Choose Your Language

[mx]

This thread isn't for people who disagree with the entire idea of soundoffs - the point is to make this work better, not to detract from the idea.

There has been some confusion (and rightly so) about what exactly soundoffs are. This is due, in some part, to my rather ambivalent language throughout the site - you might suspect, and would be right, that the idea is evolving as I'm going along.

Right now, my view for what the role of soundoffs should be is this:

http://www.sputnikmusic.com/uservote.php?memberid=1

In words, explanations of one's album ratings.

I've used the words 'mini-reviews, soundoffs, smaller blurbs, album discussion, user opinions, and rating explanations' throughout the site in a rather confusing manner.

So what I'm asking is: how should we consistently refer to this feature? And how can it be linked in the clearest (and most concise) way possible from the album pages? I don't want it to be intrusive, but I want it to be an obvious feature available for people who want to explain their album ratings.

Lastly, to address one last issue: a lot of people have focused on the blurring between comments on reviews and this new section of the site. The fundamental difference is that soundoffs are not in conversation with each other - they are standalone opinions linked on a single page, not scattered through reviews. Think of them as a summary of your views on the album. In this manner, they don't replace comments at all.

[Hep Kat]

I've used the words 'mini-reviews, soundoffs, smaller blurbs, album discussion, user opinions, and rating explanations' throughout the site in a rather confusing manner.

Well "Sound Off" is a fine enough name, and I think they're best summed up by "rating explanations" or some derivative of that. Calling them mini-reviews, smaller blurbs, etc. doesn't really flow for a few reasons:

A. They're opinions. Reviews of any kind aren't supposed to be opinionated (well, not too much at least).
B.
The fundamental difference is that soundoffs are not in conversation with each other - they are standalone opinions linked on a single page, not scattered through reviews. Think of them as a summary of your views on the album. In this manner, they don't replace comments at all.

You took care of the second point yourself; they aren't for discussion, so terms like "album discussion" won't work.

I think people should associate sound off with rating explanation more than anything. It just seems like the most logical thing.


As to how they should be linked, I think they're fine where they are. You have them at the top of the page, next to the rating box, and on the comments. Just change the text around a little on all the links so that they'll mesh a little better with those two terms, and you'll be fine. The only other place I can think of off the top of my head where you could put a link to sound offs is under the "Was this review well-written" option, as Mozz mentioned the other day.

[Dave de Sylvia]

I think the basic point is that comments are comments, whereas soundoffs are one place where you can post your thoughts on the album in one spot and have them saved for posterity and edit if and as your opinions change. If I have the right idea (I'm still not sure if I do as I haven't really had the chance to examine the feature yet) then the authority of your soundoff over your comment should be stressed.

[Oddsen]

I think i understand better now what sound offs are supposed to be used for. This is how i understand it.
Sound offs- for explaining the rating that you gave for the album in a fairly short write up. not for discussion.
Comments- now more for talking about the review, but mostly the same as they've always been. To discuss.

I hope thats right. Thanks for clearing that up mx

[mx]

That's absolutely correct, sorry I haven't been clear.

[Oddsen]

Cool. Thanks

[DFelon204409]

Woo Woo idea train! How about if you've written a review for an album you rate. Your mini-review/sound-off is a link to your review or maybe samples the opening few lines with a "read more" option. Some kind of item that will cross reference everything.

[Hep Kat]

Woo Woo idea train! How about if you've written a review for an album you rate. Your mini-review/sound-off is a link to your review or maybe samples the opening few lines with a "read more" option. Some kind of item that will cross reference everything.

Well, since sound offs are also designed to be writings for albums with no reviews, I'm not quite sure how well that would work. It's a good idea, though.

[DFelon204409]

No. The little descriptions in your profile. If you've written a review for it, instead of having nothing in that box where the rating is in your profile it has a paragraph from the review or a link. Not in the sound off section of the review.

[mx]

Interesting idea Dfelon, but may require too much coding. I'll put it on the list