Hello everyone in GatherLand!
Now that I've been here almost two weeks, I think I am catching on pretty well, but I need some clarification of how ratings work in the real GatherWorld.
I understand that folks are supposed to rate articles on the quality of the content, so that the "highest rated" tab should lead readers to the best content available. When I actually look in that tab, there is usually silly stuff with lots of thought-provoking comments like, "Here's a 10" or "10 for you!!" or the abbreviated "10."
This observation has provoked me to think that ratings aren't working the way they were intended. It's working more like the student council elections in 7th grade. Am I catching on?
Okay, so everybody is nice to each other and gives each other "10" ratings on their articles. I can see that. There are lots of nice people on Gather sharing the warm-fuzzies with their friends. I can now understand those "10" ratings I've received as nice big hugs. Thank-you! I want to be part of the love here. I'll give you a "10" when I drop by your articles too!
In the past couple of days, I have been fortunate to come across some articles that had some interesting ideas. The comments were full of people exchanging their views. There were disagreements and folks clarifying themselves or expanding the discussion. Others held firm to their strong beliefs. It was great! I was elated! I had found the content!
Then I noticed something very peculiar. The ratings on these articles were not "10". They were sometimes in the 8s and 7s even. I re-read a few of the articles. They didn't seem to be poorly written or anything. The content was certainly interesting if it got so many people involved and engaged.
So, I thought about that for a while and made the grand realization that some people in GatherLand are cranky and perhaps a bit vindictive. Instead of sharing the love, they are sending "hate" in the form of low ratings when they disagree with the author. Am I correct on this? So what actually happens is that the interesting articles actually get lower ratings than the boring ones.
It seems to me that Gather needs to include a tab for "lowest rated" articles, so we can find out where those discussions are. The more disagreements that break out in an article, the lower we should all rate it, so it will be easiest to find among those low rated articles.
The only problem I can see with this idea is that ratings are somehow tied to points. I am assuming that the higher the ratings, the greater number of points the author obtains (although the inverse would make more sense). Points aren't a big deal, but I sure wouldn't mind a free book now and then.
What are the implications of turning off ratings altogether? Will I begin to feel sad and depressed and rejected? Or will it seriously impact my points-earning ability? What is the Wizard of Gather doing behind the curtain anyway?
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Comments: 15
Gather keeps the inner workings of the points award system pretty hush-hush, and, from several comments I've seen from them on it, it's fluid and changes anyway. But it seems we get points from the actual view of our content, what that person does there doesn't matter. "1" is the same as a "10" in that regard.
(We also gain points from viewing the content of others, don't want to confuse you further with what I said above).
Nah, just giving you trouble. I agree, I much prefer the discussions. but on the bright side, those people giving you 10's are helping you out in a different way. It's better than them giving you a 0. Have a full blown discussion though would be great.
As Lune mentions above, you catch on quickly. To answer your questions, the rating system is completely meaningless, as well as 'pointless'. You do not receive points directly for rating content, or for having your content rated. Therefore, you will not necessarily be penalized for turning off ratings when you publish.
However if your content is fortunate enough to make it on the "Highest Rated" listing, then that can potentially bring you additional readership, and thus additional points. If ratings are turned off, your content is ineligible to appear on these listings.
Sometimes when I go to rate Gather will not let me rate . They say come back later, so later on when I have time to come back I ll vote on the rate. I sometimes do the image 4 or 5 times and still can not rate so I leave it for the next time around.
It gets quite frustrating that it happens.....But some times if you are trying to catch up on comments the small comment is better than nothing because you both get the points. I ll do it if I am running really behind like the last month.. But since my article I wrote about Gather....I am slowing down and enjoying my self more but I will do little comments but more so you get more points.
It gets crazy because I know there are friends I have not got back to yet....
Well good article...
10 stars+++++ (thats cause you can only give 10)
God bless Have a happy 4th of July
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Btw, regarding the ratings, I've noticed the same phenomenon on my own content. When I post something simple or trivial, I tend to get ratings of all 10s. But, when I put up something that I've spent literally hours working on, here come the 8s.
So, I'm no talented writer. But, it does seem backwards. Perhaps the more involved material gets more stringent scrutiny and is thus subject to harsher ratings.
But, I suspect the 'vindictive' theory is more accurate. No doubt, there's people on Gather that rate according to whether they like the author or photographer or whether they agree with what a person has to say, rather then on the literary or artistic quality.
Unfortunately, Gather became more things to more people. It became a social gathering place, chat room, games, contests, point Gathering, etc, etc. When this happened, the rating system became meaningless.
There are people on Gather from the days when it was just a quality forum, who complain about what Gather has become. People rate their writing with no inclination as to quality. Many don't bother rating at all.
If you are here for the points, people commenting on your post gives you points, and your commenting on other people's post gives you points. the owners of gather earn money from advertising on this site. Advertisers pay according to the number of "hits" the site generates in a given time period. A "hit" is generated each time you visit a different page on this website. I sure that points are awarded based on your activity, and how much you cause other people to generate activity, and if you bring new members into this forum. Just as in television advertising, the more people watching, the more advertisers are willing to pay. Gather shares their profits by award points for generating activity (hits). The rating system does not generate "hits", and therefore, generates no points. The rating system is merely an indication how much people enjoyed, for what that's worth these days. For example, people reading political posts generally rate according to whether they agree with the poster's political opinion (high) or disagree (low).
I come here to share political views. It can be nasty, so you have to be thick skinned. I've give up on rating anything, because it seems to me a waste of time.
I think the old time literary Gatherers should generate their own groups with exclusive memberships, where a member would promise to write his own material with a minimum and maximum word count, and promise to rate peoples posts based on their writing skills, and not just arbitrarily. Problem is, this limits their exposure, which can be disappointing. There may already be these groups on Gather, I have not gone searching for them.
Depending on what interests you, you should use the tags to filter to that content. The tags are of limited use, because people themselves decide what tags to assign their content. After exploring this content for a while, you will start recognizing familiar names recurring in the content you read. If you like their comments, or their posts, you make a friend request, and hopefully it will be accepted. Then you will see on the feed of these friends on your "My Gather" home page. Your friends will generally be posting, or making comments on material that interests you. It also allows you to generate a closer relationship with a group of friends with the same interests are you do.
I would not recommend creating a large group of friends that you barely know, or share interest with, because that makes it difficult to stay in the content you want to see. Many people place lots of friend requests just to get a large following to generate point, because points are the only thing they are interested in. If you find you accepted a friend request who's content does not interest you, you can always disconnect with them, leaving them a ping or an email that you only disconnected because you did not share that persons interest.
There are many ways to use Gather, and it can be whatever you want it to be. You have to get familiar with the controls, and then develop a technique that provides you what you want. Just hang in there. It gets better. Remember the old saying: first you crawl, then you walk, and finally you will be running.
I do not post.
I like to read, comment, and share ideas, and you don't need to post to do that.
Posting IS a good way to ask questions, though.
If you want to earn points fast, you will need to post, and generate a lot of comments on that post.
:) JP