• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Ratings System

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Should we remove downvoting ("Disagree" and "Old")?


  • Total voters
    44
I honestly don't care a whole lot, but there are a few reasons I don't like the negative ratings:

For one, if somebody hits "disagree" yet it's still a thoughtful post, it doesn't add to the discussion in any way because the person doesn't actually take the time to tell you why they disagree. And the poster doesn't know what part of their post they disagree with if there are several different points in the post. That is what a discussion is for.

Two, it validates stupid posts. They more or less should just be ignored instead of people piling on negative rep. It might even encourage trolling if somebody gets a bunch of negative rep and then their goal from then on is to get more negative rep because they are pissed off or want to piss people off. They could become better posters if somebody responded in a constructive manner or they were encouraged by positive rep if it was a good post. But the really stupid, ignorant posts should be ignored or a mod should be contacted if it crosses a line.

Three, I'm not even sure if that many people "abuse it" per say, but it's annoying when people give you negative rep for no reason. It's not that huge of a deal, just annoying. It's typically, if not always, newer posters that do that. Or if somebody gives you negative rep because it's a joke but they don't recognize it as one. Some of my sarcastic jokes don't come through quite right on the internet I guess or it's hard for people to recognize, even though we do a lot of joking on the site.


That's about it. If you put an "old" rating on a post, it doesn't change the post. It's been done. And if a person deletes/changes it, it's already a waste and the rating doesn't come off. I don't think this system causes that big of problems and it overall works well, but the bad rating don't really solve any problems either.
 
As is par for the course, I agree with @FiveThous . This pretty much sums up my thoughts on the "Disagree" and "Old" options. Instead of fostering an environment of further intelligent discussion, they seem to be merely a quick, retributive tool for the weak-minded who don't want to engage in debate or discussion. I think they fail to serve a legitimate purpose on RCF.

Not everyone has the desire or time to post a paragraph response to each point that is made. The disagree button makes it easy.

However, I see no real benefit for the old/disagree buttons to exist.
 
I really like the 'dislike' and 'old' rep options. When someone is trolling, and I see 9 red x's at the bottom of their post, it usually gives me a chuckle. Much like Whose Line Is It Anyway, the rep points on the board don't matter one way or the other, so who cares? One of my favorite things is to give someone a 'dislike' or 'old' rating and see them go back to one of my posts from days earlier and tag me with the same thing. Is it immature? Absolutely. But I think we're all taking ourselves a little too seriously if we can't get over negative rep on a message board. Just my opinion.
 
Doesn't it say something about your psyche that downvoting posts on a website causes you so much pleasure?

I only say this because people utilize the rep system to downvote arbitrarily to cause ire.

Personally, I've always gotten a rise out of irrational emotional outbursts/reactions. If your reaction to someone giving you a hit and run disagree/old is to be upset enough to go on tirades in threads about it continually, that says a lot to me. I've never been one to seek out approval/validation, nor have I ever cared that someone might disagree with me. The majority of the disagrees I receive are from newer members or from people I've never noticed as being part of the forum. If you disagree and don't post, okay cool. You've got nothing more to say or add to the conversation. Serves the same purpose as posting a one line post that says I disagree without any reasoning behind it. And there were plenty of those same types of posts on the old software.

Someone habitually trolling my posts with disagrees/olds? I just put them on the ignore list.

That said, I rarely use the disagree/old ratings and tend to stick with Useful because I consider that calling the person a tool.
 
See, problem solved. Gour and Surge both think I'm a tool.

Now I'll go find some of their posts to mark useful and they still get neutral/positive rep.
 
I really like the 'dislike' and 'old' rep options. When someone is trolling, and I see 9 red x's at the bottom of their post, it usually gives me a chuckle. Much like Whose Line Is It Anyway, the rep points on the board don't matter one way or the other, so who cares? One of my favorite things is to give someone a 'dislike' or 'old' rating and see them go back to one of my posts from days earlier and tag me with the same thing. Is it immature? Absolutely. But I think we're all taking ourselves a little too seriously if we can't get over negative rep on a message board. Just my opinion.
This there any record of RCF members actually resorting to physical violence based on a heated RCF encounter online? Meaning the two people PM each other to meet and settle it outside the forum ? I think that would make a for a hell of a short film!

OT (sorry Gour)_I have thought for years that an All Star RCF big brother program would be amazing. I am picturing X, Dave, Oii, PYRO, Gour, Moohead and Danny Arison (Who is really Eli's Eyes/Limping Puppy) nd the guy that use to do crazy poetry involving his cat (name escapes me) at the same house unable to leave. Ben could be the host. I would seriously pay money out of my own pocket to watch.
 
Last edited:
This there any record of RCF members actually resorting to physical violence based on a heated RCF encounter online? Meaning the two people PM each other to meet and settle it outside the forum ? I think that would make a for a hell of a short film!

OT (sorry Gour)_I have thought for years that an All Star RCF big brother program would be amazing. I am picturing X, Dave, Oii, PYRO, Gour, Moohead and Danny Arison (Who is really Eli's Eyes/Limping Puppy) nd the guy that use to do crazy poetry involving his cat (name escapes me) at the same house unable to leave. Ben could be the host. I would seriously pay money out of my own pocket to watch.

I am super into this. I always think rcf members are either spindly nerd looking grey alien weaklings or extremely overweight computer nerds. Wish there was a fight club where they beat the shitbout of each other
 
I am super into this. I always think rcf members are either spindly nerd looking grey alien weaklings or extremely overweight computer nerds. Wish there was a fight club where they beat the shitbout of each other
Gour and i may exceecise every once in Awhile
 
Gour and i may exceecise every once in Awhile
I recall a thread (diet and workout routines( where you and Jiggo were posting semi nude pics of yourselves. I literally spilled my drink when I walked into that thread.
 
I recall a thread (diet and workout routines( where you and Jiggo were posting semi nude pics of yourselves. I literally spilled my drink when I walked into that thread.
Typical
 
I am thinking Gour is going to be pretty bumbed when he renters this run away train. He logs in and sees that this is the top of list for thread activity (he gets excited to see what he thinks is a rivating debate about the dislike/old button only to see this. He throws a out a few obscenities and wonders why he bothers,
Sorry Gour :apologetic:
 
I am thinking Gour is going to be pretty bumbed when he renters this run away train. He logs in and sees that this is the top of list for thread activity (he gets excited to see what he thinks is a rivating debate about the dislike/old button only to see this. He throws a out a few obscenities and wonders why he bothers,
Sorry Gour :apologetic:
He's gonna get beat to a pulp
 
I'm good with it either way. I can see both sides. For me receiving negative rep is fine. It's just the type of thing that would ever concern or bother me. It might cause me to ignore work for 20 minutes to type out a response or explanation, but it doesn't make me mad or bum me out.

I feel like I've given out very few negative ratings and I try my best to reserve to posts that are just blatantly rude/crude in gen pop or s34 to a poster or player. Sometimes I may be guilty of using it if someone keeps posting one line catchphrases that they've come up to deride a player or the posters that like that player.

But in general, if I disagree with someones point or post, i feel like its much more appropriate to respond to it than than to give it a negative rating.

Sometimes I have to step back and not respond to a topic or trade or rumor the second its announced or people are reacting to it. I've found that usually helps me respond more measured and less aggressive.

But I never look at a posts ratings and use that to determine whether I am going to argue something to the contrary. There's thousands of registered users. Just because 17 people like or mark Winner on a post doesn't mean if you have a rebuttal or perspective in the other direction that you should shy away from posting it.

As far as the term and concept of groupthink, it is a very real thing, but I also think in a message forum, it is actually a very strong term to throw around without true knowledge of it applies to a situation. It's a pretty strong insult in that it suggests someone is only liking or agreeing with an idea because other people are and people feel safer agreeing with people then presenting a contrary view. But it also then implies that people engaging in groupthink are very weakminded and easily persuaded to fall in line. That's a strong accusation to make, without inner knowledge of how another posters mind works.

The central theme of what I perceive to be Gours point is that whether its in 1 paragraph or 15, finding ways to ask questions, explain view points, consider the view points opposite of different than yours makes for a much better message board than one of quick driveby ratings and one sentence dismissals. I totally agree with that. But I also know some people just want to have fun. Some people don't want to hash out the minutiae every single day. Some of you have been posting on here for 8-10 years and have a special understanding of each other, different inside jokes that relate to the long history of the board, etc.

Ok. Way past the point the unstructured rambling and diminishing returns. End transmission.
 
I Voted No.
Even though these ratings are often misused, I think the benefits outweighs that,
I am quite sure that lots of negative, cheap language, trolling etc. posts, are not written or at least refined due to the ratings.

Yes there are a few trolls who don't care, but at least they are called out by 25 negative ratings, so that the normal people know what the majority thinks of the post, and know not to burn valuable time and effort, trying to argue back.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top