On Thu, 13 Dec 2001, _brian_d_foy wrote:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christopher Hicks) wrote:
> > On Thu, 13 Dec 2001, Chris Prince-Colbath wrote:
> > > Allow customers to post anonymous ratings/reviews of the trainers on
> > > the list and be done with it.
> > Open public feedback has worked quite well for Ebay, Amazon, imdb and many
> > others.
>
> actually, it hasn't.
Actually it has.
> all have had numerous problems with publishers and the like submitting
> false reviews and pretending to be people they aren't to load a
> particular project with good or bad reviews as appropriate. they have
> had to put a significant amount of work into fixing that, and Amazon,
> at least, has had its share of bad press about its problems in this
> area. Ebay has a problem with shill bidding, and has several rules
> and penalties in place, including criminal prosecution. when you take
> time to do your homework on these sorts of projects, you discover all
> sorts of things that you'd rather not spend your time doing.
There are problems. It's life. So!? If anecdotal problems meant that
projects weren't successful, there's never been anything successful.
Bah, humbug! Grave robbers got in the pyramids. TCP made it too easy for
people to steal connections. Amazon sued B&N for patent infringmenet.
The pyramids, TCP, and Amazon are still head and shoulders above anything
else in the respective categories and seem to be standing the test of
time! I come from a pretty cynical lot, but the nay-saying has to be kept
in check.
<deep breath>
I have found that the feedback systems I mentioned have been quite
successful. I've watched many movies that I otherwise wouldn't have
because of imdb. I've bought things or avoided buying things with greater
confidence because of ebay's system. Amazon's customer feedback has saved
me from wasting money on several occassions. My friends and family have
expressed similar sentiments. These things work the vast majority of the
time quite well. If there's a kind, motivated soul out there willing to
build such a system for perl trainers, the community will be better for
it.
--
</chris>
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so
certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts"
-- Bertrand Russell
