Interpreting Ratings

A discussion in different thread inspired me to share with you all how I go about interpreting ratings. Let’s face it, the rating system is fatally flawed, but this doesn’t mean you can’t get SOME useful information out of them. Here are some ratings scenarios and how I would go about interpreting them. Please share your own insight and experiences!

Average User
Beha: 85 -1
Appe: 60 -1
Build: 67 -1
Given: 256 0

This looks like the average Scenario. Most likely a nice person who got tripple neg rated by a new user.


Neg Rate Victim
Beha: 102 -7
Appe: 70 -6
Build: 87 -6
Given: 134 -1

We instantly notice that this user has a lot of neg ratings. BUT They have a lot of pos rates and it looks like they mostly GIVE pos rates. Also notice that the neg rating in each category is about the same (6). I would keep an eye on this user, but if I were to take a guess I would say that this is a nice person who became victim of a gang "tripple neg rate" attack.


Possible Troublemaker
Beha: 26 -8
Appe: 14 -2
Build: 15 -4
Given: 32 -6

A lot of neg ratings, especially compared to their pos rating. Each category of neg rating is different (mostly behavior). This suggests that this user was not simply the victim of a "tripple neg rate" attack. Rather, the neg-raters put thought into the ratings. Be wary of this person.


Please love me
Beha: 220 -1
Appe: 129 -0
Build: 99 -0
Given: 860 -0

This person has given out a LOT of pos ratings. They may be using the rating system to help win friends. Possibly an insecure individual.


Armed and dangerous
Beha: 87 -6
Appe: 76 -4
Build: 66 -3
Given: 54 -64

This person uses neg ratings as a weapon. If you disagree with them, you will be next. I will normally say a few polite words to this type of person then be on my way.

Pretty much the only way I salvage any useful information from the shattered system of semi-useless numeric values that we call the rating system.

I think if i did see neg rates above 10 or 15 in an avatar profile, I would be wary. I would still wait to form my own opinion, but consider myself warned.

to be honest, however, I don't even look at ratings, I think the system that useless.

I give out pos-rates as a compliment, a way of saying "you/your work is appreciated" that is just a little bit extra (the old "talk is cheap, this way you know i mean it" thing)

i don't know if I have ever given a neg rate, though i wouldn't rule out voicing my displeasure that way. If someone neg rated me, I wouldn't really care.

i think your "armed and dangerous" category is valid lol

I'm so glad we've got Miss Manners here to tell us how to further stratify and judge the already horridly judged and stratified SL society!

Now WHAT will she do with a profile like mine that has like 564 positives given out, and 80 negatives?

Just doesn't fit the cliche, what?

I'm a HEARTY believer in pos rating and neg rating and for giving the system frequent, robust, and meaningful use.

I don't need to profile you. Everybody knows exactly who and what you are.

She made it very clear it was her opinion. I dont see the problem in that. She never said "AND all of you should think the same".

I look at ratings. Usually I look for two things.

If they have a lot of neg ratings I avoid them, I dont care how many pos rates they have. I avoid them becuase I dont feel like being Judged by someone who feels a need to "get back at" someone. I have opinions and Im my own person, so likely Ill be neg rated too.

If they have a very small number of ratings and belong to no or just 1-2 groups and they are more then 3 months old, I wonder if that person either doesnt play hardly ever or is an ALT.

Ratings don't mean a whole lot to me, I try to get some use out of them but as per my ratings I don't even know what I have.

Neg-ratings wouldn't be as useful retaliation against me as a good conversation would be. Hell, feel free to log on to Second Life and neg rate me right now, it's your 25L$ per neg.

That's pretty much exactly how I interpret ratings too Aimee! When I actually look at ratings at all that is. hehe..

Many of my Family member have very few ratings, have been in SL 6 months or more, and only belong to a few groups. The do nonetheless play almost every day.

Why? Well mostly because SL is a way for our family spread across 2 countries to spend time with each other. Simply put we don't get out much LOL

That is not to say this is an all bad indicator. Simply that there are many reasons someone might be in this postion. Including the fact that getting any positive ratings at all is very difficult since the $L25 price went into effect. Many people simply are not doing it even if they do like someone, or their looks or their build.

I do look at them in profile but my recipe for someone that needs to be watched goes something like this. (And I do mean watched. First assuption is a new resident their behavior determines my judgement of them. )

Few or no ratings
Very recent Birthdate
No Groups or groups I have had difficulties with in the past

Perhaps you should re-read the first line or two of her initial post. She in no way stated that we should all judge such in that manner.

Aimee tends toward reasonable and open-minded discussions. Don't judge her posts by the way you post.

Actually, when I started playing the game there were great events but people always ruined them by shooting everyone, I always used to neg rate them. In turn, they neged me back and it has built up, so I tend not to neg anyone (except one person in the sandbox for supporting RL terrorism and being anti-american, but that's beside the point...).

this can't be the average user... if this were the case... then there are fewer ratings given out than exist. i'd say this person was pretty new.i think this person is more average. they give about as many ratings as they give. thus the ratings given and the ratings gotten are about equal.

i'd think if someone who has given 1.5-2x they've gotten is attention-seeking.

* * *

criteria i use. ymmv:
1) do they have more than 150-200 ratings recieved? if not, then i mostly consider their ratings to be noise.
2) kinds of distribution. if somone has a larger percentage (say around 10% more than other ratings) of one kind of rating, then that generally indicates something unusual about that person in that area.
3) 12 or fewer neg rates that are mostly flat (i.e. about the same in all categories) indicates a beg rate victim, if the neg rates this person have given out is not a large percentage of the ratings they've given out.
4) someone whose neg rates exceeds 10% of their total ratings given is probably trouble. 15% is definitely trouble. 20% is a big red flag. this overrides 1), 2), and 3).

there are a few people for whom these guidelines definitely don't apply. but you'd have to know them and you'd have to know their history.

Going off what I know about myself, I would interpret the "Please love me" category a little bit differently - taking into account that some folks spend a lot of time out and about in world rating in the "building" category and/or they may often be running into people who show themselves to be exemplary people but who don't have enough money to rate in return. (Which with me, is more often the case than the building ratings. It doesn't bother me overmuch to not be rated in return, because I'd rather have really "earned" it anyways.) Aside from that, I would say that for the most part I agree with you, Aimee.

I wonder which oen i fall under.. i have like
7 0
5 0
5 0
10 0

or something like thaty..

welcome to second life!

Stone, I agree. The principal of what I was saying still holds true, but the numbers were off. I updated my post.

After reading the forums I can see that Prokofy is one of the FEW people in here that is not a Linden wannabe. Too bad the majority of people in SL don't read the forums and the ass wipes try to rule and intimate people. Keep posting Prokofy !!!!!!!!!

Perhaps someone can start a thread about interpreting forum users. Example, when a new user you never heard of jumps into a thread passionately defending Prokofy... and it's their FIRST POST EVER... what does that tell us?

Whose alt are you, anyway? POSTS: 1

I agree 100% with FlipperPA!

I agree 100% with FlipperPA!

I agree 100% with FlipperPA!

Wow, thanks guys, its nice to know I have such a support structure!

Bah, you're not even a monopoly!

I'm not either, but at least they let me play 'the boot'!

HAHAHAHA. I think I'm passionately in love with Commerce Leader, Flip Assia, Muppet Zamboni, and FlipperPA Peregrine. TORN BETWEEN FOUR LOVERS!