Whats up with Gnome-Look.org

[Bandit]

Hello Everyone,
I have a question I have been pondering for about a year now.
What is up with Gnome-Look.org when it comes to user ratings?
I have noticed some users can post very hard to use themes, visualy and functionaly. Many even look horible and very non original. But yet some of the get these really high user ratings even when many people post complaints about the theme. I have also seen many very function and visualy appealing themes get bad ratings. At first I didnt see the connection. But I have noticed a trend with a few theme developers that get high ratings no matter what.
So my question is there some kind of theme clan? Where as if your in it you get good ratings, if not to bad?
Just curious...

Thanks,
Bandit

[IYY]

I never liked those www.*-look.org sites.

art.gnome.org is where I go first.

[ComplexNumber]

i've noticed this too. the rating system obviously doesn't work well or at all. its by far the best central place to go for theme, though. they usually end up there at some point or another, although some of the themes from art.gnome end up not being posted there, but thats only occassionally.

[mstlyevil]

I actually like to go by the most downloaded themes tab as the true user rating system. It only makes sense that what people download and use the most is really the most highly rated themes.

[Artificial Intelligence]

I disagree. I don't see rating should be = how many downloads. The rating should be for work/art, how well it's done and how well it works in some cases.

[Bandit]

I disagree. I don't see rating should be = how many downloads. The rating should be for work/art, how well it's done and how well it works in some cases.
They have a seperate TAB for #downloads and a TAB for User Raitings as well.

I do the same a mstlyevil and use the downloads are a more overall raiting for myself.


What I have seen is some users copy a theme from someone else that got bad raitings and then release it with a really weird idea that doesnt match and all of a suddon they have a %70 raiting??
I have seen many people who are original and do really good work like "BVC" and get good raitings and download #'s
But I have seen many also they get really high raitings and have low download #'s, even tho that theme has been there for awhile.

What I am trying to figure out now is if some of the users have found a way to play with the raiitng system??

Cheers,
Joey

[mstlyevil]

I disagree. I don't see rating should be = how many downloads. The rating should be for work/art, how well it's done and how well it works in some cases.

If it is objective, I can agree with that. From what I have seen this is far from the actual practice on gnome-look. Some of the highest rated themes are terrible.

[ComplexNumber]

I disagree. I don't see rating should be = how many downloads. The rating should be for work/art, how well it's done and how well it works in some cases. i may be wrong, but i think what mstlyevil is saying is that the number of times that a package has been downloaded is a better reflection of the popularity, and hence, could be a reasonable predicter of quality......but only if the date that the theme is made available is taken into consideration. however, this doesn't take into account the difference in the times when the themes were first made available...older themes are often more downloaded than newer themes irrespective of quality.

[Bandit]

If it is objective, I can agree with that. From what I have seen this is far from the actual practice on gnome-look. Some of the highest rated themes are terrible.
Have you noticed it seems to be a selection of certain users??

[ComplexNumber]

Have you noticed it seems to be a selection of certain users??
i think places like that contain a heavy fanboy-ish and upmanship element. its almost like the Masons :D

[Bandit]

i think places like that contain a heavy fanboy-ish and upmanship element. its almost like the Masons :D
Yea, I was thinking that as well. Looks like certain groups look out for each other and vote low on everyone elses themes.

[mstlyevil]

That is why it is always a good idea just to look at every theme yourself and not rely on the ratings.

[Bandit]

That is why it is always a good idea just to look at every theme yourself and not rely on the ratings.
I agree.. :cool:

Take a look at one of my themes. http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=32775&vote=good&tan=78883296

Now a theme from someone who ridiculed me.. No offence to him, just an example..
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=36366

[mstlyevil]

My fave is the Darker Theme. The best part about it is the fact it does not change everything to black with white lettering so it is still easy for me to use my browser, gedit and other programs.

[ComplexNumber]

That is why it is always a good idea just to look at every theme yourself and not rely on the ratings. i've always taken the ratings with a pinch of salt.

Bandit
i see this type of thing on mobile phone reviews too. people who have never used or even seen a phone will vote a phone down if its of a brand(eg nokia, sony ericsson, etc) that they don't like, irrespective of what the phone is like. people should vote on the phone itself based on usage. likewise for themes on gnome-look, people should only vote on the theme based on their experience of it.

[Bandit]

Very true..
I think it shoudl be brought to Gnome looks attention to limit the votes to one vote per user per theme. If this is possible. I think it would even the playing feild for everyone. :)

Cheers,
Joey

[Artificial Intelligence]

I don't say that many downloads is not equal to a good theme, but I also wouldn't say many downloads are equal to a good theme either. It also depends those people who download the theme rate it, it's also about taste. Some like the themes to be so minimal as possible other don't etc.

The other factor can also be that it's the screenshot of the eg. theme that makes the skin looks cool and therefore have many hits, but that doesn't equal it to be a good theme.


But I agree that theuy should make a new system etc. like you can only vote for the theme if you have downloaded it etc. I think that will make it more reliable than now.

[mstlyevil]

Very true..
I think it shoudl be brought to Gnome looks attention to limit the votes to one vote per user per theme. If this is possible. I think it would even the playing feild for everyone. :)

Cheers,
Joey

That would probally require some sort of site registration and login to make that possible.

[Bandit]

I more then likely would require everyone to have a login. Most people are not going to regester to download the themes.
O' well :)