It would be extremely helpful if there were a rating system for themes, or perhaps if themes were sorted according to most popular/most downloaded. Just a thought

Yeah but then people give low ratings and make people feel bad. Do you want to make people feel bad? You nazi!

Seriously, I think it's a good idea. But then again, who cares what I think?

We would still like to implement a fair rating system for themes and screenshots. However, it is hard to come up with a method that users can not cheat at. We have the same problems with download counts; however, we really can't control cheating with that.

I may be wrong, but I think I remember the old Litestep page or some site that made this crazy thing that each user could only download each theme once. It was the worst idea ever. Completely annoying. Please don't do that. What you could do is make a rating system that each person only gets one vote, and maybe put their names next to it. If someone has enough time and wants to register 20 new names just to get their votes up, then they are just crazy and we should let them have the votes.

I was part of the team that decided to only allow you to download a theme once. It probably was not the most liked decision we made; however, the situation we had demanded it. The situation with this version of the site does not demand that and reportedly will not demand that.

As for the rating system. I do not want to allow users to come up with a random number as a rating. I want ratings to be fair, in the way you describe of users only voting once, and I also want ratings between themes and screenshots to be comparable and fair from one themer to another.

Well I guess an easy way around it is to have a multi entry evaluation. Something like look, practicality, stability… etc. This way it won’t be just throwing a random number at it.

anything where a user can determine the rating will not work because of cheaters. you have to ask direct questions and scale a rating based on response. its not as easy to get this working as it sounds. ;)

I guess perhaps I’m young and naïve, but why would you “cheat”? If your theme is horrible, you now have a top rated theme receiving more exposure showing how horrible of a themer you are…

What about a set panel of reviewers? Each theme could have a staff reviewer’s rating and a populous rating, then have the ability to sort a theme search by either of these ratings. That’d offset any artificial ratings boosting, you’d just have to trust your staff reviewers to know what they’re doing.

I like samer’s suggestion of splitting up the qualification, that’d be helpful.

If you can think of a truly cheat proof system, my hats off to you

most people just want to see their name in lights and it is sad. As for your other idea...Ill add it to the current list.