Rating System

[Calimore]

Someone just told me in IRC that they went to rate one of my files and found that they couldn't rate my or anyone's files. Then, someone else chimed in that they couldn't rate files, either. I checked it out and it doesn't seem to be accepting any ratings right now. Thought I'd let you know, just in case you didn't.

Oh, and there is a premium user who is going through and rating almost every file a '1', even ones he hasn't downloaded. I have a good idea of who it is and he's an idiot, but everyone is entitled to their opinion, even jerks. Perhaps there's a way to set it up so that one cannot vote on a file until they have downloaded it? At least then someone would have to at click on a file and cancel their download before they crapped in an author's face.

Just a thought .

[zapnosis]

Alternatively, I'd suggest that we could scrap the number rating system and let the comments to speak for themselves. After all, the fact that someone unknown person rated a file 3 out of 5, for example, doesn't really tell you much, does it?

[FloridaPuppy]

[boomsmee]

yea lack of feedback has been a pretty big issue here. Even when posting a request for feedback on the forums, I only got one response, and that was a response saying they couldn't download the files because they wern't a premium user. It would be nice for some files to be able to set them as free for everyone immediately at release, rather than 6 months later so we can get feedback.

[slutinmyhead]

The lack of feedback frustrates the hell out of me, especially when you think you produced something good but it's not getting the ratings. I'm trying to consistently improve, which directly benefits our audience. You'd think they'd pile on the feedback. But they don't think it though... Sigh...

Imagine how good we could all become if we got real data back. We could rule the world!

I only started making pay files the past year or so because it made what I do worth something. I'd have ten times the amount of files I've made currently for this site if I got more feedback. But other areas of my life give me more return, so I drift towards them instead.

Btw, my personal feeling is that if you're contributing files to this site, you don't have to pay for mine. PM me. They're free. However, if you're not otherwise contributing, please buy my files. That counts as feedback too.

[darkerlife]

Maybe you should have a questionnaire program that sends a poll or something to your account asking you to rate a file a week or two after you download it. Other wise I have to find all the inductions I have tried and rate them, I got quite a few, and they are not all clearly labeled by artist. Of course I'm still in beginner mode when it comes to being put into trance. On that note, not sure if my vote would really be worth anything at all since I still have trouble settling into a trance.

this is a quick edit to what I just posted. The poll should also include user experience so when you get data back you know if its from someone new like me or somebody who's more practiced.

[bandler]

When rating files,

Some people are confused and think 1 is best and 5 is worst.

Some people think a file is great and rate it a 4.

Other people think a file is above average and rate it a 5.

Some people are experts and know a file should only be a 4 not a 5 and rate it a 1 to bring it down to where it 'should' be.

When I first started here, I downloaded the files that had high ratings. Mostly they sucked out loud: poor editing, terrible sound quality, distracting accents and mis-pronunciations...

Eventually I found a few authors that made files I could enjoy. Some are rated highly, others not.

bottom line?

file ratings are almost useless.

[ohyouknow]

I've always found the ratings helpful in one respect: anything rated less than 4 is almost certainly not worth downloading. A high rating doesn't guarantee quality but a low rating is a fairly reliable indication of lack of quality.

[Jeshi]

[zapnosis]

Hmmm... having written feedback is great - I usually send a "thank you" PM for any constructive comments or messages and some of the resulting communication has been just awesome. But I reckon for many people this is a completely private thing, especially if they're just testing the water, and they feel no need to get further involved or draw any attention to themselves. I respect that.

The number system, for all its faults, at least gives people a chance to respond while keeping their privacy and it does not mistake popularity for quality. I don't really care whether or not people "like" my files, I'm not in the business of entertainment. I want to know when the files have worked and given people an experience to remember!

Maybe that's just me. *shrug*
ZAP

[sarnoga]

[zapnosis]

Another idea: perhaps 3 categories to rate a file on. Maybe "voice" "sound quality" and "effect", rate out of 5? Could introduce more thought into the process and make the rating actually mean something.

[ohyouknow]

I should have said that a low rating based on a low number of votes certainly doesn't necessarily mean a poor file. I myself have been an early commenter and high rater of certain files which hadn't yet received any votes at all.

[kitsukat]

I personally like reading feedback from people who have tried files I'm interested in listening to because they give me a good idea of what to expect from the file. It really irks me if there's either no feedback or that feedback there is isn't actually feedback (like it's a conversation with the hypnotist instead or something along those lines.)