BreakPoint
Stars Addicted Anonymous
Using the Abort button to stop your VI is like using a tree to stop your car. It works, but there may be consequences.
As suggested before, the current five-level rating system implies a resolution (over 2 bits!) that cannot be justified in real life for lack of calibration. The only crude hint at any calibrations is the tag "5(best)", but we cannot tell if one star is just a little shy "thank you" or a punitive "this answer really sucked!". The intent necessarily varies between raters and the interpretation varies between rateees. 😉
The only thing we really need is a boolean rating system: A single check-box labeled "excellent answer", a post is either highly rated or not rated. We still have a greyscale in the fact that truly excellent posts will receive more than a few ratings. (I personally use the current system like that, I give either 5 stars or don't rate the answer).
The current star system is also counterproductive to the quality of the forum. IF e.g. the first answer is already pretty good, but for some reason only shows one star, most will think twice to add to that thread, OTOH if each answer in a thread has 5 stars, some might be tempted to add some lightweight comment just to mine for these shiny thingies. 🙂
The only thing we really need is a boolean rating system: A single check-box labeled "excellent answer", a post is either highly rated or not rated. We still have a greyscale in the fact that truly excellent posts will receive more than a few ratings. (I personally use the current system like that, I give either 5 stars or don't rate the answer).
The current star system is also counterproductive to the quality of the forum. IF e.g. the first answer is already pretty good, but for some reason only shows one star, most will think twice to add to that thread, OTOH if each answer in a thread has 5 stars, some might be tempted to add some lightweight comment just to mine for these shiny thingies. 🙂
