I would like to suggest that we consider eliminating user ratings from the resources list.

I have watched the list since the beginning and I have come to the conclusion that there are those who will "low-ball" the rating of a resource simply because of who posted it.

Perhaps my thinking is different, but I feel that a rating of 5 (unless it is your resource as it would be natural to think that what you add is worthy of a 5 since you thought it was beneficial enough to do the work to add it) should rarely be given and I feel that a rating of 1 should almost never be given. There are very few places that warrant rating them as the absolute worst.

Yet I see sites that had no rating, that I rate as say a 4, plummet to 2.5 or so with the next rating. Someone obviously decided to rate the site a 1, and quite honestly I can not see how all but a VERY small number of the sites listed would warrant such a rating (unless the link was broken).

Perhaps it is a sour grapes issue for some, I don't know. I do know that there appears to be no logical connection between the rating of a listed resource and that actual usefulness of the resource. But then again, I am a weird guy so perhaps why I think is useful way off the norm.

In any event, I think it would be better, or at least more accurate, if we eliminated the rating system of resources, or perhaps restricted the votes to staff members. People who have already shown their maturity and integrity to the level that they were asked to take a more active role in the success of Americas Debate.

If you knew how much time and effort I spent developing the rating system for the resources directory, you would understand why the ratings aren't going to be removed.

For a directory of resources, the ratings are important. Maybe I can add an option so that people can choose whether or not they want to view the ratings.

Or, better yet, maybe I can set it up so that you don't get to see who submitted a link until after you have rated it-- so there can be no bias simply based on who submitted the link.

I will be rewriting the script that handles the resource directory when we do our next upgrade in about six months, but likely won't be making any changes to it before then.



Mike

That sounds like a great solution. I have no idea how much coding work that would take (hopefully not alot) but I think it would make the ratings on resources much more accurate.

I look forward to seek it, or whatever else you might devise (like not allowing whining members to add resources )!