Is it time to remove admin "support" for older TPFC entries?

[Andrew Lee]

I received a PM from Midas:

This is just a quick note to bring to your attention some deleterious effect that has been bugging me lately...

Currently, admin produces 1323 results, some of which wouldn't even have public entries if it wasn't for that inflated admin rating. A recent example is DevProject Manager (http://www.portablefreeware.com/?id=1273) but his isn't about any particular program, but rather concerning the general principle.

I am perfectly aware this is you site and ultimately it is your discretion that stands behind those admin ratings, but I'm also under the impression that lately you've been trying earnestly to level the field, and that this situation strongly works against that goal.

I think that a possible solution here would be a global replace of admin ratings with your personal one; this, coupled with an announcement in the forums, allowing interested users to remediate the disappearance of some of the entries for loss of public status and placing the remaining in their rightful rankings regarding more recent entries.

which is probably quite timely because it's been quite a while since we implemented the community voting functions for database entries, so this might be a good time to revisit this issue.

Remember, a long time ago, I was the only person managing the database. Then we implemented the community voting functions so that anyone can add entries into the database and vote on them. However, during the transitional period, to prevent old entries in the database from disappearing overnight, it was decided to "support" these entries by giving them an admin vote (with a score of 10, effectively keeping them visible with no other votes).

Now that a long time has passed, maybe it's time we remove admin support and let these entries live or die on their own.

To gauge the level of impact, I have prepared this spreadsheet (CSV zipped) for older, admin-supported entries in the database. The "score" column gives the current scores for these entries, and the "new_score" column give the new score after admin support is removed. "new_score2" gives the score if older entries were tagged with my userid instead (effectively giving it a boost of 5 instead of 10)

Basically, there are currently 1323 older entries. If admin support were removed, There will only be 412 entries left. If admin support were replaced with my UID, there will be 831 entries.

There are 795 newer public entries that will not be impacted by this change.

Obviously this is a significant step to take, so more feedback is required before we do anything.

Thanks!

[guinness]

I agree with the fact that it's probably a good time to re-visit these entries, so I would vote for not adding your score, but instead totally removing Admin and hoping others will join in to vote.

I know I will vote.

[joby_toss]

@Andrew: you've added those entries at one point, so your points should remain.

I vote for:
- removing Admin support
- Andrew's UID points (I think it's 5) auto granted
- the apps that still don't have 10 points should become private, not totally removed from the database.

[I am Baas]

- the apps that still don't have 10 points should become private, not totally removed from the database.

+ 1

BTW, the numbers in this thread are different http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... 478#p25478

[SYSTEM]

BTW, the numbers in this thread are different http://www.portablefreeware.com/forums/ ... 478#p25478

Not that different.

The count that Andrew gave previosly is "982 entries will become private". Subtracting that from 1323 admin-supported applications means that 341 entries would have stood on their own on May 2011. The count has increased by 71 entries in two years when members have voted these applications.

[Midas]

I vote for:
- removing Admin support
- Andrew's UID points (I think it's 5) auto granted
- the apps that still don't have 10 points should become private, not totally removed from the database.

Also my vote, obviously...

Let it be noted that this global replace affecting the current admin upvoted entries would be a one time only event, IMHO -- as with the rest of us, anytime Mr. Lee finds a program has outlived its usefulness or isn't worthy of his vote anymore, he'll be free to revoke it.

Without any analysis whatsoever, my guess is that this step will mostly hide the older and more obscure database entries, which anyway will still be retrievable via private search...

[guinness]

retrievable via private search...

Though most "non-power" users aren't aware of.

[Midas]

retrievable via private search...

Though most "non-power" users aren't aware of.

A rather acceptable balance between skill and knowledge, don't you think? (As IRL...)

[lastaltoid]

retrievable via private search...

Though most "non-power" users aren't aware of.

Nor can we "non-power" find any information about "private search". To be honest I do recall the topic being discussed in some thread some months ago, but I cannot find it again. To make matters worse searching these forums for "private search" returns only results for "private" (stating that "search" is ignored. Is this some kind of cruel joke?
Seriously, where is the information on private searching to be found?

edit:
Ok, I just did an 'in site' google search and found links to some information, but because I have spent the time searching using the forum tools, and typing this (now) dumb post, I ask, should not topics like this (private searching) be somewhere in the documentation for this site?

[Andrew Lee]

Ok, I just did an 'in site' google search and found links to some information, but because I have spent the time searching using the forum tools, and typing this (now) dumb post, I ask, should not topics like this (private searching) be somewhere in the documentation for this site?

Under "Detailed Search", "Results Type", you get the option to search either "Private", or "Public + Private". Isn't that direct enough?

[Andrew Lee]

So it seems the general consensus is to replace admin UID (+10) with my UID (+5). Some database entries will become private as a result.

If there are no further objections to this approach, I will do the global replace beginning of next week (say Monday).

You have the entire weekend to voice any alternative opinion...

[guinness]

Nor can we "non-power"

I'm talking about those users have been on this site for more than 4 years and have seen then changes of the site.

[carbonize]

On a similar note how often are older entries checked to see if they are still available to download?

[Andrew Lee]

On a similar note how often are older entries checked to see if they are still available to download?

I don't think there is currently any set schedule for checking this. The download links are updated through feedback and comments.

[Andrew Lee]

OK, I have made the necessary updates to the database.

We are now down to a total of 1643 public entries.