(UPDATE 02.09.09) Review/Rating Thread Idea

[Indie]

Please read this post for an important project update. We are still messing around with ideas on how to best go about this, and since every one agrees it need to be done right, we are playing will all possibilities before setting up anything concrete or final.



First off, thanks and props to squishy for the inspiration.

I would like to start a thread as a place where everyone can go in, post a few lines about their favorite rom, give their favorite rom a broken down rating, and create a thread like Squishy's that involves the entire community. A place where new people or people simply looking to try something new can go and get a feel for what other people's rom experience has been.

My dream is to also have the cooks give a short blurb about their rom be provided for the first post as well, even if it's just ripped from the OP of their rom thread. Then throughout the thread, the cook pick certain quotes about their rom they also feel would make a great contribution to the first page as well.

Perhaps reserving the 2nd and 3rd post for special things such as Review of the Week, or Rom update of the Week, etc. etc.

So let me know what you think about this idea, and if there is enough positive feedback, I'll go ahead and get it fired up. I've provided a poll as well.

[MightyMike]

Great Idea, although can be very cumbersome considering there are many releases per week. Unless someone is consistently reviewing each rom, this will never work.

Also you have to take into consideration of the "fanboys" overhyping some roms over others.

It CAN be a good idea... If its run properly.

I say do it up... no harm no foul.

[Indie]

I do agree with your points, this is quite the task for one person and could possibly fail, but I feel it's worth a try.

I would be on top of it as much as I can, I work at a desk and have some free time throughout my day, but there would also need to be assistance from the users as well. Such as providing the quotes, ratings, and reviews of the constant updates. It also requires some input from you cooks as well. I know you guys are busy making things easier for us already, and I don't feel like I'm asking for a ton of extra work from you, but I feel like I am coming from the same state of mind you guys are. How can I make things easier for the community I have been welcomed into and have embraced.

Fanboys will be fanboys, again, I cannot control them from posting here. I don't know if it would be possible to make me a mod of this one single thread or not, but if that is allowed, then I could at least delete fanboyish and troll post as I read through the thread. We would have to seek out permission for that, but again, there is much the users could assist in that even if it's not possible, such as not feeding the fanboys fire and simply ignoring thier post.

Ultimatly it would be a thread community driven. So far from what I have seen, this community is an excellent one. I've been here a week and have felt very welcomed. There may be times where reviews and ratings coming in are slow, but even during those times, at least the thread will exist for new users and even old users looking for guidance in trying out a new rom.

I know when I came into this board for the first time it was overwhelming. Which rom do I pick? Even if this thread doesn't fulfill my full dream, at least it will provide some insight for those that are visiting for the first time.

[CozBoogie]

Originally Posted by mightymike

Great Idea, although can be very cumbersome considering there are many releases per week. Unless someone is consistently reviewing each rom, this will never work.

Also you have to take into consideration of the "fanboys" overhyping some roms over others.

It CAN be a good idea... If its run properly.

I say do it up... no harm no foul.

Pretty much spot on with my thoughts!

To add to that though I have only one other word: Egos.

These guys work long and hard to cook up their roms...they have every right to be protective and to think that there's is indeed the best. If something like this could be done objectively it could be a useful tool.

Good luck....

late,
Coz

[Indie]

My hope would be to eliminate all negativity and keep things positive. I don't want to dog on any cook, because they are all great. I don't want it to be a "which rom is best" thread, but more so a "which rom is best for me" thread, because honestly, they all provide nothing but good. I think we can all agree, that not one single rom is for everyone or fulfills everyones needs, but that doesn't mean the rom sucks or that it's not a better fit for someone else. That's what I hope this thread would get people to realize.

I know I can't control what people post, but I think it would be great if people could limit thier post in the thread to a few lines about the rom they like, and if they would like to contribute a full review, that those be messaged to me for approval before being posted or presented.

The rating system I would love to have would be where a user only rates their favorite or a single rom. That way nothing but positive comes from it. I can only think of one way to regulate this and that would be count the first person submission only into the ratings on the threads OP, and then if they happen to change roms, again, request to sumbit a new rating by messaging me. Everything would be tracked by me in a simple excel spreadsheet. People also take pride in the rom they use, as well as the cooks, so if they can only rate one rom, chances are they are only going to want to rate the one they love and use, and thus a good majority of the ratings would be positive.

In short, I would impose ways within my ability to limit this thread from being a "this rom is better, because this other rom suck...." thread, simply into a "This rom is good because...." thread. People can make judgements from only good things being said about the various roms here. The negativity is not necessary to do so. I think often people forget this and once they see that it does work the other way, I can forsee this community bonding together even more than it already has.

[MightyMike]

Originally Posted by cozboogie

Pretty much spot on with my thoughts!

To add to that though I have only one other word: Egos.

These guys work long and hard to cook up their roms...they have every right to be protective and to think that there's is indeed the best. If something like this could be done objectively it could be a useful tool.

Good luck....

late,
Coz

Egos. Well put...

To give you guys a general idea of my mindframe when hearing about my rom. Many people have asked me "Hey Mike, do you track your downloads?"

The answer is simple... no.

I don't want to know how many people downloaded my rom, I don't want to know how many people are using my rom.

It all comes down to egos. I spend a considerable amount of time tweaking my rom to "perfection"

I'd like to think EVERYONE is using it
--


To be honest with you. When I see the polls get posted of which ROM do you use, and I see alotta roms with only 1 Vote while other roms are already at 15-20 votes in the first 10 minutes... It shatters my heart as well.

This is the exact reason why in a months time there are only 2-3 chefs left. Because it's all about ego's in the end..

The end....

/end rant

[Merdinh]

I also support this idea, it would be a lot easier for users to find quick info, and links to ROMS that are best suitable for there needs, and there is a ROM hear for everyone some may be hidden in the back of the thread, and some are in front depending on posts, and this thread would help keep all ROM's at the top so users can easily find info on what they want in a ROM.

[MightyMike]

Sticky this badboy! lol

[Merdinh]

Originally Posted by mightymike

Sticky this badboy! lol

+1.....

[Indie]

Originally Posted by mightymike

Sticky this badboy! lol

Were we waiting on merdin's approval for the sticky LOL

I was thinking of starting off with a rough draft build of the post and then share that with you cooks for insight first before posting it onto the forums, i don't want to do anything that offends any of the cooks. I'm sure none of you cooks would mind such a thread exsist, but everyone is different, so it's always good to check with this like this first.

Even when it does get posted, it would probably just be an beta build of the post. I know it sounds funny giving a post project build phases, but as funny as it sounds, I think it would help some users better understand that the thread is an ongoing work in progress, similar to your roms and their version numbers. My vision is to make the OP colorful/color coordinated, much like the OP of your rom pages. If possible, I would like to include the pictures from your rom threads, or a different one if you wish to provide it.

I also have some other loose ideas, such as a monthly interview of one of the cooks. I guess it wouldn't be strictly about rating and comparing the roms, but kinda be like a cook/rom newsletter type of thread, highly driven by the community. I know this is all probably far-fetched, but if I can gain enough support, it could turn into something great for this community.