The Rating System... The Complaint Dept

The rating system...

barbiemensher 14 years ago

Just curious - and I know I am setting myself up to take many a hit on this - but what is the purpose of rating recipes that you haven't tried yet? I like the practice of rating but only after I've attempted the item to ensure that the recipe is actually worth it. So far, only 6 recipes I've tried (out of 15) were worthy of a 5. The rest, I've either refrained from rating and/or suggested alterations or, if they were really bad, I rated them accordingly. Isn't it supposed to be a heads up to our fellow GR Foodies?
So why do people award forks to things they haven't even tried? I'm not judging - I'm fishing for honest answers please.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

We have been thru this so many times ,it gets ridiculous!

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pat2me 14 years ago said:

Members use the system differently.

Many here have been cooking so long they can pretty much tell by the recipe if it's a good one or not.....although, on rare occasion I've been surprised.

I really don't put a lot of stock in the system since everyone has their own idea of what pleases their palate. Taste is, after all...objective......so because someone else has tried the recipe and not found it to their liking, doesn't mean I won't love it if I try it.

That being said, I find it a little unfair to give anyone's recipes a low rating....since you may love what I find detestable. I may find the recipe well "worth" the trouble, even if you may not.

So, if I find something I'm not crazy about......I simply don't rate it at all.

There are members to whom the "ratings" are very important for whatever reason. I just don't care to get hung up on a system that has little value, when you consider personal preferences.

Didn't think you were judging....and that's just my view......

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sparow64 14 years ago said:

We do all use it differently. Even though it's been asked and answered multiple times, we do get new members every day, and they don't see the older posts in groups, so it's not a bad idea to bring it up at all, to me.

I'm with Pat2Me. There are sooo many cooks here, with sooo many tastes...I just never rate anything that I can't rate a 5. BUT...that's just me. And, YES, I do rate recipes I haven't tried. My reasonings are this: There are thousands upon thousands of recipes here. The majority of which I have seen I would truly like to try. It would be humanly impossible. I have over 2,000 of them saved. HOWEVER, that does not make any recipe that I don't get to less worthy of a rating. I have been cooking dinner almost every night since I was in 8th grade, and I'm 46 now. So, I feel confident in my ability to determine what I would consider to be a 5 and what I wouldn't. Out of respect for the poster and differences in tastes and in what I consider to be "trouble" and others wouldn't, I don't rate anything I don't feel good about giving a 5. I hate curry, so I don't rate anything with curry. Some people love it, and those recipes are probably 5's to them. I had someone rate a layered cookie bar with a low rating because she didn't think her kids would like the oatmeal. I didn't agree with her reasoning for rating it low, but, that was her perogative. I have had others rate recipes low because they had more than 5 ingredients. My perspective on that is WHO CARES? Everything I cook is easy to me, but, it might not be to someone else.

I can see how new cooks would not be comfortable rating something they haven't tried. And then, there are others, like Barbie and my friend Knox, who just prefer to rate what they've tried.

To me, there is no right or wrong. Some people are VERY into the ratings. And if they LIKE the "competitiveness" of that, or they way it makes them feel to get a good rating, then there are worse hobbies they could have.

The only practice I TOTALLY DISAGREE with is the ratings wars, and using the ratings to "lowball" people that you personally dislike...please...can you say childish? IMHO.

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laurieg 14 years ago said:

If I don't like something I have made I don't rate it. for the same reason. Someone else might love it.
I am guilty of rating things I haven't tried, usually because I want to try it and my family wouldn't eat it...ya know picky kids and all
GR with alll its quirks is still my favorite site.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

A lot of us rate dishes we haven't tried mainly based on the way it souds lor looks. If I don't like something,I don't rate it. I agree with Pat,I may love it and you may hate it. Whatever you want to do will work.

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

I know you are not new to the site so you probably have seen these discussions before.

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

(Sigh...) True subject this has been beat to death. I DO rate recipes before I try them cuz I have been cooking for over 30 years and feel I am intelligent enough to ascertain by the ingredients and how they are used whether it would be palatable to ME. That being said, like Pat and Lori, tastes are subjective. If I don't like an ingredient in a certain recipe, I don't rate it at all or I might rate it a 5 if I think it would be good to someone who does like the "nasty" ingredient. I think everyone should just lighten up with the rating dilemma. Who gives a rat's ass why or what or who rates what! (Stepping down off my soapbox now)

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Well said donna!

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barbiemensher 14 years ago said:

Thanks, all!
I'm not new pleclare but I usually join groups about food. I got sucked into this one because somebody started slandering me and I wanted to defend myself.

It's interesting to hear all of your thoughts.

I keep seeing multiple Pharm#### names show up in the newbies list and I suspect that it's somebody who either wants to lowball or highball? That's just a guess, of course.
If I understand the terminology, low-balling is when you pick on an individual. I've NEVER done that. I give non-food related recipes low ratings and I make no apologies for that. It's a Foodie's site, after all.
I guess I can rate things based on what I think they might taste like, however cooking times (or in most cases, over-cooking times!) and their accuracy are important to me. I'd rather warn the next Foodie who assumes the recipe is accurate, before they go and ruin their supper.
And my other bone lies in the unforgivably stupid posts, like "open can of spaghetti and heat in microwave". Those, to me, should NOT be encouraged.
In my humble opinion, of course.
How about you guys?
Do you leave the non-food stuff and stupid stuff alone, too?

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

Gotta wonder barbie, are you on fishing expedition here? Just sayen.....

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barbiemensher 14 years ago said:

Fishing for what? I love gossip. Got any to share? ;)

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barbiemensher 14 years ago said:

Ok, wait, I just realized what you were implying. NO, I am not fishing. I don't care who is doing what. I've been here long enough to know who the real trouble makers are and have removed them all from my friends list, or at least the ones I know about.
I just wanted to get a feel for what the ratings were actually intended for to see whether maybe I was in the wrong.
But I like the live and let live attitude.
Thanks for sharing.
:)

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pleclare 14 years ago said:

Don't bother with the non-food stuff. It urks me!

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knoxcop 14 years ago said:

I rate a recipe after trying it---rarely by looking at it and knowing the outcome before trying, but 99% after trying it.

I don't low-ball and I don't rate it period if I can't give it a 5. There have been a few I gave a four---but it was long ago.

I usually try it and give a candid review, maybe even a personal pointer like, "I added salt," or "I had to sub beans for potatoes..." or something like that.

Pretty straightforward stuff, but each individual person uses it differently. The way I see it is if you're not abusing someone or lowballing---have at it as you please.

--Kn0x--

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barbiemensher 14 years ago said:

Thanks Kn0x. :)

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pat2me 14 years ago said:

Yep...the non-food and open spaghetti can ones are just silly.

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sparow64 14 years ago said:

Yeah, I hate the "Open a can of spaghetti" OR "Rub alcohol on your face" posts!!

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justjakesmom 14 years ago said:

speaking of which, isn't it time for 'her' to rear her ugly head again.... just sayen.

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