Occasionally I’ve toyed with the idea of being able to rate the sentences that appear here on Scrine, but I always end up riding the fence on the idea.  On one hand, rating seems like a good way to help the excellent and favorite of our sentences rise out above the rest, but I can’t help but think that it might add a certain flavor to the site that I’m not sure I’d care for.

I’d like to know what others think about the idea.

I like the serendipity of the random posts and the pleasantness of finding delightful things where least expected.  Strolling through here is refreshing in that there is only one rule and one expectation. The rest is too much bother. But that could be The Slack talkin’.

ditto (only no slack:)

I think it could be fun, but it could also draw in morons who do not have much more ability than that of pushing a button (and the potential associated nastiness). 

I’d love to sometimes push a button that says “hey, I liked that”, because I sometimes have nothing else to say about it.  However, I can’t imagine coming to Scrine and ranking something *low*.  It wouldn’t feel right.

That’s what need; just a button that says “Bip.  [this member] enjoyed your sentence.” Or some such.

That’s kind of where my sentiments lie, Boot.  I think the idea of ranking usually makes people think of good vs. bad, but if the 1-5 choices represented enjoyment, and the labels for these were clearly spelled out, I don’t think it would be so bad.  Think of it not as ranking, but as The Enjoyment Meter.

Submitting, it should be pointed out, could easily be limited to only logged in members.

I guess the idea would be that an enjoyment ranking of 1 doesn’t necessarily mean a sentence is bad.  But then, maybe I’m only kidding myself here.  Trying to talk myself into something.

I’m down with the idea of a “blip! I enjoyed this” rating, but I think anything else would probably interfere.  But it would be nice to be able to just give a thumbs-up to particular sentences… because I often spend a long time striving and failing to come up with a witty response to posts, and so I don’t end up saying anything at all.  Even so, the “I enjoyed this” function, whatever it might be, might encourage intellectual laziness on the part of… I don’t know, lazy people like myself?

I like being moved to comment on a scrine that caught my fancy. And I like when others do the same. But something more institutionalized, like a button, would begin to feel like participating in a popularity contest, IMO. I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with that.

Having thought about this a little more, I think a ‘this is so [whatever]’ button, *might* be better.  I say might, because, like Keith, I think I may just be trying to talk myself into a new shiny button.

However.  It would be interesting to see how people tried to categorised your sentences.  This is so weird.  This is so purple.  This so ghostly.  Rather than 1-5.

Lastly, if ain’t broke, don’t fix it (or some such).

having recently bailed from two separate online communities which i watched implode in competition and factionalism, i really would hate to see it happen.  the slope is much too slippery.

First, let me say that I appreciate everyone taking the extra time to give a little feedback on this.  It’s pretty clear the idea of ranking is getting a resounding thumbs down.

I did have a brief exchange with the creator of this ExpressionEngine ranking module about a modification that would change it from a straight 1-5 ranking system to something that I think would work much nicer with the concept of Scrine.  If the module could be modified, and its creator says he can when he finds some spare time, then it could be modified into a single “thumbs up” button that could be clicked whenever someone liked or was moved by a sentence.

This just in from grudknows (who currently can’t readily access Scrine):

“For the most part… I simply just agree with all of the commentary.
I’m so glad the only Internet community I actually participate is full
of people who don’t just agree to new stuff because it’s new or because
it’s what every one else is doing but take time to think about the
implications.

Sometimes I wish I could click a button just to acknowledge, but I do
agree this may attract people who love to rank rather than just people
who love words… But… Yeah, ‘bing’ would work too.

As far as categorisations/ratings - sometimes I’d like to
Ask “What the fsck?!!”
“acknowlege” the sentence
Say “here, here”

After pondering, I’m still more dubious than I am enthused.  I love the
Scrine community because it’s not about ratings or popularity
competitions, it just… Is.”