Posted by PHlooG at proxy4-out.whirlpool.com on May 14, 2001 at 07:52:12:
Just wanted to post one on IMDB and the apparent cock-up on A Better Place.
First off, IMDB performs 'filtering' on the data, hoping to counter the frequent stuffing of ballot boxes that occurs on the web - for more information on this, see Kevin's post requesting that everyone vote at that other site ;).
It's a noble attempt at its surface to provide accurate ratings.
But the problem with any filtering technique is that it assumes knowledge of the actual bias that MIGHT occur. If a bunch of legitimate votes LOOK like stuffing because of the way they are distributed, their filtering actually changes the true value into something meaningless. This means that most filtering techniques are complete caca.
The only way to know if this is happening is to know the distribution of REAL votes, and to know what method they are using. But, claiming to be protecting their system from further manipulation, they are withholding any information on their method. They assure us it's very accurate and scientific, but it's a secret.
So I would put almost NO stock in any number coming from the IMDB. ANY Web-based vote is sketchy at best.
That was me speaking as a stats/measurements/business guy...and I apologize. My next post will be exclusively about lunchboxes with 70's cartoon characters on them, or perhaps about my weiner.
JT