Forum: Bug Report and Feature Requests

The problem with tracking 1-bombers, is ...

I was not suggesting that we track the 1-bombers' reading habits since that is an unknown. What I suggested was tracking their voting pattern.

If a typical reader truly hates a story, then I can see them giving it a '1'. I have no problem with that. However, that type of reader will only show up in the 1-bomber file a few times.

What I think will happen is the 1-bombers who make it a habit to rate a story as '1' (or another undeservedly low score), whether they read the story or not, will stand out when the file's contents are analyzed.

Three of the key factors for coding are duration before a file entry is purged, and the threshold level to be exceeded before a automated report is issued, and rating levels that trigger an entry into the file. The duration has to be long enough to gather enough data to highlight the objectionable 1-bombers. The threshold has to be high enough that the average reader's '1' rating does not result in wasting Lazeez's time and energy. In other words, ignore the occasional 1-bomb and focus on those who do it all the time. The rating levels to trigger the file entry is judgmental; for me it is '1' definitely, '2' probably, '3' perhaps, '4' doubtful, and above '4' no.

I wonder how they hold them in the bomb racks!

It depends. Small roman numeral 1s work fine. It's only the English version (and the capital Roman numerals) that are a problem. :)

Lazeez does eliminate high/low votes for computing the rating. He is now not showing these excluded scores in the histograms. I'm fine with that and hopefully it will end the irritation that most of us have with 1-bombers.

I suspect that habitual 1-bombers don't participate in the Forum. If true, then they can continue to 1-bomb stories and we authors won't know it, unless they also use emails.

SOL's Feedback function is a nice way to send an author your comments, but a reader can also bypass the feature and send email to an author directly. Yes, we can create rules in our email programs to block specific senders.

As things stand now, the 1-bomber issue is probably a thing of the past. Personally, it is still annoying to know they are out there playing their games. If Lazeez thinks it is worth the effort on his part to get rid of the 1-bombers, regardless of their number, my suggestion is a tool for him to do so.

I'm sad the raw scores have gone. I like to see what sort of extremes my experimental stories provoke. For example I didn't realise how much Americans idolise the British Royal Family until I saw the number of 1 votes for 'Rue Britannia'.

I was playing with curve-smoothing algorithms to try to counter the false 10s, given by readers who are fans of an author rather than being a reflection on a particular story, but now I've lost my pool of working data. :(

Still, if it makes the majority happy and keeps authors like JRyter on the site...

AJ

I'm sad the raw scores have gone.

Me too. I liked to see all the raw scores. Now I don't know if the bottom 5% dropped scores were 1s or 5s or 7s.

When I saw a very low score, like a 1, I ignored it. I know that there's no way the quality of my story was a 1 so either it was someone being viscous or a moron who's scoring should be rated a 1. I used to look at the bars from, say, 5 through 10. Now some of the 10s are missing so it's hard to compare 10s to 9s.

So the change hurts my analysis.

it was someone being viscous or a moron

I agree. Although there is a third option. Some people can not deal with more than 2 options. It is called all or nothing thinking, so for that type of person the story gets a '1' or a '10'.

Although there is a third option. Some people can not deal with more than 2 options. It is called all or nothing thinking, so for that type of person the story gets a '1' or a '10'.

That is actually true. I had a reader email me about one of my stories. He said it was well written, but he couldn't finish it because he worked with abused children and it was too painful to read. He said he didn't know if he should give it a 10 because it was well written or a 1 because it upset him to read so it didn't appeal to him.

I remember asking Lazeez who blew up because he gives readers 10 choices not 2.

I am trying but failing to imagine how appalling a story must be to actually deserve a 1

The score is supposed to be how much the story appeals to you, so if you don't like it, then it should get a low score, if you really like then it should get a high score. However, if a story is so unappealing you want to give it a 1, I doubt you'd finish reading it, unless it was a short story.

1 was initially the mode score for 'Rue Britannia', until it eventually got overtaken by 6. If you worship Herr Maj and her kin, I can see how readers would find the 'story' gratuitously offensive. And you're right, it's extremely short.

AJ

However, if a story is so unappealing you want to give it a 1, I doubt you'd finish reading it, unless it was a short story.

As I've noted before, each of my 1-bombers read each of my newly posted chapters. I know this, because every time I have a fast-paced, action-oriented chapter, all my 1 votes jump to 3s, and my 3 votes just to 5s, only to return to their defaults the next chapter. Unfortunately, the ability to observe this phenomenon has now gone away.

My 1-bombers, despite their extremely low votes, continue to be frequent and dedicated fans, however their opposition to a single issue with a single series, flavors their public opinion of the stories. (At least I believe so, as they've never specifically complained about any of my other stories.) However, as you say, I doubt they really consider my stories to be 'of no redeemable value' if they're so eager to read each additional chapter. Thus the scores are a confirmation of the power of my stories, rather than a drag on my ego.

Instead of a vote for the quality or appeal of the story, they seem to be voting on a single issue, and whether I cater to that single issue or not. :(

That sounds currently familiar ...

Most swirling currents sound familiar, unless there's a waterfall or cascade involved. :) My current thoughts are more burbling in nature.

Me too. I liked to see all the raw scores. Now I don't know if the bottom 5% dropped scores were 1s or 5s or 7s.

I agree with the information the raw scores used to provide. In my case, the 1, 3 and 5 scores were small enough, you could monitor trends which were virtually impossible to view in the 8s or 10s.

When all your 1s jump to 3s, you know the one chapter was well-received. Just like 1s can't drop any lower, 10s can't jump up to demonstrate enthusiasm for a particular chapter. Likewise, if all your votes are 8 - 10, you'll never know whether you've hit a particular nerve with a small segment of your readership.

Still, whatever it takes to get everyone to shut up is probably worth it. Lazeez offered a compromise, you could see the individual scores if everyone stopped bitching about the scores, but his advice was largely ignored. As he's said repeatedly before, the scores aren't for the benefit of the authors. It's to aid the readers.

I'm sad the raw scores have gone.

I feel the same way for the same reasons. However, the bottom line is it is probably for the best. Afterall, you can't have one solution that pleases everyone.