Only Critiques.... at last!

I have just uploaded a new photo and requested a critique. When I was

doing this I was quite surprised to see the possibility of asking

ONLY for critiques....lots of changes in PN, interesting...

 

One question Bryan... how will we manage to see those photos with no

ratings, only critiques, on the TRP?

Read Nestor's question . . . .

 

(Forgive them, Brian, for they know not what they ask for.)

And now people will realise how important the ratings really are.

 

Without them there will be no visibility and thus no comments.

if the site were to create an area that can be readily found and accessed for comment-only photos, there would be visibility. its that simple. like many people probably, when i found this option i immediatley went looking for a photo category or something where i could comment on photos so designated. couldn't find it, quite frustrating. hope its provided. like-minded people could dialogue with each other and support each other's efforts for those photos they do not want rated. for me, it would probably be about half of what i post, as i am toying with something. i've learned a lot from comments during that process.

Ratings do work however there's ONE person. fpr example, that goes around giving a plethora of 1s. Half of the photos he has rated were given 1s. His avg ratings are something like 2.37. Now, there's a limit to patience, you know.

 

At some point, if one comes here to rate an avg of 2.xx why bother, especially without critique.

 

So, the problem is persistent because it is impossible to regulate people behavior. Critiques take time and very few (if any) will take it out of their day. Ratings are quick but, for the most part, meaningless and in some fortunately semi-rare cases, totally asinine.

Speaking of ratings, why not use some sort of quota system? Each unsubscribed user then could be allocated a number of 'ballots' per week depending on number of photos posted by him and their average rating.

 

At least it would take care of no-own-photos-but-all-1s-to-everyone trolls.

How about having a few thumbnail pages to present the images uploaded for "critique-only"...? These pages could show for example and for a start the 200 or 300 latest uploads... At least we would then be able to browse through these pages and comment on the pictures we would like to say something about... As it is now, we have to click on 20 picture titles to find perhaps a single picture we wish to comment on: it's a serious and demotivating waste of time for viewers.

The Critique Circles were far superior to the 'comments only' section as it exists now.

 

The first problem is that some people upload images with no concept of reciprocity - you have to offer critiques if you you want to get them.

 

The second is the same problem as the TRPs - volume. The ability to upload four images at a time and have them all on view is self defeating in that it dilutes the feedback, given that few people will comment on more than one of your images, and is inconsiderate of the others whose images are scrolled off the bottom of the single page that much sooner.

Seems to me that only a small number of people are uploading to the "Critique Only" section. As an experiment, it has not been successful at all, especially since there were SO MANY folks clamoring for this feature. People who are uploading there should critique more than the average visitor. People who visit the section and comment, should also consider uploading there. If there is enough participation, maybe Brian will considering "critique only" as one of the TRP search options.

 

"Critique circles" was a great idea. This one, well, let's see.

Niranjn,

 

You wrote: "Seems to me that only a small number of people are uploading to the "Critique Only" section. As an experiment, it has not been successful at all, especially since there were SO MANY folks clamoring for this feature."

 

I tend to agree, but then again, 1) the critique-only gallery is a feature for paying members, and 2) (most importantly) it was created in the worst possible way - without any thumbnails. There is nowhere I know on photo.net where you have images as a list and can't see a thumbnail. All this tells me that for *some* reason the try wasn't very successful because PN did not give it its best shot... Later perhaps...? Or will it then be *too* late...?

Marc, I don't know the limitations of the software, but I think this was implemented in the flavor of a critique category; thus, we have the latest 10 or so uploads in thumbnail format and the rest as a list. I completely agree that the "list" format is useless; there is no way I am going to click on a title and hope for an interesting image.

 

If the implementation were changed so that we can browse all the uploads like we do in the TRP gallery, it would be convenient. But I don't know if that's hard to pull off.

 

In any case, given that a rudimentary form of what was asked has been provided, I am afraid that Brian may come to the conclusion that since (1) it is not even being used by those who are most vocal about this issue and (2) it is getting very little action in general, the experiment is a failure.

 

Maybe it's a chicken-and-egg kind of a thing. Brian may invest more resources and make it a full-fledged feature if and only if he seems substantial interest. And folks are avoiding going there, because the UI is all wrong.

The critique by category is pretty poor also and I would be most excited if It was available

as a thumbnail type preview going back in time not just a few recent images.

 

The "critique only" category could then be just another category.

 

I think Brian was so hassled that he had to do something but this compromise was not

worth the effort except it quietened down the complaints for a while.