http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ Giveaway of the Day Forums Topic: Suggestion for comments en Sun, 07 Sep 2008 10:50:08 +0000 http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-40313 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:51:45 +0000 Theleecher 40313@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>How to resolve the thumbs up, thumbs down issues:</p> <p>Have two scores:<br /> 1. I'll take it / I'll leave it</p> <p>Then only for those responding "I'll take it"<br /> 2. Good program / Bad program</p> <p>In most cases, the thumbs up/down scores at the moment are merely a popularity contest, and few things will be popular with everyone. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-19430 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:11:15 +0000 goodgotd 19430@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I'm gonna get roasted, but my opinion leans toward any system is going to be a terrible indicator just because of the spectrum of hit-n-git, don't care, who fills things in honestly users we never see aside from thumbs-up/thumbs down votes based on the screencap, title, and mood.</p> <p>but, if you want how I'd start out, reset the u/d count at 30 minutes, 1, 2, and 4 hours then let it accumulate- and post the u/d ratios &#38; counts from each reset in a line?</p> <p>that should start showing where the 'read it' and 'tried it' crowds start having an effect, without the kneejerk 'collecting personal info' paranoia. and still give *something* to guess from at all times. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-19428 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:58:53 +0000 katbirdz 19428@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Hi everybody,</p> <p>I just posted this in the comments section and read through this topic.</p> <p>Dear Game Giveaway of the Day Team:<br /> -------------------------------<br /> How about letting only the people who download a game have access to making the comments and thumbs up vs. thumbs down?</p> <p>The comments could be entered when the activation page pops up on the activation page.</p> <p>If you can still make the results appear on this page it would work.</p> <p>(Cross-posting to forums)</p> <p>----------------------------------</p> <p>I see it may have been addressed already by folks with more knowledge of the inner workings here than me. Still, it was a good idea eh? Or Hmmmmmmmmmm! Another secret thumbs up and down for downloaders? Nah, new folks wouldn't get it and it would only confuse the results for the kind developers who freely give here. Oh well, it was an idea. Delete if you will.</p> <p>My bad.</p> <p>Bonnie</p> <p>(edited to include date and game - 2/25/08 - Bubble Ice Age - not downloaded) </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8645 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 21:09:02 +0000 Keilaron 8645@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I'm assuming they do. It's not a question of whether or not they <em>can</em>, but rather that they aren't bothering to that much. It may also be why there's the comments ratings; They may want to get a feel for how to figure out which comments aren't useful. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8642 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:59:17 +0000 kevinyunlai 8642@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>one question,<br /> do mod read every single comment?<br /> if so, why can't they filter useless comments? </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8638 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:42:04 +0000 Keilaron 8638@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Archangel, don't know what to say to you - everything you said was exactly what I agree with, so I'm thinking you must've misread my post (or perhaps I didn't explain myself correctly). :&gt;</p> <p>kevinyunlai, when I said that the comments are moderated, I was mostly referring to removing spam posts. All comments have to be approved. I don't deny that the moderators aren't really filtering useless content; It's obvious they're not. What I was saying, however, is that they <em>should</em>. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8624 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 06:04:11 +0000 headman 8624@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Hi, Jucati. I had to wade through the archives. The drama begins with the Jan. 5 giveaway (All My Software). Someone calling themselves Dhawa had begun posting first and saying "Allhamdullilah" to express their approval of the software. Posts #'s 22,29 and 33(partially deleted) are the first to object. Slava (admin) replies in post #39, and reading that post gives you some idea of what the admins were putting up with at the time. Makes someone booing and hooing about another screensaver look pretty tame. This was the start of it. If you scroll through the comments of subsequent days you can see that lots of people had something to say about it. It was an ongoing thing.<br /> Looking at those old comments is not only entertaining, it was educational for me. I had forgotten how downright nasty some people were. It isn't exactly Woodstock now, but there has been significant improvement in the moderation after all. Either that, or the trolls have grown up. And how likely is that? I take back what I said earlier about the admins not paying too much attention to the comments.<br /> Be that as it may, there are still hoots and chuckles a-plenty to be had if you take the time to look through the old comments. It's fascinating to watch the transformation as the site becomes more popular and crowded. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8619 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:57:46 +0000 Archangel 8619@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Its titled "Suggestions for comments" so your right in line. I can do the same thing on my forum. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8616 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 04:01:59 +0000 Jucati 8616@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>headman: I manged to miss the "Thank [Deity]" debate. Do you remember which giveaway it was? Sounds like fun to read.</p> <p>I installed a wordpress blog with Akismet today. It has a feature that automatically rejects comments with admin-defined words in them! It leaves the remainder up for manual approval, but it would be an immediate end to posts/comments with objectionable words ;)</p> <p>I personally dislike certain kinds of censorship, but seriously, there's no <em>reason</em> to use certain words on a site like this. None.</p> <p>I don't even know what this post is about anymore. :B </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8611 Tue, 17 Jul 2007 02:29:27 +0000 Archangel 8611@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>A very smart woman. You hit it on the head too. More traffic, more bucks! </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8608 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:45:14 +0000 headman 8608@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I didn't mean to say the comments shouldn't be moderated, I just thank (insert your favorite deity here) it's not me doing the moderating. Can you imagine the volume they have to deal with on a daily basis? I think the only answer is to have a person or people whose sole responsibility is moderating the comments and taking a zero-tolerance stance towards comments that don't meet the criteria set forth by the admins. That in itself would be a full time job.<br /> Maybe the reason this hasn't happened is because the people who come here to see their low-brow shenanigans in print and click on anything they see add up to a huge amount of traffic for this site. Maybe it's a necessary evil, a Catch-22, or one of several other tired cliches.<br /> As my sainted grandma used to say before handing me a cupcake and pushing me off the roof, "You gotta take the bad with the good." Jeez, I miss that old gal. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064/page/2#post-8607 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:46:36 +0000 kevinyunlai 8607@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I agree with headman<br /> "While people have a right to say what they want, whether or not it shows up here is entirely up to the people who run this site."<br /> Still, admin should still mod comments<br /> if people really like this site, then they would not bother signing up<br /> here is a stupid idea:<br /> anyone who wants to download from giveaway has to sign up </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8605 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:37:39 +0000 headman 8605@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I think the administrators of this site just got fed up with the comment section as a whole and now spend most of their time on the business end of this venture. When I first started checking this site out (almost from day one), there were few comments of any kind. As word spread and it became more popular, the "Woot! First comment!" folks started showing up. People complained, and the admins started deleting them. Then one fine day (some of you may remember this), some commenter opened a huge can of worms by thanking God for a certain piece of software.(Not a typo of Gotd, mind you, but God the Supreme Being). Naturally, someone took offense and before you knew it, the comments section was overrun with folks eager to praise Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and a host of others for blessing them with a divine audio converter,etc. Once again, the admins stepped in and began deleting religious references.<br /> Now the game, as they say, was afoot. People began trying to see what they could get away with. Other people would try to shut them up. Sides were chosen and still others chirped in to try and keep peace. Whenever a comment was deleted, others would post saying "Why did you delete this, but not that?" "Why can't I say that when so-and-so can say this?" And this is where people started getting the impression that they had an intrisic right to post whatever the hell they pleased under the guise of "free speech".<br /> While I have nothing to back this up but a gut feeling, I think the admins finally gave up. I think the reason it can take hours for a comment to appear is because every few hours, someone skims through what is probably an enourmous batch and weeds out the obvious garbage, the insults, the profanity, etc., lets the rest go up, and then gets back to the business of running their website. It's a shame because there really are a lot of helpful, intelligent comments mixed in with the nonsense.<br /> It would be great if all the well-meaning people came to the forums and let the kids play in the comments section. But the kids would soon follow because they need the attention. It's like a zombie movie, there's just no end to them.<br /> For someone who yaps away like a smacked puppy, I realize I don't have any sure-fire solutions, but I do know this: While people have a right to say what they want, whether or not it shows up here is entirely up to the people who run this site. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8602 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:45:45 +0000 kevinyunlai 8602@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>like Archangel said, just posting opinions, if I offended someone, I'm sorry<br /> Keilaron<br /> are the comments really being moderated?<br /> from what I see, no<br /> there have been useless comments and comments will unapportiate words..... </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8597 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:01:10 +0000 Archangel 8597@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Not exactly Keilaron.</p> <p>This is just my thoughts. Nobody would follow them</p> <p>1. End user comments should only be made about the software for the developers. Did it install correctly? Did it function as to what was advertised on the download page? How easy was it to use? What would make it better? (and so on)</p> <p>Not "I think I'll pass on this one", "not another useless program", "You can get blah blah for free" and so on. You've read the comments.</p> <p>If someone is having difficulty downloading, installing or using software, why not do it in the forum? Have you counted the amount of comments asking about something and how many comments are just to answer? Have you noticed an increase in people coming into the forum asking for help lately?</p> <p>2. The thumbs up thumbs down should stay as a summary for the developers. Then they can look down thru the comments and see why without all the other useless comments.</p> <p>What I was refering to was the plus/minus rating on each comment as to its worth. Are we evaluating software or peoples comments? What purpose does it serve other than to tell a person that they are wasting there time commenting because they had a certain amount minus's tagged to there comment.</p> <p>3. You nailed that one on the head. If they knew to come to the forum, that would elimate a lot of those negative rating comments. Also if they want to complain about what was offered to download, they can do it here. Comments wouldn't have to be deleted because they would have never been there in the first place.</p> <p>Ok people jump in here and add to or take away. We just posting opinions. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8592 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:48:33 +0000 Keilaron 8592@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <blockquote><p>1. some people don't like to register</p></blockquote> <p>Usually because their comments aren't worth the time.</p> <blockquote><p>2. why split the comments? since the comments or for the devolped, why would did need to know about the comments before the downloading?</p></blockquote> <p>Some people download just to see if feature X is present, and some of the reviews or other information might tell them whether or not that feature is present or whether or not it works properly.</p> <blockquote><p>4. someone would have to read all the comments to delete the ones that are useless</p></blockquote> <p>They're already being moderated. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8588 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:37:38 +0000 kevinyunlai 8588@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Keilaron, overall it seem right<br /> but...<br /> 1. some people don't like to register<br /> 2. why split the comments? since the comments or for the devolped, why would did need to know about the comments before the downloading?<br /> 3. remove the rating, I agree!!!!!<br /> 4. someone would have to read all the comments to delete the ones that are useless </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8584 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 20:27:27 +0000 Keilaron 8584@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>So, let's see if I can summarize (I might add a few things of my own here):<br /> - Split the comments from the download, possibly only showing the ability to comment <em>after</em> downloading, while still allowing people to <em>read</em> them first (Tricky!).<br /> - Remove the ratings since they only get abused anyway, and the comments are supposed to be for the developers in the first place.<br /> - Put more emphasis on the forum being for asking for help, maybe making the link larger and using some similar text to, "Having trouble getting the program installed and activated? Try the forums!".<br /> - Delete comments that aren't on topic, aren't after a download, or aren't relevant.<br /> I miss anything? </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8547 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:28:54 +0000 Archangel 8547@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I agree with your statement kevinyunlai. Why even rate the user comments? Isn't the comments made for the developer?</p> <p>I know that most comments are useless so is this user rating system just to let them know that they aren't wanted? (I'd keep posting because some people are reading it anyway LOL) </p> <p>I've started reading down the commemts and read one with a negative 11. Then read down a few more comments and saw the same thing posted again but with a plus 6. The only difference was who posted it. </p> <p>I came to the conclusion that the comments with this user rating system is just a simple way to flame a user comments. No big deal but the comments aren't being used for what they were meant for.</p> <p> Best thing is to download then come to this forum and check out the info. You'll find more info here and get help if you need it. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8541 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:10:28 +0000 BuBBy 8541@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Just delete the complaints... and the complaints about the complaints.</p> <p>These users probably think that somebody really cares that their post didn't appear on the site. Everybody except me.... my comments are too important to delete. Everyone needs to hear what I have to say. How dare they delete my comment - they have banned me from commenting... what about my rights to free speech?!?</p> <p>Yeah, right.</p> <p>[edit] I just remembered the ones that always make me chuckle. "I said something bad - I've uncovered a conspiracy - they are trying to silence me - I think I heard someone outside in the yard... They've come to get me... If you don't hear from me again within 24 hours... it means either my internet has been disconnected or they have succeeded in....." </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8540 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 03:38:07 +0000 Jucati 8540@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>BuBBy:<br /> I agree with you completely.<br /> However...<br /> that doesn't mean people won't still complain about it ;p</p> <p>It ultimately comes down to which annoyance you'd rather deal with... </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8539 Mon, 16 Jul 2007 03:34:29 +0000 BuBBy 8539@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Where does it say that people are entitled to freedom of speech on websites? Sometimes censorship or moderation is required to keep posted content on topic, or non-offensive.</p> <p>With a set of instructions like, please comment on the software - if you have any questions or comments about GOTD post them in the forums - I'd say freedom of speech is fine within those guidelines.</p> <p>Having someone post "What do you like about the color green" or anything else that is deemed by the moderators or administrators to not "belong" or be "inappropriate" to meeting their requirements should in my opinion be removed.</p> <p>I'm sorry, but free speech has absolutely nothing to do with forcing people to read through rubbish when they want information. If some people feel that they have some pseudo constitutional right to post crap on whatever website they like and expect that the site owners cannot do what they please with it, are going to be in for a big shock on most websites.</p> <p>Besides - how many successful court cases or prosecutions have there ever been where a site owner has infringed on a web surfers "right to free speech"? It would be like me suing "Rolling Stones Magazine" because they won't publish my opinion on some band. Sure it's on topic and it might even be well written and relevant - but it's their magazine - they decide what goes to print. It's got nothing to do with my "right of free speech" or "freedom of expression". </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8536 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:43:32 +0000 kevinyunlai 8536@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>stricter moderation would be better but....<br /> some people would complain about "freedom of speech" and cesnorship </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8531 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 21:41:45 +0000 BuBBy 8531@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>Some sites for this reason list two ratings. A user rating and an official or site rating.</p> <p>Also, I wonder if the comments would improve if the download &#38; read existing comments were on separate pages to the submit comment and rate the giveaway, so people were not as tempted to rate or comment before or during installation/download.</p> <p>Or just stricter moderation to not permit/accept the truly useless comments or questions that belong in the forums. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8527 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 20:02:48 +0000 kevinyunlai 8527@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>the rating system is corrupted<br /> it is not based on a good review, but on what people like to hear </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8522 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 19:02:30 +0000 Keilaron 8522@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>The problem is, a lot of valid and good comments get down-rated anyway, just because it's taken as a "complain" (waaah~!), or just because they say negative, etc.. You'll notice some people get positive ratings despite having mentioned they're <em>about</em> to download, just because they said something nice. </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8517 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 17:23:38 +0000 kevinyunlai 8517@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>I agree<br /> around 1/4 of the comments are posted without downloading first<br /> around 1/4 are comments like suck, good, cool, useless<br /> around 1/4 are can't install, can't download<br /> around 1/8 are this freeware is better<br /> the rest are the "real helpful" comments<br /> if there are 100 comments, how long are you going to have to look before you actaully find a "real" comment?</p> <p>comments means nothing<br /> Facts are what most people what/need to read </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8515 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 16:56:32 +0000 BuBBy 8515@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>No, I knew what you meant. My point was I, personally prefer comments that are fact and less the comments that are opinion - especially if I have no idea of the history of the users past comments or their experience level.</p> <p>If a user says a program is "good", means very little to me - if the user is not qualified (according to my own standards) to judge the software, or if I believe that possibly the user hasn't actually tested or used the software beyond installing and perhaps playing with it for 2 minutes.</p> <p>Often I think commenters confuse "The software is good/useful" - with "The software looks/sounds cool" or "The software might be useful if I had a use for it, but I haven't done much apart from install it".</p> <p>Sometimes I think the same criteria is used in deciding if the software gets a thumbs up or down. I'm sure many users rate the software before downloading or reading the comments. A good example of "judging a book by its cover". </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8506 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 15:36:02 +0000 kevinyunlai 8506@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <p>?<br /> BuBBy, I think you misunderstood me...<br /> I think that comments are for telling other users, is this program good or bad, and why, </p> <p>NOT it won't work, I don't like this, don't need this, sucks, I want this or this.......</p> <p>sorry, should have added a .<br /> my point was, people should give comments that help everyone, comments like I like this does not help anyone </p> http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/1064#post-8492 Sun, 15 Jul 2007 12:03:56 +0000 BuBBy 8492@http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/ <blockquote><p>I think that comments are for telling other users, is this program good or bad, and why, not it won't work, I don't like this, don't need this, sucks, I want this or this.......</p> </blockquote> <p>But do you really care if some other person doesn't need the giveaway software? Do you care if someone else wants the software or doesn't want it? Same goes with "I like it/I don't like it" type comments. Unless I know that the commenting user has the same likes or dislikes as me - the comment means very little.</p> <p>I'm more interested in reading an explanation clarifying what the program does (if the description is unclear). I'm interested in knowing about any issues during installation - errors - restrictions - unsupported software or hardware, software conflicts.</p> <p>I'm interested in tips or tricks people have found when using the software. A better alternative to the comments section is the developers official site and a quick tour with google (to check what pops up).</p> <p>I'm interested also in other similar programs (preferably freeware &#38; open source).</p> <p>But I am just one user - I'm sure other people are interested in knowing someone else downloaded the giveaway in 15 minutes, or that someone has a problem with yesterdays giveaway still, or that they love the guys at GOTD, or that they are first and might try to download it 'once they get back from the chemist'. :)</p> <p>If the comment quality bar was raised - there would probably be a lot less to read each day. </p>