Help:Voting
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Voting
Short, Geeky Explanation
The voting box allows for non-hierarchical editorial control. Users write the stories, but rather than allowing an editor to decide which stories go on the homepage, the users do. More votes means a better article, and better articles get promoted.
Long, Fun Explanation
Anyone can write a news or opinion article on ArmchairGM.com.
That's a pretty scary thought, and the reaction was swift:
"Aren't you going to get a lot of junk?"
Well, yes. But we have a solution. Voting.
On all News and Opinion pages, you'll see a box on the upper left. The box has a number. Under the box it says "vote."
Let's answer three quick questions. Ready? OK!
Why is it there?
Well, as you noted, there's a lot of junk submitted. It isn't "News" that Babe Ruth may have called his shot. And many opinions simply stink. (Sorry.)
We need to separate the wheat from the chaff, the cream from the crud, the ARods from the ReyOs. It's a tough job. Too tough for one person. Heck, it's too tough even the so-called experts to do. Seriously. How many times have you read an article in your local paper or watched "Around the Horn" and said to yourself, "Man, this sucks!" And you know what? Many people probably agree with you.
In keeping with the philosophy of a user-driven site, we figure, let the users decide what's good.
What does it do?
When a news or opinion article hits a certain threshold "score," it is published on various pages throughout the site. The score needed to be published on the front page is rather high; the score needed to be published on the relevant player page is rather low. Don't ask what the requisite score is, because it is always changing, and even your helpful administrators don't know half the time. We're just kooky that way.
Your vote -- which you can always remove by clicking "unvote" later on -- adds to the page's score. Articles that hit the score threshold then are sent to be published. They appear in reverse chronological order based on when they were sent to be published. (That means newest on top.)
How do I use it?
Read article.
Click word "vote" if you like the article.
If you mess up, click word "unvote."
Pat self on back for making the sporting world a better place.
Welcome to ArmchairGM -- your sports community.
