Paying to rate someone. A Dumb F*****G IDEA

Originally Posted by deedeeiam

I think those that use this site on a regular basis (or have used it for an extended period of time) often don't realize that this site is not easy to understand on first glance. I've moderated and administrated more than my fair share of forums and it's an easy pitfall to assume that everything just makes sense to everyone equally. The excess use of emoticons, the ads, the design layout, the sheer number of sticky threads in this area alone...simply will not make this site as intuitive to all users.

I also don't disagree that he wasn't being rude, the problem is when admins and moderators take the bait and sink to that level, it usually ends up putting off the newer people that are taking the time to read and attempting to follow the rules.

I think the problem here is that you think YOUR way of moderating and administering a site is the *best* way to do so. In your mind, perhaps this is true, but I'm here to tell you that I believe that this is not a universally accepted premise. You are entirely welcome to moderate and admin any site you have been tasked with those duties in a manner that is acceptable to you, but please consider the possibility that I have chosen to run this site the way I want to. I believe I have the right to do so.

I am always willing to listen to opinions and complaints posted in a respectful and non aggressive or belittling manner, but those who come at me with fists a swinging (such as the person who started this thread) are in for a rude awakening expecting me to merely present my other cheek to them. If that is contrary to how YOU work other sites, then good for you. But I am not you. And I learned the hard way that I can't please everyone, so my goal here is to simply please ME about how this site operates. I don't expect everyone to like that, and that's just fine with me. As best I can remember, with EVERYTHING I have ever done with, to, or on this site has caused 25 percent of the members to like it, 25 percent to hate it, and 50 percent not giving a crap either way. Nobody is being held here against their will. This site and the way it is run either fits your fleeting wants of the moment or it doesn't. I can live just as happily with either outcome that results.

As for how other members interpret my interactions with someone who, in my opinion, needs a sharp and jagged reality check jabbed where the sun don't shine, well, hopefully if they are of a same frame of mind in their correspondence, then they will learn from this that this is not the proper methodology to use if they hope for positive results.

Originally Posted by deedeeiam

Quite the opposite actually. I completely understood the idea you were trying to convey. Hence my problem with such a faulty generalization.

You said it yourself, this was the case of an individual trolling. So, the more appropriate, hasty comparison that should have been used was, "a bunch of heavily armed cops shooting a mentally incapacitated individual for waving a plastic spoon." That is the more apt comparison in this particular situation, which greatly changes the perceived impact.

Originally Posted by deedeeiam

I also don't disagree that he wasn't being rude, the problem is when admins and moderators take the bait and sink to that level, it usually ends up putting off the newer people that are taking the time to read and attempting to follow the rules.

So exactly what moderator and admin sunk to his level? I didn't see either one cussing him out. I didn't see either one telling him that he was stupid...So exactly how did either one stoop to his level?

Also, Does it really matter how Webslave chooses to run his site? If the people don't like it, then they have the right NOT to use it. It's pretty simple like that. If all they're going to do is bitch and moan about the site, then why stay on it?

In this case it was clearly a Plastic Spork.

Originally Posted by JColt

In this case it was clearly a Plastic Spork.

You know...I had spork, but I changed it. Thought the weapon should have a blunt edge in this case.

Originally Posted by deedeeiam

You know...I had spork, but I changed it. Thought the weapon should have a blunt edge in this case.

I got my first spork in 1967 in the cubscouts. I remember how all us kids were awed by this technology .... lol. Funny how certain things or smells will transport you back in time.

I am new to this site.I am NOT a contributing member.I have NOT posted a lot but do enjoy reading about things.I must bring up something I have noticed,be it folks who have been in horrid relationships and sold sick bearded dragons,folks who stole money from widows or simply obnoxious people who continuosly try to get around rules or think they are entitled to being treated SPECIAL simply because they were born,these people are NOTgoing to be an asset to any forum.I do not think the mods were harsh.I think they have seen first hand what I have read on this forum the last 2 months and perhaps can acurately judge an I'M the CENTER of my own UNIVERSE type of person,who complains about an issue rather than just posting a Good Guy thread.The very person he claims to be starting this thread about, got absolutely nothing from this individual.

Originally Posted by JColt

I got my first spork in 1967 in the cubscouts. I remember how all us kids were awed by this technology .... lol. Funny how certain things or smells will transport you back in time.

Just go to Taco Bell. They still rock those satanical things.

Also you did do a positive thing for the seller,after you posted here.I too must bring up a fact mentioned in above post.A good point,I might add.I have used the BOI forum here to help.A marvelous tool.And as mentioned by another poster,trader ratings do NOT always tell the entire story.Case in point, a dragon breeder who hasn't posted on this site in months had a lot of trader ratings.He also had ALOT of BOI threads(and not all posted by an ex relationship) The BOI and karma are both free and IMO excellent tools.I'm glad you did make a good guy thread about the seller.

Originally Posted by gavdrews

Ya i used a bad word. we are all adults and this isnt grade school. I understand its against the rules but i was upset at how this website works and still am. there are numerous complaints about the fact that only contributing members can post feedback and yes I DID read them ^. I am a college student trying to enjoy my hobby and dont need to be spending money to leave a good review about a great seller. so thats my $0.02. money controls our everyday lives why let that interfere with the thing that separates us from those lives?

Since you read the other threads then you know it simply isn't true that only contributing members can leave feedback.

Most people search the BOI for feedback. It is completely free to post and review feedback in that forum.

The trader rating function is just one additional way to acknowledge someone on this site. It's a extra function provided. At one time anyone could use that function. It was abused by people making false accounts to boost their ratings.

Does it not seem logical to have at least one rating system that has a little verification of who's posting? By being a contributing member you would at least have to pay $25 per account you made up to give yourself one feedback rating. Likely not going to happen.

Again the feedback on this site that generates the most attention is the Board Of Inquiry. It is what this site was built around.

Another point and this one I have to state puts me off a little and with all respect but disagreement with deedeeiam is this part of your initial complaint.

Originally Posted by gavdrews

Making money from our opinions. WOW!

I'm sorry but for someone to come here and state "how dare someone make money from our opinion" took away the need to respond any differently than how others did.

Wow, so at this point would the OP like to tell the owner how he should be allowed to make money on this website?

deedeeiam, not many sites would respond in the way that is allowed here, You are correct. They would simply delete the post and ban the user and not allow discussion at all. It would simply disappear along with the user.

Gavdrews, so nobody should make money off peoples opinions?

You are allowed to register here for free. You are allowed to view and respond to advertisements here for free. You can posts ads on this site for free. You can show your appreciation of sellers and acknowledge them for free in the proper forum.

Apparently you believe everything should be free here and the owner should donate his time, resources and funds so that you can have a exceptionally good time here using the resources he put together for about 14 years now completely free of charge.

That those that help pay the bills around here shouldn't have a little extra resources or incentives. Got it.

Simply put verified members who have purchased memberships are the only ones that can use the trader rating system. It is a extra benefit on this site to those that contribute here. It doesn't stop anyone from leaving feedback for a seller and it offers a little verification that the ratings are not falsified with shill accounts. The proper place to that is the BOI forum which this site was built around.

Who are you to say that those who contribute shouldn't have greater resources and more options to a basically free site to do business on?

Really, who are you to even have a right to be disgusted about anything that is being done on private property that the owner is allowing to come on and use any of the resources for free? Then chastise that he is charging for some other parts of those resources.

I just don't get the entitlement.

Many sites and classifieds don't even have a trader rating system. Most sites will not let you state something negative about a seller if something did go wrong. Many sites charge people to use their classifieds.

You get it all for free here but still that's not good enough.