I've been thinking about ratings systems like those used on eBay and RAC, and how they could be improved. First of all, I'd want to integrate any such system into a web of trust such as Thawte's so that a person can have one central rating that can be referenced by many sites, and conversely can not easily have multiple online identities, one or more of which is crooked, while keeping one's own name looking squeaky clean.
It would also be nice if someone could view a rating in several dimensions at once. I was thinking of a bar-shaped graphic whose colors range from green to red (passing through yellow) representing approval to disapproval, intensity or darkness of colors as the quantity of ratings, and length as the time period over which the ratings were given. For example, if one starts off with a good net reputation and keeps it up, he'll get more good ratings, so his bar would be a pastel green on the left darkening to a pine green on the right. Someone who started off good then decided to use his good rating to scam a bunch of people would be green, followed by red, followed by white (blank) because nobody would do business with him any more (like Mr. Salvatore Wise Jr. of Philadelphia). If I were any good with the Gimp I'd make some samples, but after you've had another cup of coffee come back and read it again, it'll make some sense anyway, without the graphics.
last updated 2013-01-10 20:24:30. served from tektonic.jcomeau.com