Hiya,
My first post, I just want to say first of all thank you for an excellent service.
Sorry for the long post, just read the bit in blue if it's too much to read.
I have searched, but not found a similar reply (apologies if I'm saying something which has already been said) anywhere relating to the verification (and possiibly) removal of non-geographic numbers.
Many sites incorporate a "rating" on articles/comments which allows people to rate whether they think somethink is good/bad. I am thinking here specifically of the comments rating system found at spikedhumor.com, which allows visitors to give comments a thumbs up/thumbs down vote. All comments display the number of good/bad votes they have received - and comments with a large number of thumbs down are automatically hidden (or buried) from visitors (they can choose to unhide the comment if they want to).
Essentially my idea is this:
I think it would be fantastic if the numbers database could incorporate a voting system for every entry - this would essentially mean the whole idea of verified and unverified can take a different angle - would it still need to be done by a handful of admins, when a vistor base (in their thousands) can vote if an entry is good/bad on their own?
I have lots of ideas about this. I may as well continue here... don't bother reading further if you don't want to hear my ideas, the bit in blue above is the core point I wanted to make.
I think the idea of voting should be considered in depth. As the database is open to all (i.e. no registration required - this is a big positive for the site), Everyone should be able to vote. The main problem the database has is that once something is verified it is not a lifetime verification, but only for that day. As such each vote should have a time stamp associated with it (invisible to the visitor), which essentially means that older votes automatically lose their weighting with time, and recent votes have a bigger impact on the rating of an entry.
Voting (new word for verifying entries) can be encouraged by registered users by logging the number of votes they have made over a period (month, quarter, year), and having a "hall of fame" - recognising the contributions of registered users, and adding a competitive element which again promotes more "voting". Maybe a prize every year or month for those in the top 10 or top 3? Registered users votes (with over 100 votes (for example)) should carry a greater weighting when they vote.
Also thought would need to go into how often someone can vote on something. Maybe at most once per week/fortnight for the same entry.
Like I said there are lots that can be done, I've only listed a little of my thoughts, but I imagine a redesign of the database would need to take place - a lot of work - but worth it in the end I think.
-mi§tery-
Edited: mi5tery wrote on Jan 5
th, 2007 at 3:22pm:
Essentially my idea is this:
I think it would be fantastic if the numbers database could incorporate a voting system for every entry - this would essentially mean the whole idea of verified and unverified can take a different angle - would it still need to be done by a handful of admins, when a vistor base (in their thousands) can vote if an entry is good/bad on their own?
This was already discussed a few times before and I mentioned it
here. Basically, it was hoped that a rating system could be incorporated and was tested by us but unfortunately it was found to be unreliable and contained bugs. This 'rating' feature was then put on hold whilst we concentrated on merging the two databases as it was felt this was more important since before then you had to do two different searches.
bbb_uk