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lissaselves
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Right here!
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 Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 4:04 pm Post subject: About those stars... |
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I seem to recall that somewhere on this site, there was a mention of how we were supposed to use the stars, some specific criteria...
Is that correct? Or are we simply operating on a 'Hey, I like this a lot! 5 stars!' - basis?
Since I loooove rules (not necessarily to obey them, I just like to know they are THERE, if you know what I mean, it makes me sleep better), I'd appreciate any enlightenment you can offer on this subject.
I haven't been able to find the post in question, but then I could have dreamt it. Or read it in an alternative universe or something. Hmmm.
*totters off to look for chocolate* |
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:56 am Post subject: |
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Officially, this is what the stars mean:
1 star = "Needs a few tweaks"
2 stars = "Worth reading"
3 stars = "Very enjoyable"
4 stars = "Excellent"
5 stars = "Worth paying for"
Nevertheless, when somebody rates a story with one star, it doesn't make the author feel that it merely "needs a few tweaks." 
I also recall several forum threads that discussed the star system, and it seems like a lot of the concern was people rating stories low and then not saying (via PM or review) precisely what was wrong with the story that made it so worthy of a low rating. And then, of course, we got into the discussion of whether concrit of a published story is even welcomed by authors and worth a reviewer's time/effort. (blah blah blah)
I don't remember what the conclusion was, but I'm pretty sure it was all informal, not rules imposed by the admins. Admins just don't want us to be cruel to each other in reviews or to use the star-ratings to stage personal attacks on other members. (They track star ratings, and if they note that a member's star rating conflicts with that member's review for the story in question, they might contact the reviewer/rater. Similarly, if they note that a member has consistently low-rated another member's stories, they might raise a red flag.)
Also, if some stories are so good that they deserve a five-star "worth paying for" rating, member might think about, er, paying for them. OSA accepts donations. 
--
Did you find any chocolate?  |
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lissaselves
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Right here!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 12:53 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks a lot for the explanation, Viv!
All I could find were discussions about the stars, but not how they were originally intended to be used. I'm pretty sure they're not used that way today, at least nobody seems too thrilled about 1 or 2 stars, although the definition of those sounds OK to me.
And yes, thank you, I did find chocolate which is why I'm reasonably coherent today.,
Donations: I'd be happy to - using anything but PayPal, that is! Me no likes.
IIRC this site is also PayPal only, but will go and check again (may have confused it with another site). |
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lissaselves
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Right here!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes, it is PayPal only (as far as I can tell). |
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject: |
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| lissaselves wrote: | | Yes, it is PayPal only (as far as I can tell). |
I think you're right. Bummer. |
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lissaselves
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Right here!
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Viv wrote: | | lissaselves wrote: | | Yes, it is PayPal only (as far as I can tell). |
I think you're right. Bummer. |
Yes. Most US-based sites are.
A mod from another forum would send me some of their account info and then I'll try to contact my bank and see if what they can suggest about transfers.
Let's wait a little while and see - maybe there is a way. |
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vladazhael
Joined: 15 Dec 2005
Posts: 171
Location: Gone mad, back later
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| Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:46 pm Post subject: |
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If you have a fondness for shopping at Amazon, I believe using the link from OSA's homepage also collects some cash for the site. At least, I remember seeing that as a holiday shopping suggestion a while back.
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Take no prisoners. Though use handcuffs, by all means.
**Vlad the Mouth of Sauron**
Piercings and creepy grins always available. |
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dolarabee
Site Admin
Joined: 21 Apr 2003
Posts: 175
Location: Sydney, Australia
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 5:04 am Post subject: |
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| Viv wrote: | | Also, if some stories are so good that they deserve a five-star "worth paying for" rating, member might think about, er, paying for them. OSA accepts donations. |
LOL! We never meant it as such! Put that way, it feels wrong to get donations while the writers don't...
But donations do help pay for the server space and domain name each year. So, feel free.
| vladazhael wrote: | | If you have a fondness for shopping at Amazon, I believe using the link from OSA's homepage also collects some cash for the site. At least, I remember seeing that as a holiday shopping suggestion a while back. |
I was just going to mention that. Thanks, Vlad.
If you're interested in helping the site but don't want to deal with Paypal, using our Amazon link when you want to shop at Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk might be the way to go. We get a little percentage on every sale they make when bought via our link.
| lissaselves wrote: | | Yes. Most US-based sites are. |
We're not an American site. In fact, Robbie is a Brit and I'm a Canadian and we're both living in Australia while we rent the server space from a guy in Japan. But at the end of the whole line, the servers are physically in New Jersey, USA.
The reason we went with Paypal (Paypal UK, by the way) was because back when we set it up, they were the most known. I think they're probably the most popular to this day. We used to have an account with Paymate, but that was for our Aussie members.
do.
_________________
Je sais de la vie qu'elle se termine souvent au lit,
Et que d'autres ont bien plus de chance trépassent de rire ou de jouissance,
Mais pire que la mort qui vient c'est l'amour qui ne vient jamais.
~ Daniel Bélanger |
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Viv
Challenge Admin
Joined: 24 Apr 2003
Posts: 71
Location: Texas
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 10:50 am Post subject: |
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| dolarabee wrote: | | Viv wrote: | | Also, if some stories are so good that they deserve a five-star "worth paying for" rating, member might think about, er, paying for them. OSA accepts donations. |
LOL! We never meant it as such! Put that way, it feels wrong to get donations while the writers don't... |
Well, we can't make money off of fic writing. It's a labor of love. |
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lissaselves
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 31
Location: Right here!
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:26 am Post subject: |
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Oh yes, I know about the Amazon-link, but as a matter of fact I already use one from another forum.
However, it's an easy way to support a site. |
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Sulriel
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Imladris (or maybe Texas ...)
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| Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Quote: | Viv wrote:
Also, if some stories are so good that they deserve a five-star "worth paying for" rating, member might think about, er, paying for them. OSA accepts donations. Smile
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LOL! We never meant it as such! Put that way, it feels wrong to get donations while the writers don't... |
...reminds me there has been talk about adding an original archive that could charge a fee or accept donations. There are quite a few free-reading sites that post a paypal button with each story so if a reader likes a story they can make a payment for it.
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"May it be a light to you in dark places." |
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