Hmmm... I didn't mean to start an argument here. But yes, I'm a geek, and would really like to see the bar graphs, please.
However there are some points here I would like to address.
1. I'm 100% in favor of getting rid of the accidental votes of 0.5 brains, 1 fun. They cause hold ratings to be systematically lower. Their effects might be reduced by more honest votes, but they will never be "
cancelled out"
by more votes, because there isn't a way someone could "
accidentally"
rate a hold 10 brains, 10 fun. I'm a scientist, and when I know I've screwed up and introduced a systematic error (an error that always skews the result in the same direction) into my data, I throw that data out and repeat that part of the experiment.
1a. So then there's the question of how to get rid of the accidental votes of 0.5 brains, 1 fun. I think everyone would feel most comfortable if an admin (I wonder who that might be) did it by hand. They would pick through the ratings of the ~50 (?) affected holds, PM the people whose 0.5 brains 1 fun ratings look accidental, lovingly smooth everyone's feathers. But I would hate to see the accidental ratings left in there because time does not permit the "
by hand"
solution.
A one-time automated solution might be to throw out the 0.5 brains 1 fun ratings that are more than 2 standard deviations below the average. I realize that this solution would be unfair to some little twerp who honestly believes The Goblin or Troshian Tower or Imperial Wandering (or whatever) deserves a rating of 0.5 brains 1 fun. As Rheb said, that person would be inconvenienced by having to come back to the forum and recast their votes. The present situation (leaving the accidental low ratings in there) is also unfair, extremely unfair to the architects who made those holds. I don't think the effort it takes to cast a vote is in any way comparable to the effort it takes to make a hold.
2. I don't think we need to restrict people's votes in the future. I think any intentional vote should be allowed.
3. I do agree that more forum members should take the time to rate holds and comment on them. For a typical hold, after one month on the Holds board, more than 200 people will have downloaded it. But only 6-7 ratings and even fewer comments? That's not right. Come on, people! If you're going to partake of the many wonderful offerings on the holds board, you should at least give something back... a rating, a comment, or both.
/dy
