DO0YOO HELIUM OR CIAO (Rating other's reviews: on dooyoo and beyond)

Member Name: thingywhatsit

Product:	Rating other's reviews: on dooyoo and beyond
Date:	14/04/07 (365 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Understanding differences in systems.

Disadvantages: They are not all equally effective.

Rating – Here and beyond.

There is a very big difference between review sites as far as ratings are concerned, and to try and examine those differences, let's tell you a little bit about the different sites beforehand.

Dooyoo – Primarily serious product reviews, with the occasional smattering of speakers corner which is where people can debate certain issues.

Ciao – More community though again product based, although here there's a huge difference between Dooyoo and Ciao, since the cafe is where people can share experiences, poetry and creative writing pieces.

Helium – This is the widest scope of choice, since the reviews, otherwise known as 'articles' can be on any subject at all. The premise is that if they add information, they are acceptable, and that includes consumer reviews, though in smaller quantities.

RATING ON CIAO

On Ciao, ratings range from 'Off Topic' though a range of choices to 'Exceptional' and the writer rates the reviews presented to them, knowing what others have rated, and also knowing who they have rated. It's flawed. People aren't rating accurately, and much of the rating seems to produce the ultimate Diamond awards being given to the wrong reviews, or at least questionable ones. My own Diamonds which numbered 3 to me were over-rated and only one, to my mind, was merited.

A huge difference between Ciao and dooyoo is that ratings of substandard reviews are not paid for although time has shown me why dooyoo pay for them and Ciao don't. Not paying a writer for their work, no matter how mediocre that work is, means that the member inevitably feels peeved and complains. Having a differentiation between paid and non paid causes more hassle than it is worth, and here Dooyoo probably used good logic to see that the amount they lose in paying for substandard reviews doesn't justify changing things, as the amount of time it would take staff would be increased beyond their capacity.

Ratings on ciao : OFF TOPIC – Clearly those reviews which are misplaced.
SOMEWHAT HELPFUL - On topic but substandard.
HELPFUL – On topic, has information but not enough.
VERY HELPFUL – On topic, loads of information.
EXCEPTIONAL – On topic, and goes beyond to provide superb information.

The Exceptional rating is supposed to be taken into account for Premium Fund awards, though is questionable at best, since many exceptional reviews are not even considered. Seems a simple method of rating doesn't it, although the introduction of the Exceptional rating, to my mind, was a mistake, in that it moved the goalposts, and people were confused about ratings. Before the changes, it was much easier, and people do tend to follow leader example here, though following guidelines would be a wiser way forward. Rating is a pain. Technical errors mean that most people have to rate things twice, which really takes time.

RATINGS ON DOOYOO

Since all ratings pay on Dooyoo, there is no need for anyone to be concerned about rating a review, or a member losing money. They don't. The problems that occur are when people forget the essential part of the rating process, i.e. Reading a review. What Dooyoo cleverly devised was a click counter, and alarms go off when people really skip through loads of reviews and just click. It isn't a click site and it's unfair on other members to click rather than rate. It's caught several people out, but all they ask is that you read in order to make a safe judgment call in your ratings. Here, the ratings are pretty easy to define.

NOT USEFUL – Off topic, and without any useful aspect at all.
SOMEWHAT USEFUL – On topic though weak.
USEFUL – On topic though fairly scant in detail
VERY USEFUL – Full review with good information.

Crown nominations come into play here as well, and it's important not to abuse the crown system, because it takes away the credibility of members nominations. People like crowns and by being totally fair on which reviews you nominate, these nominations, together with Guide nominations go to Dooyoo for consideration for awards.

Comparing the systems of reward between Dooyoo and Ciao and the limitations that Ciao themselves have imposed of 10 awards a month, Dooyoo pays more and is fairer.

HELIUM

The Helium system of rating is a whole other ballgame. I am not totally convinced they have the balance right yet. When you are new member and contribute an article, you are given the opportunity to rate, though here, the rating is anonymous. You are presented with a screen showing two articles, and are asked to judge how much better one is from another, being given the opportunity to flag or report those that do not adhere to the writing standards of Helium.

It's a strange process and can be frustrating for those members that contribute few articles, because the choices of subject matter they can rate on are limited by which areas they contribute to. The more you contribute, the wider the choice.

Ratings available SAME for those you judge to have similar weight.
SLIGHTLY MORE which is exactly what it says
MORE which by definition is simple
BY FAR for those that are super compared with the comparison.

I like the concept though there are things that need sorting out about it. For example, repetition sometimes gets irritating, and there is at present no option to turn off those subjects in which you have no interest.

Of all of these, I like very much the ratings on Dooyoo, since they are straightforward and clear, am not at all keen on ratings on Ciao, though am impressed by the originality of the concept on Helium, though am impatient to see changes.

No system is ideal. The ciao system doesn't get reward in the right places. The Helium system doesn't move the articles fast enough although it is getting faster with more contribution, and the Dooyoo system pays well, and encourages fair ratings though not all members take the option to rate fairly.

Summary: Rate right, and enjoy the experiences.