"Rank" Column

Hello,

I'm using Windows Live Mail 2008 for my news reader, and I was wondering
what the "Rank" column is for. It is not documented in help.

Thanks,
Shane.

"Shane Goodman" <nospam-goodman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1207E165-5A12-4BC4-9BB4-205EF0B44695@xxxxxx
Possibly due to embarrassment. <eg>

It was an attempt to implement a non-browser based
interface to the Microsoft Communities voting mechanism.
To use it you must be logged in with a Live ID and check
the option Use newsgroup Communities support features.

For some background on the idea you can refer to the Help
page for the browser interface.

http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales...help_en-us.htm

Then click on "Why should I rate a post?"

For grins turn off threading in WLMail (e.g. Alt-V,V,V)
sort by Rank (e.g. Alt-V,B,Rank) and scroll to the top (or bottom)
to see how little or how inappropriately the feature is used... ; )

The biggest problem I have with it is that opening posts
which typically contain zero useful information often get the most
"votes" while posts which answer the question or provide useful
information usually get none. Consequently you see web
interface search results often badly skewed by long dead-threads
which are essentially nothing more than an assembly of Me too!
posters. E.g. such posts are retained by the system due to
the votes. Meanwhile the posts with useful information,
getting no votes get aged off the system and forgotten
(unless they were picked up by the Google Groups news
server--for which reason readers are well advised to do their
research there than on the web interface.)


FYI

Robert Aldwinckle
---

"Robert Aldwinckle" <robald@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:BBBE4BE2-6CD6-4BA5-8321-E27F02B69788@xxxxxx I am not signed in. With 'Use newsgroup Communities support features.'
checked, I have a Rank and a Rating column.
It seems that the link describes Rating but not Rank.
--
Ronald Sommer

"Ron Sommer" <rsommer@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OrsY4GhzIHA.3496@xxxxxx When I I am reading a posting, there is a "Rate this Post" box, but when I
click the "Rate" button, nothing happens.

I am not signed in, and I have "Use newsgroup Communities support features"
checked. Would it make a difference if I tried to sign in?

Thanks,
Shane.

I have never signed in, so I don't know if signing in will make a
difference.
I am not interested in using the support features.
--
Ronald Sommer

"Shane Goodman" <nospam-goodman@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:79C7DE4D-10A3-492E-B902-24CF71F90F11@xxxxxx