Critique of Psion's review of MOZ 1

[Psion]

I have to agree here. I'm not overjoyed to see 'collective' ratings weighted to favor the opinions of a select few--even though the 'select few' may have an 'official' relationship with the site posting the reviews/ratings.

If they use the system I recommended, the weighting is not that heavy, and frequent reviewers like trancejeremy will have nearly as high a weight; I still think this is a fan-review system and did not rally for a heavy weight. The primary purpose of the weighting system is to help balance out more emotive reviewers with an agenda who only register to post a few "1's" or "5's" so they can sleaze someone or over-react to a given review.

In Alan's case, for example, I trust his judgement on most (probably 90% of) review matters;

That's largely the point. I really don't expect everyone to agree with every one of my reviews, because such things are very subjective. But generally people expect me to spell out why I came to teh judgements I did and the criteria that I use, and when I boil it down to a judgement, I tell you why, so you can decide for yourself whether or not my assessment is meaningful to you.

Many reviewers are not so fair. Many are blatantly biased and emotive. I didn't rally to get a higher weight for myself (but I wasn't going to fight it...), but I did rally to get a heavier weight to those reviewers with a few reviews under their belt.

but have found that his opinions of certain companies and their policies often color his reviews of products released by those companies, with the effect of his putting a positive spin on products from favored companies (and casting a negative air upon those from 'unfavored' publishers), quite apart from the flaws/merits of the individual product.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

All that having been said, however, 'Midnight Rider'/Eric N. Shook, or whoever he is, is completely out of line.

That's the thing though. There are more people out there like him. Take a look at many of the reviews that assign 1's and 5's. Now it would come out in the wash if these emotive extremes where always applied to the same product. But typically, they aren't.

It is an artificial correction, but I do think it serves a purpose.

 

[d20Dwarf]

I think we should put an end to calling Midnight Rider as if he were Mr. Shook. It is, as far as I can tell, pure speculation. That may not be the case, but it certainly is not fair until some proof is given.

I believe hong would call it the fallacy of Virtuosity.

 

[EricNoah]

It's him, we have proof in terms of matching IP addresses and so forth.

IF "Midnight Rider's" so-called critique had been presented without the accusations of impropriety, and IF he hadn't posted such an ugly, rude, mean-spirited comment about EN World as a whole, it would have most certainly a) flown under the radar of the moderators, b) not been out of place at all as he made valid points and expressed opinions about the review that could have been useful to readers. In fact they would have been useful comments to add to the d20 Review system as a response to the review posted there, so all could see.

But with the accusations and rudeness added in it's quite clear to me that his purpose was not to "discuss" or improve things, but to simply shoot down Alan's credibility and to accuse him and the whole site of unethical behavior. That's what initially caught my attention and made me wonder who this guy was in the first place.

If the guy had said "I don't think Alan is a very good reviewer" or if he'd said "I don't think there should be 'staff reviewers' who by their title lend more credibility to their reviews and thus make other reviews seem less significant" or if he'd said "I don't think EN World should have reviews at all" or anything like that, something with even a hint of "solution" to the "problem" (which he never really states anyway), then we'd have something to work with. But now all we have to work with is rude accusation and his past history.

 

[d20Dwarf]

That's all you had to say.

Why hasn't this thread been moved to META or shut down?

 

[ColonelHardisson]

My favorite part? The oblique Dusty Rhodes reference. Nothing like referencing ancient professional wrestling history.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

My favorite part? The oblique Dusty Rhodes reference. Nothing like referencing ancient professional wrestling history.

"I am not the Midnight Rider, but I know who he is!"

 

[Cergorach]

That's all you had to say.

Why hasn't this thread been moved to META or shut down?

Imagine a scene where corpses of 'offenders' hang from the castles walls, hopefully scarring off any and all trouble makers. Corpses on spears, piles of skulls...

Oh, yeah... Morrus is now known as Morrus "The Vlad", also reffered to as "lill' vampy".

;-)

 

[Piratecat]

That's all you had to say.

Why hasn't this thread been moved to META or shut down?

Because we're sensitive to accusations of censorship?

But that's an excellent idea. Consider it done!