Forum Announcements Site Changes (Death of Stars)..

You may have noticed some changes to your public profile and the view of your stories and poetry pages. These changes are part of a small redesign currently underway.

This biggest difference might be the missing STARS.

After much feedback and discussion with the WritersCafe.org members, we've decided to do away with the Rating system. We are doing this in hopes that people's reviews will rely more on what they say, then on the number of stars they give, thereby promoting a more constructive reviewing process.

Look for more changes in the near future, and if you have any questions or notice any problems, please let us know.

-Charlie & Patrick

I know it doesn't matter, but I don't like it. I don't see what's wrong with giving the reviewer all options they currently have the option to give stars or not give stars, It seems to me that in every community, virtual or otherwise, there is a group who want to impose their way of thinking on the whole community. If ya don't like stars, click the not interested button. How would the NO STARS people like it if it went the other way and you MADE them use the stars.

We all have a choice now leave it that way damnit!

I would also like to see the stars back as they were. Let people have the option. Its much harder to evaluate the reader's opinion without them.

I know there are a lot of people who have complained about the "star" rating. I myself don't necessarily like the stars, but at least before you took them away, I had the option of giving them or not giving them.

When one group imposes their desires on the group as a whole, at the expense of an option everyone had, it isn't right. At least before we could choose to leave stars or not leave stars.

My best Cafe pal may be leaving because of this. Many more will follow. I wish you would reconsider.

I love the new format & look of the profiles. Just want everyone to have the options they had previously.

Thank you for taking the time to listen.

~Siobhan

I used to be able to look and at a quick glance see what stories were working for people and see which were not by the average star count. Now I have no fast indication. I guess my biggest disappointment was how it happened. A few people said they wanted the stars gone and one day ... poof

What the hell was wrong with everyone having an option, I bet a lot of you "No Stars" Sneetches would be bitching if the USDA's next move was to just ban French Fries altogether (at least the stars won't clog your arteries and kill you) You would want the CHOICE!

CHOICE
[size=18]CHOICE [/size]
[size=24]CHOICE[/size]

grrrrrrr

I'm going to jump on this no-star bandwagon. Definatly give people a choice! I love everything else, but, please bring back the stars!

I wasn't a giver of stars and I had no problem marking the "not interested" option.. So it really doesn't matter to me if we have them or if we don't.

But for those who are in a panic about this no star thing. Take a deep breath and try it. You always have the * * * * * option. Hey they aren't yellow but whatcha gonna do?

We'll definitely take all this into consideration. Keep talking and me and Patrick will have a good long discussion soon.

-Charlie

Putting * * * in a review does not keep a running total that you can look at quickly to see if something is well recieved or not

The system will not tabulate and average the asteriks to give you that quick gauge

Besides what was wrong with choice?

Why must you impose your on me.

I know ... why don't we ban obcenities, the use of offensive language? I don't like gratuitous obscenities and I don't want them in your poems or stories either. Patrick ... Charles ... can you please banish the obscenities?

I'm not interested in the stars, as words are all-important. But please keep the 'favourites'...

I understand that. I am fully aware that some people find the stars beneficial. I was just trying to ease some tension (and maybe be a bit of a smart a*s).


what about a private rating that sends to the author of the work? Then an average/overall rating is posted beside the title of the story? That was all can gauge what is being well received and such. But individual reviewer ratings won't be shown... hmm. Just exploring options, all.

[quote=Kevin C]I'm not interested in the stars, as words are all-important. But please keep the 'favourites'...[/quote]
Your favorites are now part of what's now called your Library. You can add stuff to your library by going to that story or poems page, clicking the Share tab, and click "Add to Library". These will then appear on your profile.

If you're relying on the 'running tally' of what other people have given a piece, then I wouldn't want your review anyway. The problem with the star system is it tells you what to think. Hell, it tells you what to read.
I like the idea of coming to a piece fresh. It's one thing if someone is handing me an author who has been dead for 200 years and I kind of want to know if it's worth my time out of the millions. But these are your peers, and frankly, I think they deserve better than to simply be given one 5 (or 2) star review and suddenly that's what everyone thinks.
My question to you (all 'you's) is, when was the last time you actually gave a review that was worth a damn?

Maybe this new no-star system will get people to actually write reviews, not give blowjobs (though, I have nothing against blowjobs in their place).

I wasn't one of the people who talked to Charlie about the star system, but I knew people were, and I'm totally in favor of tossing the things.

why would anyone leave the site due to not being able to see stars?

how many people give less than 4stars?

do those who object to the loss of stars give reviews BASED ON FORM, NOT CONTENT of 1star 2stars or 3stars ? we all can relate to loving/hating a topic and leaving 5stars to say YEA. but is that the purpose?

do they review pieces in detail? there are recently some great writers/reviewers that have come to this site, because of the reputation of the quality of the work. we can all learn from them.

if people were using the star system to actually review a piece of work and make comments that reflected the reasons why they left the stars, then it would work. but it became a deterent to honest reviews, comments, help, growth and what is really important about posting here. honing a craft.

[quote=Kevin C]I'm not interested in the stars, as words are all-important. But please keep the 'favourites'...[/quote]

I understand that. And as things were, you had the option to eschew the stars when you wrote a review. What was wrong with everyone having an option. Why not put the stars back in the system and allow each member to "use & see stars" or "not use & not see stars" based upon a switch in there account settings?

I agree that while many people seemed to use the "star system" as a way to simply give props to thier friends (without giving constructive feedback in comment form), I think that without some sort of rating system in place, the site won't function as many of us have grown to enjoy. Although it is more important to me to get a great comment than a "star rating", I did like the ability to categorize my likes and dislikes and in turn see how others categorized me. So...I say, BRING BACK THE STARS, or some other rating system.

Do we REALLY have to have an ad between the title and our work?!? And, the box showing the 'stats' overlaps the space for the work. Could that box be moved higher so it's in line with the title?

I know you're still tweaking, so I'm trying to be patient.

[quote=mortaleye]If you're relying on the 'running tally' of what other people have given a piece, then I wouldn't want your review anyway. The problem with the star system is it tells you what to think. Hell, it tells you what to read.
I like the idea of coming to a piece fresh. It's one thing if someone is handing me an author who has been dead for 200 years and I kind of want to know if it's worth my time out of the millions. But these are your peers, and frankly, I think they deserve better than to simply be given one 5 (or 2) star review and suddenly that's what everyone thinks.
My question to you (all 'you's) is, when was the last time you actually gave a review that was worth a damn?

Maybe this new no-star system will get people to actually write reviews, not give blowjobs (though, I have nothing against blowjobs in their place).

I wasn't one of the people who talked to Charlie about the star system, but I knew people were, and I'm totally in favor of tossing the things.[/quote]

I look at MY OWN bits to see what I want to re-examine based upon the ratings. when I read ... I just read. Thing is ... I don't tell you how you should review, and by taking away the stars you are forcing your way of reviewing upon me.

does everybody really need the stars to review a piece...that's sad. The stars sucked some serious a*s. they were overused and lost their power way early on. I for one think that it sad that this forum is even getting this f****n heated. Thy're stars people...most of us don't even use them. And when we do...it's duh duh duh...ill give five stars cause im a jack a*s and dont want to hurt anyones feelings.... if someone is really going to leave the site over the changes...let me the first one to say... LATER...dont let the door hit you in your a*s on the way out...please...if you have beef...bring it...cause i'd love to waste my time fighting over something so god damn dumb. Thanks Charlie, like i said man of your word bro...you made a good decision, there will always be people who don't agree. a good leader follows their gut, and never looks back...

V

The star Killa

[quote=Ilene M.W. Lush]why would anyone leave the site due to not being able to see stars? .[/quote]

How about leaving a site because unilateral changes are made by a small group remeniscent of Saddam's Bathist party because they do not like the way others are writing reviews.

[quote=Ilene M.W. Lush]how many people give less than 4stars? .[/quote]

I've gotten sub-4 reviews on several occassions and they got my attention. I read with close attention what they had to say and in several cases made some valued changes


[quote=Ilene M.W. Lush]do those who object to the loss of stars give reviews BASED ON FORM, NOT CONTENT of 1star 2stars or 3stars ? we all can relate to loving/hating a topic and leaving 5stars to say YEA. but is that the purpose? .[/quote]

The purpose of rating a piece is to express how much you liked or did not like a piece. The review is there to say why. Sometimes that's form .... sometimes content...... sometimes structure

[quote=Ilene M.W. Lush]do they review pieces in detail? there are recently some great writers/reviewers that have come to this site, because of the reputation of the quality of the work. we can all learn from them. .[/quote]

You will find pagelong reviews written by me and you will find reviews that say ... "I like it and I don't know why"

[quote=Ilene M.W. Lush]if people were using the star system to actually review a piece of work and make comments that reflected the reasons why they left the stars, then it would work. but it became a deterent to honest reviews, comments, help, growth and what is really important about posting here. honing a craft.[/quote]

Translation => Use the site the way WE want you to or get out! I understand Madame Moulsilini