Post Relevancy Score

**tony_j15** · February 11th, 2009, 02:07 PM

I've seen this done on other websites, such as yahoo's ask section or thottbot. Basically, all logged in users can submit a score for a post, either detailing that it was helpful (+) or that it was not(-). When a post reaches a certain positive scoreline, the text becomes bolder or takes on some other eye-catching characteristic to allow users to quickly focus in on the posts that are helpful. Likewise, posts that achieve a negative score will have the text turn gray, allowing users to skip over them more easily.
It seems more often than not, a technical problem with 20 posts has three or four that actually solve the problem, a couple that are way off base, and then just some step-through filler questions. Let's make it easier on new users to find the relevent material they need without having to dredge through all the useless posts.

**Atomic Rooster** · February 11th, 2009, 02:11 PM

0

**qx9r7man** · February 11th, 2009, 02:17 PM

+1?
Seriously, though, that would be a good thing to have here.
Anything to un-emphasize stupidity / uselessness.

"I wish there was a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence. I tried 'brightness' but it don't work!" -Gallagher

**nunyadam** · February 11th, 2009, 08:43 PM

I shudder to imagine what this would look like in the Debateimo section

**tony_j15** · February 11th, 2009, 09:21 PM

we wouldn't need it in the debate and community forums. Those are for chatting, not problem solving.
Think about it folks. Anytime you read a textbook or go to another website, the important information is highlighted in one way or another.

**GroundZero3** · February 11th, 2009, 09:25 PM

I think that is a pretty cool idea!

**Steve R Jones** · February 12th, 2009, 06:29 AM

Course, vBulletin has the "RateThisThread" feature built in.

I don't care for the option....A super n00b would find pretty much all threads helpful

**Steve R Jones** · February 12th, 2009, 06:35 AM

You can also Rate Members...Give "Reputation Points"

The Rating options can be controlled...From another site:

There isn't a big risk of members "scratching each others backs":

Normal members have only a limited number of points to give
A user needs to have 15 posts minimum before his REP counts
Can only make 20 REP clicks in 24 hours
Have to give REP to 20 other users before giving it to the 1st again

**Gomer** · February 12th, 2009, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

You can also Rate Members...Give "Reputation Points"

The Rating options can be controlled...From another site:

we had them here before... for about a week LOL =)

**tony_j15** · February 12th, 2009, 03:07 PM

Yeah, reputation points do little other than give users an e-peen complex. It's bad enough that we have a post count ticker next to our avatars.

IMO, RateThisThread doesn't cut it. too broad.

**Steve R Jones** · February 12th, 2009, 04:57 PM

It seems more often than not, a technical problem with 20 posts has three or four that actually solve the problem, a couple that are way off base, and then just some step-through filler questions. Let's make it easier on new users to find the relevent material they need without having to dredge through all the useless posts.

Question - a huge percentage of issues can be solved via Google or searching here....90+% of the threads are people that didn't do either....

Wouldn't your idea at best, help a small number of people? And, would the site need 187 more moderators to go through and make all of the posts...or who decides which posts are good and which are less then good

**dchw_dude** · February 12th, 2009, 05:10 PM

Sounds like a good idea. I don't like the idea of "e-rep" or the post rating system that vBulletin uses. Maybe something more like what Ubuntu Brainstorm has done with their rating system? or the Tomatometer from Rotten Tomatoes have done?

Examples:
Popular ideas - Ubuntu brainstorm
Coraline Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes

Rather than rate each individual thread, give a percent good vs. percent bad. And attach it to the thread rather than individual posts.

**Steve R Jones** · February 13th, 2009, 04:06 AM

Solution #1 -> Is it really a better idea or did the almost 30 day head start in the voting process make up most of the difference?

Solution #1
Written by risbac the 15 Jan 09 at 13:04.
708 Votes

Solution #11:
Written by nloewen the 11 Feb 09 at 23:47
14 Votes

**dchw_dude** · February 13th, 2009, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Steve R Jones

Solution #1 -> Is it really a better idea or did the almost 30 day head start in the voting process make up most of the difference?

It was the time thing that has made the difference. This means over time that the bad/offtopic threads could be pushed down to the bottom. To me it seems like a "positive" popularity contest compared to the current plain popularity contest we have. Even threads that have lame/no question that keep getting posted on end up at the top of the Most Active Discussions. Weight that with the votes . . . and we have a Relevant and active posts box.

Of course, I am talking on a general level. I don't know how the minutiae will work, or if the idea is feasible . . . but just throwing thought grenades. I can dream, right?

**tony_j15** · February 27th, 2009, 01:17 AM

a huge percentage of issues can be solved via Google or searching here....90+% of the threads are people that didn't do either

When someone searches google with a technical question, you either get linked to a how-to guide or (tada!) a forum like here. Wouldn't make sense to help everyone by -in some way- highlighting the posts that do the best job of answering the question? that helps google users, it helps thread searches, and it helps posters who are in the middle of problem solving.

Wouldn't your idea at best, help a small number of people? And, would the site need 187 more moderators to go through and make all of the posts...or who decides which posts are good and which are less then good

No, it would benefit everyone. And no additional moderators would be needed. Voting is a program level thing like I explained in my OP. Did you not read it?
Here's one version of relevancy in action. The yellow posts correspond to high scores that many users found helpful, the greyed out ones correspond to low scores that note inadequacy/not helpful. As you can see, there is no additional moderation required.

**Rootstonian** · February 27th, 2009, 08:16 AM

Of course, this is all based on the honesty policyand that those voting do indeed vote that way

For Example:

Q. My Maxtor drive is making a clicking noise...what should I do?
A. Replace your video card.

Was this reply helpful?
YES (user vote of 'YES' obviously wrong

)

**Steve R Jones** · February 27th, 2009, 09:13 AM

Tony's heart is in the right place.....But 80% of the time the OP doesn't post back you even say thanks....So if there were 8 replies we never know which or if any of the 8 worked...

We could all guess which one looks the best and vote or we could all spend days trying to recreate the problem and test the 8 suggestions.

FORMAT C: will fix all sorts of problems and there are many people who do this as their first choice.....While I'll agree that it solves a lot of problems, I'd never do it or vote on it...

An even better idea then the Post Relevancy Score is to get people to Google/search here in the first place....There are next to Zero errors/situations that are unique/one of a kind deals.