Besides, I don't remember the word fair appearing anywhere in the TOS.

   It's in the small print at the bottom - gotta turn your screen resolution up to about 640X420 and then you can see "and if you don't like it, you can stick it in your ear!"

And from what I'm gathering, we also help each other via "insightful/Interesting" clicks.

If only they still existed on the forums, since I rarely use the homepage these days . . .

Xythe, you have had the points system explained ot you by Zoomba, points are not the be all and end all of JU.

Zoomba did explain PART or the scoring system Jen, and I was pretty satisfied with his exlpination. However, as more and more people continue to talk about it in various threads, the more I had to understand.

You have put out some really interesting articles that have made good reading. You will hold your own as has been said by people above.

Thank you vary much Jen.

Perhaps as ones points start getting over a certain number the points increase per insightful click - which is fair enough.

Perhaps this is so, perhaps not. Thats partly why I decided to post this article Jen, to find out.

Enjoy this playground created by Draginol and his team for what it is. A place to post, to express, to joust, to laugh etc.

I really am enjoying myself, honestly

Gideon hit it on the nose, your access level impacts how many points YOU give to others when you rate them insightful or interesting. It doesn't give you an advantage on your own articles.

He sure did. I think this was a BIG misunderstanding on my part   

Draginol for example , is near the top of the list because he has more articles than pretty much anyone else, and because of the topics he writes about, he gets picked up by google and linked to by other sites quite frequently (hence the Rush Limbaugh broohaha the other week). You will get more points if you write articles people want to read about.

This part I understand pretty well. What I gather it amounts to is that the more popular your article is, and the more publicity it receives, the larger to potential for a higher scoring article.

BTW, what is the vriteria for getting an article on the home page. My thinking is it's subjective where the admins maybe vote what shows up there? Or does Draginol simply choose using his experience what he feels will be best for the site overall?

And for what it's worth, I don't think access level plays a straight number in the ratings equation. While those of us at admin level do have more weighting to our ratings, it's not a straight 1-9 ordering. For myself, the best thing I can do is feature an article on the front page, which increases exposure and encourages comments, which in turn generate points for the article.

A guess I need to read the whole post before commenting on segmants.

But as always, you get more points by posting articles with good topics that people want to read.

This is a given, at least in my case.

Thanks again Zoomba!

It's not a big deal, really, although some people like the additional editing features that come with access level 2. I don't know if even more features come with the higher ratings, or it they simply act as points multiplyers. Perhaps dharma or Baker or someone else that's a level 3 or higher could answer that.

I'm guessing they can see more rather than have more active features. I'm interested to see what Baker says, as he has the highest access level outside of tha admins; from what I've seen.

That's right, Xythe, get over it already! (hahaha)

I guess I am obcessing a tad huh? Well I'm betting that by the time this thread ends, my extreme curiosity will be soothed.   

Oh, and just an interesting tidbit, from what I've seen, most the people who make the top ten are surprised to see their name or blog title on it. I know I was. ;~D

Ive noticed that as well!

I have also noticed some of these guys ask for a higher acess level as well> Have a look

It really isn't important. I've been at a 1 for as long as I have been here and haven't once complained about it. Who really cares? It doesn't in any way affect my ability to blog here so why should I care about that, scoring, or anything else?

I suppose it's a matter of personal preference Mason. It may not effect the ability for one to blog, but it sure as heck may effect the way in which one blogs

Oh, and Mason, eventhough I don't have a vote, you have mine for Access Level 2 (Power User). I also predict that by the time this thread comes to a halt, that you will in fact see your Access changed to just that. IMHO, it's deserved.

While I rarely even look at the rankings, points, or any of that stuff, I was surprised to see that my blog had hit the top 10 as I do not write for points but rather I just write what I feel like writing about.

What you have said is not uncommon about showing up on the list. I'm not sure If I write for points, I don't think so considering that I knew nothing about the points when I first opened my blog. But as I have mentioned, curiosity has bitten me hard on the butt.

Becoming fixated on the whole scoring thing is a waste of time.

Being curious is a little different than being fixated. I feel the admins make it more of an issue that it really is by NOT explaining the scoring system as it really is. If there did, whomever became simply curious would simply refer to their explination rather than wondering and wondering.

Remember Mason, one persons waste may be another persons treasure. Some people don't care about numbers and how they are generated, but then again, some others bend their entire lives around these things.

Besides, I don't remember the word fair appearing anywhere in the TOS.

Hee hee. I might be the new kid on the block here at JU mason, but believe me, I've been around the block and have formed a pretty good opinion about what "farity" is in todays world. Trust that I am not silly enough to think everything needs to be fair.

Thanks for your comments!

BTW, what is this TOS and where is it located?

Reply By: Zoomba

WOW!  No wonder you joined Stardock!  I wish I was Zoomba.

I also was a top ten user long before my getting to be a poweruser. long long before.

Look at the bottom of the regular JU page (the small print).

Articles get featured ... basically on a whim.

On a serious note - Brad's mentioned in the past that he chooses articles that he believes are well written, interesting or just deserve a little more exposure than it would normally get bcause of the author's lack of noteriety. It's not necessarily because he agrees with the articles (otherwise some of the more liberal folks would never get featured).

your access level impacts how many points YOU give to others when you rate them insightful or interesting

then it makes it possible to rig the scoring from that perspective. one could boost up like minded folk while giving undeserved "troll" ratings when they only disagree.

and i don't think xythe is naive enough to believe everything in life is and should be fair, but i think that it is disturbing to learn that things aren't as they appear.

i don't begrudge anyone for setting up their site their way...as long as it's openly biased vs. the guise of equality. and the ways that scoring can be rigged are ironic considering it's a software company sponsoring the blog. i would expect the formats to be more cutting edge and the scoring system to be more sophisticated and less manipulatable.

also, is the "more stats" page ever gonna be finished? i think it was under construction when i came here almost 3 years ago.

I also was a top ten user long before my getting to be a poweruser. long long before.

Look folks, it's not that I'm asking for a higher access level. I'm asking what is the criteria for gaining a higher access, and how exactly the scoring system works.

I feel they are fair questions, as they are staring us right in the face via the JU homepage.

That being said, what Moderateman, did you do between being on the top 10 list did you do to gain a higher access? My guess is that you simply do not know?

Look at the bottom of the regular JU page (the small print).

Trust me Doc, I've seen that and it seem ambigous at best. It's also outdated and has not been maintained.

It seems as this discusion was as important to some a couple of years ago, as it is to some of us today?