"Positive/Negative" MacRumors Ratings

[firewire2001]

MacRumors should really get rid of the whole Positive and Negative ratings for stories. The results of these polls are extremely ambiguous. For instance, minutes ago the Cisco story broke (Apple is being sued over the iPhone trademark) and the polls have indicated that people's opinion of the news is generally "negative." Are we displeased with Cisco? Displeased with Apple? Displeased with the quality of the story? The numbers are ambiguous.

To further illustrate my point, earlier today a story about Time.com's and Pogue's impressions of the iPhone appeared. The ratings have again been generally negative. Are people reacting to Pogue's opinions, or are we truly displeased with the details of the iPhone as relayed by reporters? The numbers are ambiguous.

In short, I feel that the rating statistic is usually useless and often misleading. MacRumors should do away with it.

Your comments on the matter? I propose we take a poll, only this time let's be clear that "yes" means that you like the idea of ratings and "no" means you don't.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Never understood them, probably never will...

I just try to ignore them all together.

 

[njmac]

If only Arn had thought of "Digg" this story instead of "rate" this story, he'd be sitting on $40,000,000.

 

[bbydon]

i use to always accidently press them....voting for something i havent read yet.

 

[Doctor Q]

See also these threads:

Can we please do away with the voting system?

Two different article voting polls?

+ or -​

 

[thomasp]

I meant to click "No" but accidentally voted "Yes".... stupid mouse.


In my opinion (as a reader, more than a poster, here) the "Rate this article" bit should be done away with, and where applicable, a poll attached to the article thread. For example, if a new product is released, the poll could be "What do you think of this product? Amazing! Average. Awful" - I believe this has been trialled a couple of times for some news stories here.

 

[MrSmith]

No offence, but I imagine 99.9-with-a-dot-on-it% of people don't care one way or the other. I mean, it's not like it makes any difference to what we get out of the forums. I'm only joining the discussion because I'm filling in time before my iPhone arrives.

Can I say 'iPhone' legally?