chelydra

Hi all - Just dropped in to see how y'all are and see the work of a friend I recruited. Having busted 'puters and no home or office internet, I doubt |I'll be back drawing here for a while (and the main reason is that once I pick up a real pen or brush and feel its weight and balance alive in hand, computer art feels unsatisfactory).
Here's my 2cents on the voting issue....
What if folks just used the existing system as it was designed to be used? One star could be just an acknowledgement that you noticed the pic, and wanted to say hi, and it's worth a little more than zero stars.
Two is "hey, not too bad, kinda interesting but not too well-made" or "well-made but not very interesting."
Three is "pretty good! I quite like this!"
Four is "Hmmm, very fine, good job, I'm impressed, really nice"
--- and then five stars can be saved for what's really, really excellent. With this system of meaningful stars, you could make a pic a favorite while giving it just or three stars - meaning that you love it even if it's not a masterpiece. Five stars would NOT usually be favorited, since recognizing excellence is not same as saying in effect "I love you".
I've done plenty of pix that deserve 1,2,3, or 4 stars, and a handful that deserve an average final score of 4.1 to 4.8 - as well as few that truly deserve (and received) zero stars. In fact I'd be happier getting 3s and 4s than 5s for the pix |I don't think are that great, and if 1 or 2 stars could be handed out in a friendly way, wouldn't mind that either.

The problem here is INFLATION. We have to deliver a wheelbarrow of stars to buy a loaf of bread. The inflation results from just one mechanical quirk - that we lose'highest rated' status whenever anyone gives a pic a four or less. If we all agreed to limit our votes to sensible. meaningful numbers of stars, and if we ALL agreed to vote down any 5-star pix that should be 4.5 star pix, the system would work.
No I have not 'voted down' anyone. When a pic I like just a little has been languishing for months without a single star, and the artist hasn't got any stars anywhere, but is really quite lousy and careless, I have once or twice voted with 3 or 4 stars, figuring it's better than nothing at all, especially if a friendly comment is added.
But the main point is: THE EXISTING SYSTEM CAN WORK JUST FINE IF IT'S USED AS IT WAS OBVIOUSLY INTENDED TO BE USED - and if we make it clear that one star is BETTER than zero stars.

matthew

FYI: jmdx3dad@gmail.com is my email

five

I think we probably have to stop publicly talking about this on the forum (for my roll in that, I apologize) and just talk to TD through the feedback button with our requests for a change to the voting or opt outs -- or we will just being increasing the negativity of the site and hurt feelings.

matthew

FYI: If I thought you (or someone else) were a cheater, I would not favor so many (or any) of your pics...

matthew

Suzze... Sorry that you misread the meaning of my comment...

In short, my life is good regardless of what votes I get or the reason I get them... THAT was all I was getting at...