Rate me or I'll break your legs - commenting and rating!! (dooyoo.co.uk in general)

Member Name: Emma1973

Product:	dooyoo.co.uk in general
Date:	19/07/03 (151 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I get to be bitchy!!

Disadvantages: Some people are way too bitchy!

Excuses for writing this in here, but I'd written one before in the How to rate and Comment who should really be elsewhere, but never mind, I'll never get moved!! Of course I'm ready for the NU's because some may consider it in the wrong place, but as you will se thats your perogative!!

Do I think I'm good enough to write this op, do I think I've got the breadth and knowledge to do so? Well as this is my 101st op I think I'm finally getting there!

Of course I could say that its simply up to you how you want to rate and comment, but that would get me lots of NU's even though I've covered the entire question in one line!!

But anyway, lets have a loot at the type of raters and commentators we have on here.

The Non-Starter: One of the most annoying on the site, happy to read the ops but never bother rating. Whether this is because they are lazy or too worried to put what they really think in case of repercussions is an enigma., perhaps they don't want to give you that 3p. Sometimes I don't rate, often because of the subject material but I always inform that person why I have done so But sometimes they are more likely to comment than to rate, why?

The Reciprocal Rater: You're definitely going to get a rating here but only if you have read and rated theirs first. Unfortunately means they miss out on some good ops.

The Flash in the Pan: Dashes through the sire on a mission to rate everything in site, do they actually read the ops, could be a Reciprocal Rater.

The Steam Roller - Rolls roughshod over ops particularly if they don't agree with the persons point of view. Usually found frightening the 'newbies'

The Nice Guy: It doesn't matter how bad the op is, you're going to get a VU, a lovely comment and 'Altruistic' declaration of a nomination for a Crown.

The Old Dog: The Matriarchs and Patriarchs of the sire, the perso
n who's most likely to give an honest rating, a nice comment and a promise to rerate. Likely to be seen scanning the 'newbie' ops. Thoroughly nice people.

The Revenge Rater: Oh don't we love these people, don't you dare rate their ops down, its going to come back on you! You'll find that many of the best writers have Not Useful's on their profiles, many of these are the results of Revenge Raters, just don't let them get to you.

Of course there are quite a few more hanging around the place, they just like to go their own way and don't fit in any of the above, they rate, read and occasionally comment. Of course its the luck of the draw as to which one you get.

So know you know who's going to rate you, how are these rating supposed to work? Yes, Dooyoo do have guidelines, apparently, when and where you can find them. In fact this is the only info I can find on these hallowed pages, in the Dooyoo advice Clinic.

'Reviews with the best ratings from other Dooyoo members have priority. Every member can keep the quality of the reviews high by rating reviews written by the other members. The reviews rated as 'Very Useful' and 'Useful' will be at the top of the list. The reviews rated as 'Not Useful' will be at the bottom of the list and will be deleted after a period of time.'

That's under 'How do I rate and why should I', very useful, I think not!

I'll tell you how I do it, then you can make your own mind up!

Not Useful - Very short, usually a complete rant, doesn't address the subject or barely does so. It can be written in text talk, no grammar, bad spelling, etc. You can usually get a hint of stuff like this when someone called AnglianAreS**T is doing a review on them!
One of the times this rating is completely abused is when someone writes something that's disagreed with, I'm anti-fox hunting, anti-capita
l punishment. But just because someone writes a pro one doesn't mean they automatically get an NU. Its the structure, content, fair argument that influences me. If I really am offended by one, i.e. its full of racist remarks then I don't rate at all and tell them why.

Somewhat Useful - This is one of the most difficult rating I come across. They address the issue, a little more but its still vague, and grammar, mass spelling mistakes, ranting, etc. and text talk, I bleeding hate text talk! Its not one I use often, ops are usually either Useful or Not Useful.
Useful - Eek, what's the difference between this and Very Useful. I just don't know! A lack of humour, a lack of conviction about what they are reviewing. Spelling mistakes, bad grammar, a lack of certain information, there's just a little something about it that doesn't make it a VU. I must admit I use it a little too often when the op deserves the next rating down, perhaps I'm too nice. One way in which this is used is when the op is a little too short for some people liking. You know, you can write an brilliant op in less than a 1000 words you know! As long as it has all the relevant information, clean and tidy, etc., even if its just 600-800 words I may nominate it for a crown.

Very Useful - the Granddaddy of all ratings, whether we deny it or not we all like to get these. Its nice to be recognised for your writing. Its also the most abused rating, ops that I would not even give a NU to end up with VU's. Reciprocal Raters perhaps? Maybe people see thing differently to the rest of us?
Its usually got perfect grammar and spelling, the person obviously care what they are writing. I feel like I can make a real judgement on the information they have given me, I must admit I do like a bit of humour as well.

Crowns: Don't we all like these? Of course you get those who loftily declare they don't care if they never get any, but I'm sure th
ey have a little smile when a jaggy bonnet appears next to their op. A crown op just has that little something that makes it stand out. I couldn't tell you what it is but you'll know when you have seen it (or read it).
This is how Dooyoo reckons people get their crowns

'A premier, or 'crowned' review, are reviews that are considered to be above and beyond the best on dooyoo.
A premier review is exceptionally well written, helpful, useful and insightful. It is comprehensive, concise and clear. A premier review has character. Most of all a premier review is entertaining, enjoyable to read and brilliant.'

But of course we all know that only guides and old regulars get crowns cos they all nominate each other (wink, wink), so don't get your hopes up!!

A little bit about comments. Yes its nice to get a comment, particularly is its a praise worthy one. But of course they can be upsetting. I remember getting very annoyed and ranting when I first started because I believed some people were really slating me and being unnecessarily rude. After a few e-mails I realised they were only trying to give me advice and I apologised. Of course you get the odd comment from people who obviously haven't read the op, but they are few and far between. Once example is from another writers op where the comment 'Mmm you make them sound delicious' was made, when she spent the entire op slagging them off and saying how disgusting they are!.
Then there's the insulter who like nothing more than to make rude and useless comments. They can be quite abusive and quite frankly upsetting, even though Dooyoo asks members not to make personal remarks. But that's what police@dooyoo.co.uk is for, don't be afraid to use it. And be nice! Suggest how people can improve and expand on their op, ask them to e-mail you so you can rerate it, yes some people will take it the wrong way, but that's life.

So ther
e you are, what I think and do, its definitely not a 'What to do'
Everybody is different and have their own views on what makes a good op, for example I get constantly rated down by a particular person because they think food op are useless, trivial and not a real op. But that's just one person and that's his prerogative, Lord knows why he keeps reading them though!

As much as I would like to see more objectivity and a little less subjectivity, its not going to happen! There's too many different personalities on here.

So if you cant rate nice, rate fair!
And if you cant leave a nice constructive comment, don't leave a comment at all!

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