It may be useful and also popular to have P.A. followers give a thumbs up or a thumbs down to a particular album review. This may help to give a more reliably consensus whether or not a review is agreed by the majority or minority.

I realize everyone has their own opinion but if a particular album has been getting mostly 4 to 5 starts and a reviewer gives 1 star this may help him see if his reasons stated in the review are compelling or not and also vice versa where a generally poor consensus suddenly gets a 5 star review which I believe is more common.

Anyway just throwing this idea out there and welcome any comments.

Cheers to all.

Boy, don't we all wish we had a "Review-the-Reviewer" option for newspaper and magazine rock critics who regularly attack prog albums? I would want a "pound sand" option. 

Anyway, I don't particularly care for the option you are suggesting for PA. If someone offers a reasoned and well-written critique of an album, why punish him/her for harboring an opposing view? Someone is bound to get hundreds of thumbs up for praising a certain Gabriel-led Genesis album just as someone would get as many thumbs down for desecrating a King Crimson album with sacrilegious opinions. We don't want a popularity contest for reviews. 

It's not a bad idea, but good intentions often turn to nightmares around here.

NotAProghead wrote: With the help of "likes" you may at least know that somebody read your review.

Some people don't read reviews in their entirety, and having this system would be useless. I wouldn't assume any large benefit of the wisdom for any reviews from the people who frequent this site.

Like I said, I'm really not a fan of the whole 'likes' thing on Facebook. More than anything, I find it irritating. You can't post anything - or just be online without people asking/pleading you to 'like' something. When you don't people start getting insulted.... and what does a simple thumbs up say about anything really? 

As for the already existing threads: one doesn't need to post a full synopsis of X review. A lot of the times I see people just making a quick shout-out to highlight a given album. "Hey Bernhard!! I really loved your Torman Maxt review here the other day!"

Doesn't need to be anything more than that. 

As for the reviews discussion - at least you get some kind of bearing on what people think of X review. Seeing a thumbs down on your review doesn't tell you anything other than the person who rated you didn't like it. On here you at least get an explanation.

One thing though: how often do you see changes in the forum software? I mean, we've had some really good ideas on how to better the site, like the add on of half stars, using individual album tagging etc, -some of which are ideas which have been discussed the past 6-8 years, yet even if we all seem to agree on these things, nothing really happens, because in the end it is up to one guy. 

Oh well we can dream

Existing forms of feedback on PA, except PMs, don't have direct connection to reviews. I don't think many people visit discussion reviews threads. If the review is written long time ago I can't imagine someone will search through the forum whether it has been discussed.

A simple "Thanks" (or "Like") button near a review could indicate at least some interest (ot the lack of it) to each review. I think it would be useful, though I can live without it. 

And why so secretly? I prefer to see the number of likes (or views, no matter) for other people reviews. In order to compare my impression with others. Pure curiosity, nothing more.  

Let's revive this. I posted this in a thread that was so derailed it was moved to Just For Fun. This is not for fun, so here goes....

I see your point there, but it only works that way only partly. There are many good reviews indeed, but most of them are on the 'major' bands and albums. Less reviewed bands and albums are easily crushed by getting destructive reviews (well disguised sometimes) or by getting the reputation of being a 'fan boy band/album'. 

With all the effort spend on including new bands over the past 5 years, I don't think it is in PA's best interest to let that continue, with the sole protection of 'some guidelines'.

Besides that, you seem to be completely ignoring two parts of what I'm trying to get across. First, encouraging reviewers has been part of PA for the reason that it helps people find good information on the music presented by the bands (the first goal of the site is publishing that information!). That works, but it doesn't help new visitors judge the quality or validity of what is written - a thumb up/down or score makes that easier.

Second, feedback hidden deep down in a forum thread is not exactly helpful to a reviewer, given that it tends to go unnoticed.

And for the heck of it, I know the two of you have strong opinions, and you are entitled to those, but it would be great to hear some others here as well... Where is everyone on this freakish, dreary cold Sunday afternoon?

I think I was there... the hard hat dented and scratched must be in the attic somewhere...

Errm... how could I forget after being here for over 8 years... ;)

Raff wrote: Back to the issue at hand, I see your point, and absolutely agree about bad reviews being detrimental for lesser-known bands. However, I don't think that having a thumbs up/down button will encourage people to review the hundreds of albums (some of them excellent) that currently have no reviews whatsoever.

Never said that that would be the effect of having thumsb up/down, completely different topic.

The question is, who will put their hands up for review moderation?  MA had enough moderators to look after band as well as review submissions (which were both in greater numbers than in PA).  

Me neither. 

It boils down to the reviewer and his/her tastes. Are you interested in the road less travelled, or do you want more of the same from the exact same bands? It doesn't matter what kind of subgenre you stick to - there are unreviewed albums everywhere on PA. The only way we fix that is by keeping the already existing PA method, where everyone is free to review whatever they feel like regardless of their collab status or lingo problems (as long as we can make sense of the review). 

If we narrow down the amount of possible reviewers we objectively get a smaller chance of reviewing more albums - obscure or not. Simple maths.

I certainly wouldn't want the job

Obscure album from your native country no less mr Scotsman.

'Obscure albums my arse! Here's a little Foxtrot write-up lads'

Maybe so.  But my friend was after me to add his band (Rainburn) to the website as well as to review it.  He got his album reviewed at a bunch of websites.  Young bands need all the exposure they can get.  So even if that may not be a USP of PA anymore, it is still a worthwhile function.  Also, letting people review might get them interested enough to eventually want to get involved in a bigger way in the website.  I would think people would want to get involved in adding bands.  That's a much more challenging job to do imo because a silly review can be rewritten but a band once added cannot be removed from the database.  If there aren't too many takers for that, well, that's disappointing, is all I can say.  

It's a bit of a damned if you do and damned if you don't.  We have just discussed that PA's reviews don't have a great reputation in the outside prog world.  But then if that is moderated,  that won't go down too well either.  I can certainly agree though that it is NOT the most important issue concerning this website even if I may not consider it pointless.  And based on my experience at MA, I don't think cutting down the number of reviews for albums with plenty of them already would help give more visibility to reviews of obscure albums.  It doesn't really make much of a difference that way.  Just that the resources of the most valuable internet prog resource could probably be utilised in a better way.  

Censored myself here. I've seen it all. Bye.

We need to keep the excitement about music going and let others come in so that they can share that with us, get more people to join and we in turn can open up a whole new world to them too by equally suggesting other amazing bands/ music.

Hugs

 

Facebook was and is a great idea - perfect for promoting business, social awareness, and an affordable way to keep in contact with friends and family abroad. (among other great uses) 

Unfortunately once you add the human element it is ruined. Now it's polluted with vacuous self promotion. It's a platform for people who need constant validation and admiration, and millions of identical selfies displaying the trend of the day. All forms of social media - including forums - have a bit of this but it's run wildfire in Facebook.

 

Why people want to show the public how stupid they are is beyond me .

 

in the past there have always been sexist, racist, homophobic trolls but they had no one to share their insanity with - the general public wouldn't stand for their crap. But now with social media these once isolated village idiots can now find each other, support each other, and feel that their twisted thoughts are valid.

 

Facebook has become a dumping ground for every unattractive behaviour you can imagine. Pettiness, bragging, oneupmanship, bickering, negativity. whining...blah blah blah.

 

and there's no control over it because you don't just invite friends to your page, you invite their friends, etc ...  The alternative is to hide everyone's feed, then what's the point.

 

obviously people act this way online as an antisocial outlet, anonymously, because if they said a tiny fraction of this garbage in the real world, they'd be ignored or beaten to a pulp.

 

 

 

 

 

nah not me..

 

I've had my fill of negativity in the real world .. I go online to relax and find like minded people and enjoy some chat.

Occasionally i'll get pulled into a discussion that turns into an argument but i'll walk away before it gets stupid.

Nothing is that important to me online ..

Er, could you clarify why you think it's alright to review the reviewer and judge them for 'nasty' or 'negative' reviewers but feel uncomfortable about a similar point of view with regard to overly positive reviews?  There is, logically, potential for dishonesty both ways.  Frankly, if I find a reviewer indiscriminately handing out maximum, I may not want to take the time to carefully read his reviews.  Same goes for the compulsive 'hater' or 'disser' by whatever name called.  Discernment is necessary both ways.  Yes, it is subjective and purely a matter of opinion and everybody has opinions all the same.

 

I just noticed the same .. weird.

 

I think we should change it to a Spank button.

 

and cue Kati in 5, 4, 3, 2 ......

 

 

:D

 

 

I've given up on this discussion much earlier, given that it's ridiculous to see how much the members of a progressive rock site, in a discussion how to improve the site, are so opposed to any form of change (an inevitable partner of progress and improvement). 

Now it seems there has been a change, and not for the better. One can even become an admin now without knowing the first two rules of being one. A shame, really. 

Not enough cats to have a catfight though  .. it's mostly bears, walruses and mooses here :)

I think it's a pity and I was really surprised at the many negative reactions to the idea. How many beautiful reviews must be buried deep in the PA database which nobody will ever be able to find back and enjoy reading? I find it such a shame.