Ratings in Gallery? Yes or No ?

[CameraQuest]

While I like comments in the gallery, and votes in contests,
I am not such a big fan of enabling "Ratings" in the gallery as I don't see any good purpose to it.

Is it any surprise we have different tastes and different ideas of what makes a good pic?

This issue recently came to focus when a member who did not bother to read and understand the contest rules and mistook the ratings as their "vote" on each of the pics. He generously rated over a 150 contest entries a 1 because we are so entitled to his opinion.

hmm. what to do ?

Yes or No, are RATINGS in the Gallery really useful?
Personally, I don't see RATINGS as useful as all.

If removed, you would still be able to leave comments.

Stephen

_______________________

Feb 3, 2013 update

In keeping with a 3 to 1 majority on this issue,
Ratings have been turned off in all of the galleries
EXCEPT Rate My Photograph

Thank you for participating.

Stephen

 

[lynnb]

I agree with you for the reasons mentioned, Stephen. Comments are almost always more useful; and attribution is preferable.

 

[Lawrence A.]

I think I've only used the numeric ratings once or twice, both times for photos I thought were near perfect and about which I'd already commented.

I think comments are more helpful, more personal, and they require the rater to take some responsibility for his rating. Leavine 150 "1" ratings without taking the time to explain yourself -- and in detail if you are being that negative -- is suggestive of an unhappy and bitter soul, and is unquestionably unhelpful.

So my vote, though I don't feel strongly about it, is to get rid of the ratings.

 

[astro8]

I vote to remove them for the reasons already mentioned.

 

[Richard G]

I agree. Good on you Stephen.

I saw one of my photos rated low and a few of another regular, with no nearby other high ratings or any ratings at all. Seemed odd to me. The previous gallery allowed high ratings as well as comments, but if it also recorded low rankings, I never noticed one.

I wasn't offended, even though the picture was of my beautiful daughter. I'd posted it mainly as an illustration of the low noise at 1600 ISO in sun with the M9. It seemed like there was a systematic discouragement being mounted by one or a few members of anything less than a great photo.

We didn't need systematic ratings previously to have the most extraordinary collection of photographs anywhere. The smattering of technical pics, and pictures of coveted cars and cameras didn't slow anyone down.

Indeed, the inclusive nature of RFF and the encouraging comments make for bolder and riskier submissions.

Ratings here are not only unnecessary they may be harmful.

 

[kxl]

I don't see much use for them either, so I voted to remove them; however, if ratings do stay, have the system REQUIRE raters to add a comment in addition to their rating.

 

[icebear]

Hi Stephen,
I voted yes to remove the ratings. In the old gallery we had no anonymous ratings and I have not noticed any 1 (very poor) ratings. But to just get rid of the option makes it impossible for a single user to act like he did. Just get rid of it be done. Any comment that a member takes the time to put down in writing is much more useful.

 

[tstermitz]

I voted to leave them. I'd like the feedback on whether my photos moved someone enough to click it.

 

[brainwood]

I would vote to remove them as well for the reasons already stated.

 

[Lss]

The current rating system is not used much and it is therefore fairly random. There is not much loss in removing it.

Some sort of "constructive" rating system would be beneficial if not for any other reason than making it easier to find the best photos. Currently, the best tool for this must be the Best of Random Gallery Picks thread. The simple tools/indications that we have like number of views or number of comments are not as effective in finding the best work.

 

[kokoshawnuff]

It's easy enough to disable ratings on you photos, but they're also not very useful. So I say remove them.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

This issue recently came to focus when a member who did not bother to read and understand

That's the intertoobes fer ya: reading's overrated, and that explains YouTube.


I think that ratings on a photo gallery would be meaningful if everybody thought exactly the same way, which is why they (whomever they are) invented the "Like" button: the only scale is that of weight. A vote, of sorts.

 

[rpsawin]

I agree with the comments above...loose the ratings.

 

[siracusa]

I also agree with you, Stephen, for all the reasons you have outlined.
On a more personal level, my job involves rating (grading students' work). Even though transparent criteria are used, there is still the problem that grades can still seem arbitrary. One thing I have come to realise is that my students never seem to learn anything or improve their work from seeing a grade attached to their essays. It's the qualitative comments they most appreciate and learn from. On this basis I always tend to wonder what purpose is served by rating anything. It's the qualitative comments that are generally most valuable, and far more useful than gradings.

 

[jonasv]

"Ratings or galleries: Yes or No"

Then if you vote no, you're actually in favour of keeping them?

I don't think this poll would've passed the test of any statistician 🙂

 

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

Rating a picture seems an absurdity to me. Then again, most qualitative comments, as suggested by Siracusa, are necessarily emotive and subjective, as they can only be based on the writer's viewpoint.

I blame competitive sports.

😀

 

[semrich]

I feel that anonymous ratings have absolutely no value. Comments both given and received can be of benefit to both parties to discover what you like about a photo as well as what others may like given that they take the time to figure that out and express it as a comment. I rarely stop to consider what I don't like about a photo, it's the ones that I take time to examine that cause me to comment, because I like it and may have learned something from it. Axe the ratings.

 

[jsrockit]

Why should an online community possibly discourage someone based on an anonymous rating system?

 

[CarlRadford]

Ratings become a competition and a fly by thumbs up. A comment is much more useful - especially a genuine constructive one!

 

[HuubL]

Skip the ratings. Comments are more useful anyhow and minimize the possibility of sabotaging.