I'm Seeing Spots at FlashlightReviews.com

[Quickbeam]

Hello All!

In order to prevent confusion with the ratings change I made on FlashlightReviews.com (boy, some folks get ANGRY when you rate their light at a lower Star rating!) I have implemented a new symbol for the new system (at the suggestion of - believe it or not - a retired testing engineer from Consumer Reports!).

Since many ratings did change and people seem to be having a hard time with understanding the change in critera, I've switched the symbol to spots and the name to "Points".

[EDIT]
I was going to call them "Spots" but someone suggested "Points" as it sounds more professional. I agree, so that is what they will now be.
[END EDIT]

[EDIT 2]
Nov 14 - I'm back to Stars. I didn't like the way the Spots/Points turned out, and they served the purpose for a little while. I'm not planning on any further wholesale changes to ratings, so this should be the last change for a long time.
[END EDIT 2]

Doug P.
FlashlightReviews.com

 

[TooManyGizmos]

:rock:... Boy , Quickbeam - you sure do a lot of work for us !!!!


Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You ..... again


............................ TooManyGizmos/

.

 

[xdanx]

Wow! you actually went through 500+ pages and changed every rating . :goodjob:

 

[Flying Turtle]

Thanks for all this fine-tuning, Doug. I'm not sure we deserve it, but we're sure glad you do it.

Geoff

 

[pedalinbob]

LOL! I think it is great, Doug!

We have all ended up with floating spots...repeatedly...

 

[Quickbeam]

Well, I didn't change ALL of the ratings! There were many adjustments, though, due to the more strict criteria. There may be a few more over time, but most are where they should be.

Doug P.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Should I change my stars into...o I don't know...toliet bowls? (JUST KIDDING!!!)
Good job Doug! I think spots are more appropriate for a flashlight reviews website than stars, for the reason you already alluded to.

 

[Manzerick]

wow!

Thank you!

 

[NutSAK]

Awesome work Doug, as usual!

 

[redskins38]

Thanks very much i use your site all the time.

 

[skalomax]

I Miss the Stars .
The Dots will do.

 

[cslinger]

I Miss the Stars .
The Dots will do.

Are you aggitating my dots? Is he aggitating my dots? Don't be aggitating my dots.

Sorry I love that commercial.

Oh yeah, great job Doug. Do you actually have time for a real life between real work and the flashlight rating pursuit?

 

[skalomax]

:lolsign: .
I Just saw that Commercial!!

 

[Quickbeam]

My dots aren't agitated, but I frequently am...

"Oh yeah, great job Doug. Do you actually have time for a real life between real work and the flashlight rating pursuit?"

No.

 

[Chronos]

My dots aren't agitated, but I frequently am...

"Oh yeah, great job Doug. Do you actually have time for a real life between real work and the flashlight rating pursuit?"

No.

Awww, [sniff], come here. We love you man, we love you. [sniff] I think someone needs a hug!!!:grouphug: I'm getting verfklempt.

LOL What is a real life any more?

 

[Concept]

Thanks for all the hard work you do Doug, I have used your site on many an occasion.

Cheers Scott.

 

[Monocrom]

Thanks for all the hard work you do Doug, I have used your site on many an occasion.

Cheers Scott.

I have as well. I don't agree with all the scores you've given out. But the star rating system was simple and straight to the point..... And you've replaced it with the most annoying feature found inside Consumer Reports magazine? :eeksign:

When I pick up a copy, I just read the reviews, and try my best to avoid the dots. I'll sometimes read about a car with a good crash-test safety rating, but then according to the dots; it's below average in that category. :huh2:

Here's hoping the confusion doesn't spread.

 

[Ikonomi]

This will help create the distinction between the old Star ratings and the new Points ratings which are a bit tougher than the old rating system.

And I think this is absolutely fine. It seems like Doug's been getting a lot of backlash from his ratings revamp, which I can imagine gets more than a little tiresome. If the shift to points helps to quell some of the complaining, then I'm all for it. It seems like Doug gets too much flak for the awesome job he does.

 

[AFAustin]

Doug,

I understand your reasoning and it makes sense---you have a new (tougher) rating system, so "points" instead of "stars" to emphasize the distinction.

I also think it's good that you've made the grading system more stringent---it does allow for more differentiation among the better lights.

But, most importantly, THANK YOU, Doug, for your countless hours of work that benefits us all so much. FLR is so deeply ingrained into this hobby/illness that we all share, that I don't even realize it unless I stop to think. If I had a nickel for every time I've toggled back and forth between CPF and FLR to double check something, I'd be rich indeed. How many of us race to FLR to see if some brand new light getting all the buzz on CPF has been measured by your objective and consistent standards? And your "throw" and "total output" numbers are the industry standard for flashlight performance, at least for non-technical flashaholics like myself. When I fire up a new light, the first thing I do, almost automatically, is mentally estimate its performance in terms of your simple, elegant system.

Please don't ever let any critics or naysayers get you down. For the vast majority of CPFers, you hung the moon, and I hope you'll keep on hanging it.

Andrew

 

[Quickbeam]

Thanks all! I have been reading the thread and do appreciate the positive comments. I'm glad you all like the site so much. The new rating system is taking a lot of adjustment on my part. I really have to step back and look at the light many times to decide what it now rates.

Some lights I have reviewed since would have gotten a quick 5.0 Stars on the old system, but after looking at it again, and again, and again, I could see that it just wasn't up to the new standard. It's going to be tough, but everyone needs to remember that a 4.0 or 4.5 light is still a very good light and deserves accolades for it's quality and function.