View Full Version : Allow ratings in your gallery
Marc Jutras
04-26-2005, 18:52
Hello everybody,
I just thought I'd remind you to allow other users to rate your pictures in your galleries (check your settings).
I think it's a nice feature. It should help getting more feedback on our work. Sometimes, you don't know what to write or you just don't have the time, but giving a rating is easy and fast. Much better than nothing at all.
back alley
04-26-2005, 19:02
marc,
i'd prefer having nothing rather than just a number.
a number tells me nothing other than a very broad positive or negative, providing it's not a 5.
joe
I have a problem with any Joe Blow (sorry Joe) rating my photographs. A person leaving a rating may be a verterain photographer whose work I admire, a newbee, or a dick. (pardon my French) Not only is a number meaningless, you don't even know who it's coming from. The only rating I'd want is from someone I ask for an opinion from because I "know" them and respect their work. Leaving annonymous ratings is a fool's game in my opinion. Sorry, I've had a couple glasses of wine and may be being too succinct and terse.
back alley
04-26-2005, 19:43
i don't think the rating would be anonymous frank, but for me, a number tells me too little.
i'd prefer a few words, even a 'nice shot' is better than a 7.
joe
I agree with you, Joe and Frank... A single rating number is meaningless. Seeing all the distress this causes on Photo.net, I'd just as soon not see it here.
I think it's a nice feature. It should help getting more feedback on our work. Sometimes, you don't know what to write or you just don't have the time, but giving a rating is easy and fast. Much better than nothing at all.
I agree, Marc. I kind of like the feature, although I haven't used it yet. I see it used more in conjunction with a comment. It would be cool to see how it gets implemented by our members. :)
I agree with most of the others - I don't want only a number; if you don't have the time to write even a short statement, you did not have the time to properly look at the picture, either...
Roman
It may be of some use. Overall a constructive comment is worth much more. I think in cases like the photo I requested critique of last week that also having a rating would have been additional info for my consideration.
I bear some grave concerns with star ratings. One of the strenghts of the RFF Gallery, and what distinguishes it from all other photo platforms I know of, is that a fairly vivid communication in a somewhat familiar context is happening there. Despite mostly short, I find textual exchange to be much more meaningful and stimulating than a plain number rating, with all its known inherent difficulties. With some probability laziness will prevail and folks will shift to number rating, and stop commenting. Worse off even if the number ratings were anonymous. This would also kill the personal element encountered on this platform. So what could be seen as a nice additional feature could actually be the gravedigger of this great site. I would hate to see it sink!. My 2 percent of a Swiss Franc here. Cheers.
I have a very strong aversion to numerical ratings systems. I'm surprised that it's being introduced here on this site - IMHO, a big mistake. Don't take my word for it, though - just search on "ratings" in photo.net and observe the monumental flame fests the ratings system causes over there!
Pherdinand
04-27-2005, 03:55
no please.
i mean it's there already as an option, so i should say no thanks.
When i frequented photo.net much more, i also visited its "site feedback" forum. Complaints on rating system and individuals rating "too low" photos were posted on a daily basis.
OTOH, ratings kinda kill the gallery on photo.net; unless you are very very good, noone looks at your images since they disappear in the "average/below average rated" sea of images.
And there are amny more problems related only to ratings, i could spend two pages of mentioning them ('mate rating', fake accounts, etc)
Pherdinand
04-27-2005, 04:00
OK, second try.
The images i uploaded here and have not one single comment in a month, i have to admit, suck. No need for a "below-average" or "bad" mark on it for me to realize this.
The gallery here is still not too big, meaning especially the upload rate of the new images, so there's no real need of a 'sorting' of photos based on ratings.
ABarGrill
04-27-2005, 06:00
I add my voice to those of people who prefer not to activate ratings. Photo.net's ratings system permits anonymous cyber-vandals to go about slamming pics with impunity. It doesn't work very well, I think. Here, I get a pretty good idea of what works even from brief feedback, in words, and from the numbers of people who chose to actually look at a picture. So, thanks but no thanks to stars or numbers!
Alan
Marc Jutras
04-27-2005, 08:05
Reading all the comments about the rating problems on other sites (which I have never visited), I figure it makes sense not to use this system.
Personally, I thought it was nice since I usually either don't have the time to write something or I just don't know what to write and a simple "I like it" doesn't seem relevant. I look at the galleries mostly from work and have only a few minutes to do it. Also, I don't analyse pictures much (as well as any other art form). I go wih my gutts and it's more a "it works for me" or "it doesn't work for me" thing (professional habit of sorting hundreds of pics daily and deciding within a second, I guess). I also usually feel like I'd be stating the obvious which is something I don't enjoy much.
Very personal 0.02$...
Todd.Hanz
04-27-2005, 08:08
I don't mind the ratings, it's better than no comment at all! ;)
Todd
allowing rating sis up to the owner of the album. simply edit the album and choose yes or no for ratings. It will only affect the album being edited.
...Photo.net's ratings system permits anonymous cyber-vandals to go about slamming pics with impunity...
Alan
Alan, do you think that would happen here, or does this attitude stem from the anonymous nature of the ratings system? I ask in all sincerity. I don't use photo.net, and only use RfF and Pbase (for family photos). :confused: :)
ABarGrill
04-27-2005, 09:18
Ray,
I don't know that it would happen here and do not assign to RFF the attributes of photo.net. RFF members have shown themselves to be a very fine group of people and civility is clearly a guiding value here. So I speak only based upon my photo.net experience and would certainly do not think that members of RFF would act as people do on photo.net. I note that there are many unregistered visitors to this site. I obviously cannot predict how they would respond to the urge to "zing."
In any event, as Jorge points out, the rating system is entirely voluntary. I express only my preference. I surely did not mean to cast stones here and apologize if my earlier writing did so.
Alan
Ray,
I surely did not mean to cast stones here and apologize if my earlier writing did so.
Alan
Alan, :)
I don't see you as casting stones, and certainly there is no need to apologize. I'm fairly naive on the subject. I have experience with other online groups where "things" get out of hand for no apparent reason, so I guess it follows that that can happen anywhere.
I would think that star comments would take away the personal element, which is where and how I have usually seen things go mad, but if evidence exists to the contrary, and the ratings have proven to be a source of strife, then my open mind has been been educated! I'm willing to reconsider my original position. Thanks for your p.o.v.! :) :) :)
Ray
...I usually either don't have the time to write something or I just don't know what to write and a simple "I like it" doesn't seem relevant. I look at the galleries mostly from work and have only a few minutes to do it. Also, I don't analyse pictures much (as well as any other art form). I go wih my gutts and it's more a "it works for me" or "it doesn't work for me" thing (professional habit of sorting hundreds of pics daily and deciding within a second, I guess). I also usually feel like I'd be stating the obvious which is something I don't enjoy much.
Very personal 0.02$...Hi Marc -- That's all reasonable. :) I have heard elsewhere criticisms of people leaving encouraging but non-specific comments such as "Good shot!", but from the recipient's point of view it's friendly and encouraging. Any kind of positive comment is pleasing and may inspire future effort. I think of this as part of the friendly mutual support that is so nice in the RFF community.
So your comment may be simply a friendly helpful gesture... and it's human nature that receiving this encouragement makes it more likely he'll comment on your shots too.
And getting into more detailed and specific comments, even criticism in a helpful supportive way... Yes, it requires thought, analysis, and in this way it's as useful for you as for the photographer. When you make the effort to examine the photo, think about it, relate it perhaps to other photos of a similar or contrasting nature, struggle to put your thoughts into words, etc... This is helping you in your photography as well in developing these analytical skills.
I don't know whether it's good to respond to comments about my posted photos, as my responses could pad the comment count. So I try to make any response more than just "thanks!" But I'm always grateful for any comments, as plus or minus it's better than total silence!
To the degree a numerical rating would make thoughtful comments less likely, it's not a good thing. I'm recalling the frequent posts in Photo.net complaining about low ratings on their picture(s) and asking why... and this so often turning sour.
I find both forms of feedback valuable, so I turned my ratings on. I think we're all mature enough here to handle any feedback we get appropriately no matter what form it comes in.
Marc Jutras
04-27-2005, 14:19
I don't know whether it's good to respond to comments about my posted photos, as my responses could pad the comment count. So I try to make any response more than just "thanks!" But I'm always grateful for any comments, as plus or minus it's better than total silence!
I try not to reply to comments on my pics if it's only to say "thanks". I reply to answer some questions or if the comment made me jump like the one from vladhed who said he frequented some clubs at the time I was working there (15 years ago)!
I agree that anything is better than nothing. I'll try to take some time now and then, when something catches my attention (in any way).
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