new "star" ratings

Published on September 30, 2004 By Tiggz In WinCustomize Talk

I was rating a skin via my new homepage, which if I had gone thru the normal channels I would have given a 9 to. However, as there are only 5 stars in all, and it wasn't quite a perfect 10, I decided to click on the 4 star rating. Later on I was checking out the same skin, but this time via the normal WC library and I saw that I had apparently rated it a 7, which was certainly not indicative of my opinion.

So I decided to go thru all the stars and see what each one translated as:
5 stars=10
4 stars=7
3 stars=5
2 stars=3
1 star=1

it seems, if I use the star sytem to rate, I can either rate something that's pretty-darn-good-but-not-quite-perfect a 10... or a 7.

personally I'd like to keep the marks out of 10 system as it gives a broader choice, but failing that...well, I'm not sure, but the tarif as detailed above seems flawed to me.

Comments (Page 2)

EventHorizon

on Oct 01, 2004

If people don't like it....they don't like it.

Heres where that may pose a problem...

For instance, Ive never really liked the Antares WB (nothing against you, Mr. treetog) ...So, based on the words 'I dont like it', I should give it two stars, right?

You and I may know better, but there are no doubt some people out there who will take personal opinion as the deciding factor. (Sort of what A_67 was saying)
[Message Edited]

Jafo

on Oct 01, 2004

EH.....as an experienced skinner you will admire treetog's craft......mark 9 or 10 for 'technical prowess', give it say 4 for personal prejudice [aka 'taste'] and average that to around 7 [if you 'must' use numbers]....and give it 3 or 4 stars...whichever 'feels' better to you.

That makes total sense.....and shows why it can be frustrating to be rated by non-skinners who say.....nope, don't like it, looks daggy.....could care less how complicated/clever it might be,,,,,and give it a 1 or 2 stars.

Personally....I think it'd be 'nice' if rating capability was either only available to fellow skin makers, or an option was available to not let non-skinners rate your works in particular...

EventHorizon

on Oct 01, 2004

For instance, Ive never really liked the Antares WB (nothing against you, Mr. treetog) ...So, based on the words 'I dont like it', I should give it two stars, right?

Jafo, the above quote is an example of what NOT to do. Maybe I didnt make that clear.

When I rate, I tend to go for 'technical prowess' alone (and also maybe an extra point or two if the piece is especially creative) Thats why I gave Antares 5 stars... (a 9) Im not stupid enough to give it two stars becuase of 'personal taste'...

Personally....I think it'd be 'nice' if rating capability was either only available to fellow skin makers, or an option was available to not let non-skinners rate your works in particular..

An excellent idea. ...One that I think would be a mistake not to implement.

[Message Edited]

CygnusXII

on Oct 01, 2004

The Stars would work given Three catagories to work with.

Aethetics
Technicality
Usability

That would allow you to narrow in on what you found to of likes and dislikes.

CerebroJD

on Oct 01, 2004

How about two separate rating systems? One set up for creativity and looks, and another one for technical ability. I think that would be a good way to go about rating work.

edit: I like Cygnus's idea better.

[Message Edited]

Jafo

on Oct 01, 2004

EH.....as an experienced skinner you will admire treetog's craft......

EH....the 'you' was the rhetorical one, not the specific one....

EventHorizon

on Oct 01, 2004

How about two separate rating systems?

Too complex, me thinks...And I think they're trying to shift 'weight' away from the ratings system, as it carries too much of it currently...

EH....the 'you' was the rhetorical one, not the specific one....

Ahh, makes sense now...

paxx

on Oct 01, 2004

Well, there are no official skinning guidelines. Nothing defines what one rating means. So everything goes, really.

Veterans will remember me for my big rants against the rating system specifically because it means nothing. Because there is no guides, because there is no rating grid, the rating values are therefore 100% personnal and therefore anybody can define his own rule on what a 1 is or what a 10 is. Mr X gives it a 2 because he hates the color, and Mr Y gives it a 10 cause it has animations and Mr Y Looooves animations!

Having said that, I tend to rate according to my own personnal tastes, because there was no other way put forth. If I hate a skin, no matter how technically brilliant it is, I am incapable of giving it a high rating.

A while back, I suggested a rating grid. It is a bit more of a fair way to rate, IMO.

Jafo

on Oct 01, 2004

If I hate a skin, no matter how technically brilliant it is, I am incapable of giving it a high rating.

But you'd give it a 'less low' rating....

eieio

on Oct 01, 2004

How about an option for "Don't show ratings". Each author would have the option for his skins to show ratings or not.

Black Xero

on Oct 01, 2004

On Winamp.com, they have a 5-star rating system, but they have half-stars too. Maybe if WC had half stars it would even out a bit more

It has already been. Just move mouse over a star anf watch carefully

EventHorizon

on Oct 01, 2004

Veterans will remember me for my big rants against the rating system specifically because it means nothing.

The ratings are not 'meaningless.' If I remember correctly, only skins with a rating of 7 or higher can be viewed by the anonymous (non-registered) public, who account for roughly 2/3 of downloads. To make a skin 'invisible' to them by giving it a low rating has very tangible results. (as far as download count is concerned)
[Message Edited]

I.R. Brainiac

on Oct 01, 2004

I dont like the idea of a star rating system at all....too wishy washy...I prefer the fine distinctions between a skin that deserves an 8 over one that would be a 7.

paxx

on Oct 01, 2004

Hehehe EH: ratings have a purpose, but not necessarely a meaning. What does it mean to have a 4? That the colors are bad? That it's technically bad? That the design is ugly? That the skin is too slow? All of the above?
For each rater, there is a different meaning. If a skin gets 5 ratings, chances are the 5 ratings were given according to 5 different criterias, making the overall rating meaningless.

Since there is no predefined definition or guide for ratings, one has to assume that, by default, ratings mean: How do you like this skin? And therefore has nothing to do with technically good or bad the skin is, unless in some people's own tastes "technically well done" means that they like it.

gef

on Oct 01, 2004

I think paxx has got it dead right. I 100% agree.

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