.

[Ion]

After a while of thinking - they should go. Or they should be modified that there's a less risk of abuse.

I've never been a victim of such situation, but I noticed that it is far too easy to give 1 for nothing. Or 5 for nothing - though this not happens :)
You know - if there will be some other system, then why not keep them, but as I doubt there is - throw them away. Something that is not working well - should not be here. People put much heart in what they do and some for example 10 years old can sign in and start a flood of 1's...

Anyway - we already give our opinions in post under the shots - so a star rating is only a cosmetic thing :)

[gung ho]

yeah i voted to take them down to there know use in having them if people is going to target one member and downgrade his pics soo yeah take them down

[Stormer]

I was of the "just ignore them" opinion originally, but I got thinking about how it comes across to new members. To ignore the ratings you have to know the situation that makes us ignore them, and that means bringing up the uglier sides of the community's history (or perpetuating them in the case of the 1-star weasel still being active).

Sure a redesign would be ideal, but it's a time & money thing. I'd say the rating should be connected to leaving a comment in the same way you can assign an overall icon to your post, and the rating attached to the actual pic/thumbnail shows the total, but I know *I* don't have the money or know-how to set that up and I would doubt anyone here does.

Given the two options of keeping them as-is or not having them, I had to vote for not having them.