Can I only rate photos as 7/7 if I want to?

I don't rate photo's for the simple reason that, as an engineer, it makes

absolutely no sense to me to ask people to rate something without a somewhat

more objective scale. It's the equivalent of asking everyone to measure

something while allowing them to arbitrarily decide how big an inch is.

None the less, I would like to have way of listing my favorite PN images. One

way to do that is to rate only my favorites at 7/7's. Then they would all appear

under the "photos rated highest by this member".

So my question is, would the current system allow this? If so, then the more

specific question that follows is would the moderators allow this?

You mean your opinions do not count. Id think engineers do have opinions and they would be a more educated one. How about rating them against your favorite photos in various categories, and having your own scale, so they are consistent. After all, in my opinion all judgments about any photographs, even judges in competitions. Two photos both technically correct side by side, rely on personal taste as to other factors in them.

Rating all 7/7, means the worst gets the same rating as the best or most original. It makes it easier for you, but gives the photographer absolutely no idea about what you really thought about it.

Personally, if I felt that way, Id not rate any images.

When rating an image, if you add comments saying why you gave it the rating, it means more to the person rated. You can tell them what you did not like, and what you did like, and why.

That won't really work. Due to abuse, the system will stop you if you give out too many 7/7's to too few people over a specific timeframe.

What we need is something like a "mark this user as interesting" for photos. Sort of like internal photo.net bookmarks.

Actually Robert I don't rate images. For the reasons I mentioned above along with the fact that people in general go nuts if you dare say you don't like something. Back a few years ago when you could actually give out 1's and 2's people would go ballistic. Some of the reactions were so over the top that they were comical.

My intention for doing this would to show people images I like, while avoiding the rating nonsense. And if we had a site-wide mechanism that allowed us to do this we could then follow other photographers "favorites" to create a chain photographers with similar interests/aesthetics.

Sort of like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37135917@N00/favorites/

BTW Josh, you were supposed to be enjoying your weekend...

So, whats wrong with letting them go nuts?

If they do, that is their problem, not mine or yours. And in decades have never expected that everyone would LIKE every photo I created. Ive always made them for my own enjoyment, could care less if anyone likes them. They are my visual memories or how I see things.

Am also a fine artist, and paint Red Rock Country all the time. My wife is also an artist, my painting sell much better than hers. She considered changing her work. Well, I told my wife, paint to please yourself. if someone else happens to like it, that may be a bonus. The purpose of painting is to communicate your feelings or ideas, and if you alter your paintings to please others, then you are not communicating YOUR feelings. If you love to paint, that is all that matters. Money is not an accurate measure of success, but happiness is, some of the richest in the world, are miserable.

Getting upset because someone has a different opinion, is due to crazy thinking. Everyone has an opinion, yours can be as correct as theirs.

Robert, I applaud your common sense. But it can turn personal very quickly when people feel as though they've been treated unfairly. Stalking, harrassment, verbal abuse, threats. It goes on, I've seen it and it's ugly.

And no disrespect intended, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I remember a few years ago that you were upset enough over the comments you got on some images you shot of some "patients" (I'm not sure of the relationship you had to the subjects), that you disappeared for awhile.

But all that aside my biggest issue is still the lack of objectivity in the rating system.

I like photo.net. And even though at first I was quite skeptical, I think all the work that's been done in the last year or so has been positive.

So in the end, all I'm really asking for is a way to show people my favorite images on the site.

"Robert, I applaud your common sense. But it can turn personal very quickly when people feel as though they've been treated unfairly. Stalking, harassment, verbal abuse, threats. It goes on, I've seen it and it's ugly."

Ive been online long before the majority. USENET in 1975, FidoNet, and then the Internet. I've had my life threatened once about 20 years ago, but it did not bother me. Responded by giving the person _exact_ directions from their city, to my house. Adding, "Im a Korean Vet, who was in the 5th RCT a unit which has more time in combat, than any other in the Korean War. If you come, be prepared to find me armed and ready to defend myself."

Most who make threats, make empty threats. They would not have the courage to follow through. Those who are serious, would not make a threat to begin with, they just act. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. Why let them bother you.

Most just want to create a reaction, just ignore them, do not respond, and they go elsewhere to get their kicks. If you ignore them, you take the fun out of continuing.

"And no disrespect intended, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I remember a few years ago that you were upset enough over the comments you goton some images you shot of some "patients" (I'm not sure of the relationship you had to the subjects), that you isappeared for awhile."

You are quite mistaken. First, Ive been on Photo.net only one year, and was never on before. Second, have never posted images of "patients" that would be unethical even if I had any "patients." Third, I have only posted a couple of images on Photo Net, in my gallery. One is a sunset at the Washington Monument, which to me is unique. The other a copy of a particular painting which is important to me. As I do not need anyone to inflate my ego with their comments, etc. Spend my time uploading to the family website or on my personal website.

"So in the end, all I'm really asking for is a way to show people my favorite images on the site."

Just do what I do. We have a family website, and I just post a link in a message, with any comments that I may have. That way all my cousins or second cousins and aunts, uncles, siblings, grandchildren, and great grandchildren see the pictures I like. If you do not have such a website, you could start your own at Family.com... Personally, I don't go around looking at other photos that photographers like, except for family.

<I>"You are quite mistaken. First, Ive been on Photo.net only one year, and was never on before. Second, have never posted images of "patients" that would be unethical even if I had any "patients.""</I>

<P>

My apologies, Robert I must have had you confused with another member. And to be clear the images of patients I was referring to were of people who were in a group home of some kind and I was not implying there was anything improper regarding the posting of those images.

<P>

Anyway thanks for the comment and thoughts.

http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=326327

Sorry for the confusion.