(tye)Re: Cast

This has been proposed before ( what hasn't? (: ), so I'm duty bound to include links to some of the previous discussions of this idea... So please post some links for me because I can't find any. ;)

My feelings on this idea have gone through the following phases since I first considered it:

Why can't we see how many downvotes each node got??
Darn, being able to see downvotes would probably lead to more people getting their feelings hurt more often.
Oh, I don't care about other peoples' feelings; I just occasionally really want to know what the spread is on a node.
Oh my word! It has been quiet for a while, but we sure used to get plenty of whining about "Oh, my node has a rep of -1! I'm so emotional about it!". I don't think I could stand the flood of "Oh, my node got downvoted!" wailing that this feature is likely to generate!

Let me elaborate on that last point some... There have already been several times that people complained about being able to tell that a node of theirs was getting downvoted even though it had a positive reputation.

If everyone could tell this about all of their nodes without having to pay close attention, the huge increase in number of observances has got to mean that there would be a huge increase in the chances of someone (lacking the emotional stability to deal with the thought of some people anonymously expressing displeasure with something that they had written) going off on an emotional tirade about how terrible this is. And for some reason, I'm really sick of those.

So my current stance is that I'm completely dead set against the idea. And that's final!

But you intrigue with your vagueness. How does this feature work? The name, "Cast--", and parts of your description give me the impression that perhaps this isn't just the wide-open revealing of the number of ++ and number of -- votes on any node for which you could see the reputation. Perhaps you are only allowed to pick certain nodes that you are especially curious about?

No! You can't lure me in that easily. I don't want to know!

- tye (but my friends call me "Tye")

Comment on (tye)Re: Cast

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Re: (tye)Re: Cast by MZSanford (Curate) on Jul 27, 2001 at 13:21 UTC
i disagree, on similar points as the prior post. I think seeing the down votes would give the post author some feeling as to if this sort of post is a good choice (appropriate, useless, why ever people down votes nodes). I think anyone willing to complain that they have --'s on a node with this feature would already be in the CB complaining because they have been stalking around keeping track of every posts change all through the day. <overly_extreme>So, why hide information from people to protect them ... scrap to open source/free speach ethic and hide it all from the fools ... Muahahahahah;</overly_extreme> update:fixed spelling error Thus spake the Master Programmer: "When you have learned to snatch the error code from the trap frame, it will be time for you to leave." -- The Tao of Programming	[reply]
(tye)Re2: Cast by tye (Sage) on Jul 27, 2001 at 19:50 UTC
I'll grant that there are a few people who have developed a "problem" with downvotes and already monitor for them and then complain about them. And such people have a higher rate of "complaints about downvotes" per monk, but they currently only account for about half (by my informal count) of the complaints about downvotes. The other half of complaints come from people when they encounter the downvote for the first time or nearly so. This is the area where I think this change would cause the number of complaints to skyrocket. One thought that crossed my mind that I didn't mention was a "test" you had to pass before you could see counts of downvotes. The test would involve reading a big disclaimer about how noone wants to hear you whining about getting downvotes and so, before this feature can be enabled, you have to promise to never, ever whine/complain/discuss about downvotes (in nodes or chatter). Ever! And then there'd be a some questions to answer to ensure that you got the message. Though I think this could help counteract the increase in complaints, I still think the net result would be more complaints. As for your last paragraph, you seem to be addressing stage 2. I've move waaaaay beyond that. I don't want to protect people. I could care less if they get their feelings hurt from downvotes (I blame having to listen to the complaints for my new, callous attitude). People keep saying that the XP don't matter but then they complain when they get a few downvotes. It's all a big game, and if there is one thing that is true about games, if you play, then you gotta expect to lose sometimes. - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")	[reply]
(ichimunki) re x 3: Cast by ichimunki (Priest) on Jul 27, 2001 at 21:17 UTC
Tye, the feature is just called "Cast" over at E2, which is why I called it that here. It simply shows the sum of all of the votes cast as ++ or --. The people there seem to like it, but mostly because the nodes on E2 are more likely to receive downvotes than they are here and it seems to amuse some noders to find that they have nodes with +85/-81 for a total rep of 4. This indicates a different sort of success in some views than a simple +76 would. I mostly bring up the discussion because I, as a voter, moreso than a recipient of votes, would like to see if I'm the only downvoter in those rare cases where I do check the -- button. While I can't retract that vote, I would like to know I'm not the only one downvoting. Your concerns about the recipients of downvoting complaining even more than they do are certainly valid concerns. I, now, have the same concerns. However, if this were a level power, maybe level 3 or 4, that should keep everyone but mmmph! and mmnmmph! from complaining about "personality" voting.	[reply]
Re: (tye)Re: Cast by petral (Curate) on Jul 27, 2001 at 19:15 UTC
The whole business of being anonymously boo'd is foreign to us. (So is being anonymously applauded, but somehow we think it's more familiar.) In one of the most recent discussions someone came up with the phrase: Remember the experience, forget the points. or something fairly close. I just spent half an hour looking and can't find it (I'm sure it was within the last 30 days.) Anyway, maybe the next time, this becomes a major disturbance we can all put something like that in our sigs for a day or two. And whether or not this suggestion is implememnted, it will come up again sometime soon. p	[reply]