new "star" ratings

from WinCustomize Forums
I was rating a skin via my new homepage, which if I had gone thru the normal channels I would have given a 9 to. However, as there are only 5 stars in all, and it wasn't quite a perfect 10, I decided to click on the 4 star rating. Later on I was checking out the same skin, but this time via the normal WC library and I saw that I had apparently rated it a 7, which was certainly not indicative of my opinion.

So I decided to go thru all the stars and see what each one translated as:
5 stars=10
4 stars=7
3 stars=5
2 stars=3
1 star=1

it seems, if I use the star sytem to rate, I can either rate something that's pretty-darn-good-but-not-quite-perfect a 10... or a 7.

personally I'd like to keep the marks out of 10 system as it gives a broader choice, but failing that...well, I'm not sure, but the tarif as detailed above seems flawed to me.
37,090 views 60 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
On Winamp.com, they have a 5-star rating system, but they have half-stars too. Maybe if WC had half stars it would even out a bit more. You could still only give either a 10 or an 8.5, but that's closer than a 7. Also gotta remember, that relatively soon nobody will be able to see the old ratings or the old site, so they will become useless. If every skin is measures with the same 5-star system, they will become relative to each other, even if you are technically rating it a 7, know what I mean? Either way, you make a good point, Tiggz.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
It does have half stars.

But then again, you can't give them out...as halves are the product of the average of two different ratings...

Its a new system with new rules, dont worry about the old 1-10 ratings any more, think in terms of 'stars' from now on, not numbers.

And technically Tiggz, 4 stars would be an 8, not a 7... (10 divided by 5 equals increments of two.)
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
EH, yeah, that's what I thought, but the list I posted is what rating the stars give to the skin when clicked not some numbers I invented personally

but you sort of bring up a good point - if the new system is going to be stars only that's all well and good - but if it's built on a foundation of the tarif as above then the underlying maths is...dodgy
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
but the list I posted is what rating the stars give to the skin when clicked not some numbers I invented personally


Ahh... *mental note to self, read posts more carefully*
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Does it really matter? 4 stars is still 4 stars, regardless of what it might related to in the 10 point system. 
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Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
sure, but the underlying maths used to calculate averages should still make sense
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Maybe it has something to do with the weighted system now in place.......... I dunno, but I'm sure there's a good reason for the math.
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Here we go again, another ratings complaint thread.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I'm not so sure its so much a complaint thread as it is a 'how does it work?' kind of a thread.  I have to admit that at first I wasn't even aware that clicking the stars actually made a rating.  I was sure surprised to find that I had accidently given someone a 3!

 


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Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top

The star rating vs decimal rating shouldn't be 'complicated'.  The former replaces the latter.

Think of it as Celsius vs Fahrenheit.....the numbers may be different but the temperature is really the same.

1 star is the lowest 'rating'.....5 stars is the highest.

Revise your thinking to suit.

Don't get caught up in the mentality of 4.375 stars needing to be distinguished from 4.625 or something.   The idea of 'star ratings' is to desensitize this whole pre-occupation with "why did it only get an '8' when the blue one got a '9'?"

'Good'. 'OK' and 'Not Good' would have been just as viable....except for averaging the words being a linguistic's nightmare....

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The only negative thing I see with the new star rating is that it encourages more of a personal rating rather than a rating granted on the overall skin's performance/usability.
The 5 stars are represented as 'I hate it, I dont like it, It's ok, I like it and I love it'
A skin that is very usable and performs very well, might get a 2 star rating just because the user 'Dont like' let's say...the color, or the round shaped buttons.
IMHO the read out should be more like 'Bad, Poor, Fair, Good, Excellent' or maybe just (1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10'
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Bad,below average, average, above average excellent.

/me 'as 2 cents.

Forgot, I wonder when the # rating system will be gone?


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Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
'Good'. 'OK' and 'Not Good' would have been just as viable....except for averaging the words being a linguistic's nightmare....


'Good' - 'Goodish' - 'OK-er' - 'OK' - 'OK-ish' - 'Not good' - '%$£*&!'
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
'I hate it, I dont like it, It's ok, I like it and I love it'


I'm okay with those descriptions, since I'm rating it personally not as a review for others to read in a column, where an unbiased opinion on form and function is more important. If people don't like it....they don't like it. Just my 2-cents
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
If people don't like it....they don't like it.


Heres where that may pose a problem...

For instance, Ive never really liked the Antares WB (nothing against you, Mr. treetog) ...So, based on the words 'I dont like it', I should give it two stars, right?

You and I may know better, but there are no doubt some people out there who will take personal opinion as the deciding factor. (Sort of what A_67 was saying)
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Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top

EH.....as an experienced skinner you will admire treetog's craft......mark 9 or 10 for 'technical prowess', give it say 4 for personal prejudice [aka 'taste'] and average that to around 7 [if you 'must' use numbers]....and give it 3 or 4 stars...whichever 'feels' better to you.

That makes total sense.....and shows why it can be frustrating to be rated by non-skinners who say.....nope, don't like it, looks daggy.....could care less how complicated/clever it might be,,,,,and give it a 1 or 2 stars.

Personally....I think it'd be 'nice' if rating capability was either only available to fellow skin makers, or an option was available to not let non-skinners rate your works in particular...

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
For instance, Ive never really liked the Antares WB (nothing against you, Mr. treetog) ...So, based on the words 'I dont like it', I should give it two stars, right?


Jafo, the above quote is an example of what NOT to do. Maybe I didnt make that clear.

When I rate, I tend to go for 'technical prowess' alone (and also maybe an extra point or two if the piece is especially creative) Thats why I gave Antares 5 stars... (a 9) Im not stupid enough to give it two stars becuase of 'personal taste'...

Personally....I think it'd be 'nice' if rating capability was either only available to fellow skin makers, or an option was available to not let non-skinners rate your works in particular..


An excellent idea. ...One that I think would be a mistake not to implement.
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Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The Stars would work given Three catagories to work with.

Aethetics
Technicality
Usability

That would allow you to narrow in on what you found to of likes and dislikes.
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How about two separate rating systems? One set up for creativity and looks, and another one for technical ability. I think that would be a good way to go about rating work.

edit: I like Cygnus's idea better.
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Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top

EH.....as an experienced skinner you will admire treetog's craft......

EH....the 'you' was the rhetorical one, not the specific one....

Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How about two separate rating systems?


Too complex, me thinks...And I think they're trying to shift 'weight' away from the ratings system, as it carries too much of it currently...

EH....the 'you' was the rhetorical one, not the specific one....


Ahh, makes sense now...
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Well, there are no official skinning guidelines. Nothing defines what one rating means. So everything goes, really.

Veterans will remember me for my big rants against the rating system specifically because it means nothing.  Because there is no guides, because there is no rating grid, the rating values are therefore 100% personnal and therefore anybody can define his own rule on what a 1 is or what a 10 is.  Mr X gives it a 2 because he hates the color, and Mr Y gives it a 10 cause it has animations and Mr Y Looooves animations!

Having said that, I tend to rate according to my own personnal tastes, because there was no other way put forth.  If I hate a skin, no matter how technically brilliant it is, I am incapable of giving it a high rating.

A while back, I suggested a rating grid. It is a bit more of a fair way to rate, IMO.

Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

If I hate a skin, no matter how technically brilliant it is, I am incapable of giving it a high rating.

But you'd give it a 'less low' rating....

Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
How about an option for "Don't show ratings". Each author would have the option for his skins to show ratings or not.