CA2959288A1 - Cost-based community feedback - Google Patents

Cost-based community feedback Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2959288A1
CA2959288A1 CA2959288A CA2959288A CA2959288A1 CA 2959288 A1 CA2959288 A1 CA 2959288A1 CA 2959288 A CA2959288 A CA 2959288A CA 2959288 A CA2959288 A CA 2959288A CA 2959288 A1 CA2959288 A1 CA 2959288A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
feedback
item
user
location
users
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA2959288A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Pierre Omidyar
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Omidyar Group Commons LLC
Original Assignee
OMIDYAR NETWORK COMMONS LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by OMIDYAR NETWORK COMMONS LLC filed Critical OMIDYAR NETWORK COMMONS LLC
Priority to CA2959288A priority Critical patent/CA2959288A1/en
Publication of CA2959288A1 publication Critical patent/CA2959288A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G06COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06QINFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q20/00Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
    • G06Q20/04Payment circuits
    • G06Q20/06Private payment circuits, e.g. involving electronic currency used among participants of a common payment scheme

Landscapes

  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)

Abstract

A system for adjusting the prominence of an item having an associated feedback score, wherein the feedback score is associated with each of a plurality of users of an online community, and wherein the item is viewable on computer monitors of the users of the online community, comprises: a processor; a display device configured to display an item created by a first user at a first location on the computer monitors of the users; a feedback engine, executable by the processor, for receiving feedback from a second user concerning the item; and a feedback score module, executable by the processor, for adjusting a feedback score associated with the item based upon the nature of the feedback of the second user, wherein the display device is configured to display the item at a second location on the computer monitors, wherein the second location is, at least in part, dependent upon the feedback score associated with the item.

Description

=

COST-BASED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
Inventor:
Pierre Omidyar BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention is directed in general to a cost-based feedback mechanism for online communities. In particular, the present invention encourages good user behavior by rewarding users who are well-respected by the community and who are active participants in the community with credits useable towards further participation in the community.
Description of Background Art
[0002] Online communities provide participants an opportunity to exchange ideas and information about topics of mutual interest. For example, communities exist for the purpose of online auctions, discussion of scientific research, swapping furniture, finding apartments, and the like. The online communities eBay, WebMD, and Craigslist are some of the many that provide subsets of these functions.
[0003] Conventional online communities suffer from some drawbacks, however. First, to varying degrees they require policing by operators of the community or their designees. Objectionable content is often removed after other members complain to those in charge, or after it is discovered by the operators themselves. Frequent violators of the community's rules or terms of service are typically banned from the site. This policing operation can be labor-intensive, and requires certain value judgments to be made by the operators of the community.
[0004] Some online communities provide members with the ability to rate some content as useful or not. For example, many communities dedicated to providing õ

do-it-yourself help to members include a voting button next to each article asking members to indicate whether the article was helpful to them. Other communities, such as eBay, invite members to provide feedback on participants to a transaction.
These feedback opportunities in conventional communities suffer from a common drawback¨providing feedback has no associated cost. A first member can therefore give positive feedback to a second member, a third member, a fourth member, and so on, without consequence to the first member. While not completely eliminating the utility of the feedback, such a method clearly dilutes the value of positive (or negative) feedback.
[0005] Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for providing feedback in online communities that enables a more useful measure of content value, allowing the community to manage itself and reducing the need for community overseers to monitor the community individually.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention enables a community in which feedback is used as a value metric for members and content. Each member of the community has an initial supply, e.g., 10, of "bank units÷¨credits that can be spent in the community to perform activities and to provide feedback about other members and the content they produce¨discussions, groups, etc., as described more fully below. Certain activities in the community have associated costs¨a user must have at least the minimum number of bank units available for an activity or else the user cannot perform the activity. Because bank units are limited in supply, they acquire value within the community. Members therefore have an incentive both to spend their bank units judiciously and to act in such a way as to earn more units for themselves.
[0007] According to the present invention, members earn bank units both by gaining the respect of others, i.e. having increasing feedback scores, and by participating in the community. Participation in a preferred embodiment means creating content for the community, e.g., creating or participating in discussions, contributing to workspaces, and the like. Therefore, members who participate to the fullest extent in the community and who earn feedback points from others end up with the greatest number of bank units. Conversely, those members who "lurk"
from the sidelines instead of participating will receive few or no bank units for participation; those who earn disdain of their fellow community members will receive either low positive feedback scores, or even negative feedback scores.
In one embodiment, as feedback scores for a member get lower and lower, the member loses his ability to participate in the community, ultimately leading to a total loss of ability to participate significantly in the community.
[00081 Feedback can be assigned to members or to items, allowing the creators and the contents to be rated distinctly. Feedback given to content is not reflected in the score of the content's creator and the reverse holds true as well:
feedback given to users is not reflected in the score of the items created by said user.
[0009] A system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes a feedback engine for determining when feedback scores are to be incremented or decremented and for determining whether members have sufficient bank units to perform requested actions. A bank unit module is responsible for incrementing and decrementing a user's bank when requested by the feedback engine. A feedback score module increments and decrements feedback scores of content items and other members as requested by the feedback engine. A member database stores user records including feedback scores and bank unit amounts for each user, and an item database stores item records including feedback scores for each item.

[0009a] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a system for adjusting the prominence of an item having an associated feedback score, wherein the feedback score is associated with each of a plurality of users of an online community, and wherein the item is viewable on computer monitors of the users of the online community, the system comprising: a processor; a display device configured to display an item created by a first user at a first location on the computer monitors of the users; a feedback engine, executable by the processor, for receiving feedback from a second user concerning the item;
and a feedback score module, executable by the processor, for adjusting a feedback score associated with the item based upon the nature of the feedback of the second user, wherein the display device is configured to display the item at a second location on the computer monitors, wherein the second location is, at least in part, dependent upon the feedback score associated with the item.
[0009b] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a system for adjusting the prominence of an item that is viewable in an online community having a plurality of users, the system comprising: a processor; a display device configured to display an item created by a first user to be viewable by the users of the online community; a feedback engine, executable by the processor, for receiving negative feedback from a second user concerning the item;
and a feedback score module, executable by the processor, for lowering a feedback score associated with the item based upon the negative feedback from the second user, wherein the display device is configured to fold the item, based upon the lowered feedback score, so that a user seeking to view the item must expand the item to see its contents.
- 3a -[0009c] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method performed on a computer system that is configured to adjust the prominence of an item having an associated feedback score, wherein the feedback score is associated with each of a plurality of users of an online community, and wherein the item is viewable on computer monitors of the users of the online community, the method comprising: displaying an item created by a first user at a first location on the computer monitors of the users;
receiving feedback from a second user concerning the item; adjusting a feedback score associated with the item based upon the nature of the feedback of the second user;
and displaying the item at a second location on the computer monitors, wherein the second location is, at least in part, dependent upon the feedback score associated with the item.
[0009d] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method performed on a computer system that is configured for adjusting the prominence of an item that is viewable in an online community having a plurality of users, the method comprising: displaying an item created by a first user to be viewable by the users of the online community; receiving negative feedback from a second user concerning the item; lowering a feedback score associated with the item based upon the negative feedback from the second user;
and folding the item, based upon the lowered feedback score, so that a user seeking to view the item must expand the item to see its contents.
- 3b -BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the a system for providing feedback in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] Fig. 2 illustrates an online community in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] Fig. 3 illustrates an example of a group record in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a user record in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] Fig. 5 illustrates an example of an item record in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating how bank units are earned and spent in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0016] Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating how credit is added to a user's bank in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process for giving feedback in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] Fig. 9 illustrates a method for processing activity costs in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a system for providing feedback in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
System 100 includes a feedback engine 102, bank unit module 104, feedback score module 106, member database 108, and item database 110. Feedback engine 102 determines when feedback scores are to be incremented or decremented and _ whether members have sufficient bank units to perform requested actions. Bank unit module 104 maintains the bank units in each member's account, incrementing or decrementing the units as directed by feedback engine 102. Feedback score module 106 maintains a record of the number of feedback points each user has, increment and decrementing the feedback count for the user as requested by feedback engine 102. The feedback engine 102 bank unit module 104 and feedback score module 106 are described further below. Member database 108 stores information for each user of system 100, as illustrated more fully below with respect to Fig. 4. Item database 110 stores items such as discussions, comments, and the like that make up the content of system 100, illustrated further by Fig.
5.
[0020] Fig. 2 illustrates an online community 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Online community 200 includes a plurality of users 204 and a plurality of groups 202. As illustrated in Fig. 2 users 204 may be members of one or more groups 202. In one embodiment, a user 204 need not be a member of any group 202 in order to still be a member of the community 200¨for example, a user who joins the community and wishes merely to view content accessible only to community members may be allowed by the community rule makers to do so without having to join any group 202.
100211 Groups 202 in one embodiment cover broad topics¨for example, a group might be titled "Restaurants in San Francisco," "African Famine," "The Beatles," etc. The make-up of a group is further illustrated in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, each group is identified by a group record 302, which preferably specifies a name of the group; a group ID (GID) number; the number of discussions, workspaces and polls associated with the group; the location of files associated with the group;
and the user ID (UID) of the group's members. In the example of Fig. 3, group 302 is named History of Computing and has a Gil) of 21. The group has 6 associated discussions, 2 workspaces, and 1 poll. Its files are located in the directory /usr/localigroups/21/, and its members have LTIDs 22, 37,360 and 4210.
[0022] Each group preferably includes one or more discussions. A discussion is a conversation thread initiated by a member of the group 202 and commented on by any member of the group wishing to speak to the presented issue.
Preferably, a cost is associated with the creation of a discussion¨for example, 1 bank unit.

Similarly, the creation of a group has a cost¨preferably a much higher cost than the cost for creating a discussion, which reflects the relative value of a group as being a major category within the community. In one embodiment, for example, creating a group costs 10 bank units.
[0023] Groups may also include one or more workspaces. A workspace is a collaborative area in which group members can contribute thoughts and ideas.
Unlike a discussion thread, in which each contribution forms a comment in the thread, a workspace allows each contributor to change the content of the workspace, typically allowing others to view not only the final product but also the revisions made along the way. Collaborative workspaces are also known to those of skill in the art as "wilds".
[0024] In one embodiment, groups also include support for polls. A poll is simply a question posed by one member of the group and which includes responses that can be voted on by other members, potentially with an associated cost. Preferably, there is also a cost associated with creating a poll¨for example, 1 bank unit.
[0025] In one embodiment, members of a group can upload files for use of the other members. As noted, the group record 302 preferably specifies a location for files associated with the group to be stored.

. , [0026] Fig. 4 illustrates an example of a user record 402 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A user record 402 includes a user ID
(UID), the user's Name, the user's feedback score, the aggregate feedback score given to comments authored by the user, number of bank units in the user's bank, and the GIDs for the groups of which the user is a member. In the illustrated example, Charles Babbage has UID 4210, a feedback score of +8, 21 bank units, is a member of groups with GID 3, 21, 109 and 221, and has received +4 feedback points from UID
37, -2 feedback points from UID 360, +5 feedback points from UID 3987, and 22 feedback points from UID 22. Tracking the aggregate feedback score given to comments authored by the user provides an indication of how much the user's content contribution is valued by the community at large.
[0027] Fig. 5 illustrates an example of an item record 502 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. An item record 502 includes a type field, for describing the type of the item, e.g., discussion, workspace, etc.; the UID of the user that created the item; the name of the item; the feedback score of the item;
and a list of users from whom feedback has been received. In the illustrated example, "Analytical Machines" is a discussion thread created by UID 4210 (Charles Babbage), and has a feedback score of +2. UIDs 44, 622 and 4 have each given a feedback score of +1, while UID 4901 has offered -1 of feedback.
[0028] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating how bank units are earned and spent in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Bank units are earned through a bank unit revenue generation activity 636. In one embodiment, these activities include creation of a discussion item 602, which generates lA unit;
creating or editing a workspace page 604, which generates 1/20 unit; posting a comment to a discussion thread 606, which generates 1/20 unit; and receiving positive feedback 608, which generates 1/2 unit. When a user performs any bank unit revenue generation activity, bank unit module 104 increments the user's bank 620, as , described further below with respect to Fig. 7. Note that the number of bank units credited based on each activity is variable by community according to the individual preferences of that particular community.
[0029] In one embodiment, a member cannot earn more than a maximum amount of bank units by participating in community activities. For example, in one embodiment the number of bank units earnable by a member is three times the member's feedback score. Also, in one embodiment even if a member's bank has reached its activity cap, the member will continue to accrue bank units each time she receives positive feedback from another member. Allowing bank units to accrue from positive feedback while capping growth based on participation reduces the benefit to a user of contributing a large amount of content with very little value to the community.
[0030] A user of system 100 can also spend bank units by providing feedback about a member or item. Fig. 6 illustrates various feedback costs 634 in accordance with one embodiment. For example, providing feedback about a member 610 costs 1 unit. Similarly, feedback about a workspace 612, a discussion 614, a comment or a user's personal news section 618 each costs 1 bank unit. A process for leaving feedback is described further below with respect to Fig. 8.
[00311 In one embodiment, certain member activities also have associated costs.
These activity costs 632 are illustrated in Fig. 6 as well. For example, creating a new group 622 might cost 10 units; sponsoring a new group 624 5 units; creating a new discussion 626 1 unit; creating a new poll 628 1 unit; and voting in a poll 630 1 unit.
A method for processing activity costs is illustrated further below with respect to Fig. 9.
[0032] Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating how credit for activities is added to a user's bank in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Feedback engine 102 monitors 702 a user's activity to determine 704 whether it is an activity
-8-636 that generates bank unit credits. If not, the process terminates. If so, then bank unit module 104 determines 706 whether the user's bank is already at a maximum activity cap. If the user's bank is already at the cap, then the process terminates. If not, then bank unit module 104 adds 708 credit to the user's bank 620.
[00331 As a user browses the content of the community 200, she encounters items such as workspaces, discussions, contents, groups, and the like.
Associated with each of these items of content in the community is a feedback score, evidenced in one embodiment by a score next to a hyperlinked "A-1-" symbol. Similarly, next to the name of the author of the content is a similar report of the user's personal feedback score and a hyperlinked "+1 -" symbol. If the browsing user wishes to leave feedback for the content author, she clicks the "+" link to provide positive feedback or the "-" link to leave negative feedback. A similar technique is followed to leave feedback about the content itself. In one embodiment, in addition to providing numerical feedback, a user is offered an opportunity to send a message to the member receiving the feedback, either anonymously or with attribution.
In one embodiment, a member can view names of people who have offered positive and negative feedback to the member's content or to the member herself. In an alternative embodiment, the member can view names of people who have provided more than a threshold level of feedback, e.g., more than 5 positive or 5 negative score points to the member. Also in an alternative embodiment, the list of people who have provided feedback to the member is viewable by the entire community, not only to the member herself.
[0034] Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a process for giving feedback in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Initially, feedback engine 102 receives 802 a user request to provide feedback about an item or member. In one embodiment, certain items and members may not be able to receive feedback according to rules established by the community overseers.
For
-9-example, a rule might specify that a member cannot give herself feedback; or that a new member cannot receive feedback until she has been a member for a certain length of time; or until she has posted a certain number of messages, etc. If the item or member is not capable of receiving feedback, the process terminates.
Otherwise, feedback engine 102 next checks 806 to see whether the user has sufficient bank units available with which to leave feedback. If the user does not have sufficient bank units, the process terminates. Otherwise, feedback engine instructs bank unit module 104 to decrement 808 the user's bank, and instructs feedback score module 106 to update 810 the feedback score for the member or item being rated. If 812 the feedback is for an item, then the process terminates. In one embodiment, since receiving positive feedback increases one's own bank, if 812 the user has left positive feedback for a member, feedback engine 102 instructs bank unit module 104 to increment 814 the member's bank as well.
[0035] Fig. 9 illustrates a method for processing activity costs in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Feedback engine 102 receives 902 a request from a user to perform an activity, such as creating a group or discussion, posting a comment, etc. In one embodiment, a user must have a minimum feedback score in order to perform certain activities, regardless of the units in the user's bank. For example, a community rule in one embodiment requires that a user must have more than a feedback score of -25 in order to create a group.
This ensures that users who are highly disliked by the community as represented by their negative feedback scores, are limited in their freedom to participate in the community. Accordingly, if 904 the user does not have a sufficient feedback score to perform the activity requested, the process terminates. Otherwise, feedback engine 102 determines whether 906 the requested activity has a cost. If there is no cost, then feedback engine 102 allows 912 the activity. If there is a cost, then feedback engine 102 determines 908 whether the user can afford the cost by
- 10 -requesting the user's bank unit level from bank unit module 104. If the user cannot afford the cost, the process terminates. If the user can afford the cost, then feedback engine 102 allows 910 the activity and instructs bank unit module 104 to decrement the user's bank by the appropriate number of units.
[0036] In an alternative embodiment, bank unit revenue can be generated by activities in addition to or instead of those listed in Fig. 6. For example, reading a discussion, reading a comment, performing a search, creating a poll, voting in a poll and uploading a file could each generate bank unit revenue for a member of the community.
[0037] In one embodiment if, after a certain period, e.g., seven days, an item has not been modified¨updated, edited or commented upon¨feedback engine 102 decays the feedback score for the item at a rate of one point per day, for as long as the item is inactive. Preferably, an item's feedback score will never decay to a score less than zero. Also, in one embodiment comment scores do not decay.
[0038] In one embodiment, the number of bank units available to a member is made known to all other members of the community. The member's bank unit size may be displayed in the member's profile page, and additionally may be displayed next to the user's name and feedback score associated with any content published by the user in the community 200.
[0039] As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, by giving positive feedback in accordance with the present invention, members can "bubble up"
items of interest to the rest of the community. Conversely, by providing negative feedback, members can reduce the prominence of items.
[0040] In one embodiment, if the feedback score of a discussion, comment or workspace turns significantly negative, feedback engine 102 adjusts the prominence of the item to make it less viewable. For example, in one embodiment at a feedback
- 11 -score of -5 an item is folded, and browsing users must affirmatively seek to expand the item before being able to see its content.
[0041] Similarly, in one embodiment if the feedback score of a member falls below a threshold amount, that member will lose certain privileges in the community, including the ability to comment or post new items, or send private messages. For example in one embodiment if the user's feedback score falls to -10, all of the user's comments and any discussions she has created are folded, no matter the score of the individual comment At -25 feedback points, the user loses her voice, except the ability to update the user's own profile area. In one embodiment the user at such a level of feedback can continue to edit comments or discussions she already created, but cannot create new public content, or spend any of her bank units on providing feedback.
[0042] The present invention has been described in particular detail with respect to a limited number of embodiments. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may additionally be practiced in other embodiments.
For example, the functionality of the feedback engine can be provided in other embodiments by other modules.
[0043] Within this written description, the particular naming of the components, capitalization of terms, the attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect is not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features may have different names, formats, or protocols. Further, the system may be implemented via a combination of hardware and software, as described, or entirely in hardware elements.
Also, the particular division of functionality between the various system components described herein is merely exemplary, and not mandatory; functions performed by a single system component may instead be performed by multiple components, and functions performed by multiple components may instead performed by a single
- 12 -¨ -component. For example, the particular functions of feedback engine 102, bank unit module 104 and feedback score module 106 and so forth may be provided in many or one module.
[00441 Some portions of the above description present the feature of the present invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules or code devices, without loss of generality.
[0045] It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the present discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as "selecting" or "computing" or "determining" or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
[0046] Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present invention could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by real time network operating systems.
- 13 -[00471 The present invention also relates to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, the computers referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.
[0048] The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description above. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present invention.
[0049] Finally, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter.
- 14 -= N. r Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention.
- 15-

Claims (13)

What is claimed is:
1. A system for adjusting the prominence of an item having an associated feedback score, wherein the feedback score is associated with each of a plurality of users of an online community, and wherein the item is viewable on computer monitors of the users of the online community, the system comprising:
a processor;
a display device configured to display an item created by a first user at a first location on the computer monitors of the users;
a feedback engine, executable by the processor, for receiving feedback from a second user concerning the item; and a feedback score module, executable by the processor, for adjusting a feedback score associated with the item based upon the nature of the feedback of the second user, wherein the display device is configured to display the item at a second location on the computer monitors, wherein the second location is, at least in part, dependent upon the feedback score associated with the item.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback from the second user is positive in nature and the second location is more prominent than the first location.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback from the second user is negative m nature and the second location is less prominent than the first location.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback from the second user is positive in nature and the second location is closer to the top of the computer monitors than the first location.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback from the second user is negative in nature and the second location is further from the top of the computer monitors than the first location.
6. A system for adjusting the prominence of an item that is viewable in an online community having a plurality of users, the system comprising:
a processor;
a display device configured to display an item created by a first user to be viewable by the users of the online community;
a feedback engine, executable by the processor, for receiving negative feedback from a second user concerning the item; and a feedback score module, executable by the processor, for lowering a feedback score associated with the item based upon the negative feedback from the second user, wherein the display device is configured to fold the item, based upon the lowered feedback score, so that a user seeking to view the item must expand the item to see its contents.
7. A method performed on a computer system that is configured to adjust the prominence of an item having an associated feedback score, wherein the feedback score is associated with each of a plurality of users of an online community, and wherein the item is viewable on computer monitors of the users of the online community, the method comprising:

displaying an item created by a first user at a first location on the computer monitors of the users;
receiving feedback from a second user concerning the item;
adjusting a feedback score associated with the item based upon the nature of the feedback of the second user; and displaying the item at a second location on the computer monitors, wherein the second location is, at least in part, dependent upon the feedback score associated with the item.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback from the second user is positive in nature and the second location is more prominent than the first location.
9. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback from the second user is negative in nature and the second location is less prominent than the first location.
10. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback from the second user is positive in nature and the second location is closer to the top of the computer monitors than the first location.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein the feedback from the second user is negative in nature and the second location is further from the top of the computer monitors than the first location.
12. A method performed on a computer system that is configured for adjusting the prominence of an item that is viewable in an online community having a plurality of users, the method comprising:
displaying an item created by a first user to be viewable by the users of the online community;
receiving negative feedback from a second user concerning the item;
lowering a feedback score associated with the item based upon the negative feedback from the second user; and folding the item, based upon the lowered feedback score, so that a user seeking to view the item must expand the item to see its contents.
13. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing a computer program comprising processor-executable instructions configured to, when executed, cause a processor to carry out the method of any one of claims 7 to 12.
CA2959288A 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback Abandoned CA2959288A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2959288A CA2959288A1 (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA2959288A CA2959288A1 (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback
CA2613358A CA2613358C (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback
PCT/US2005/023506 WO2007005016A1 (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2613358A Division CA2613358C (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2959288A1 true CA2959288A1 (en) 2007-01-11

Family

ID=37604766

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2959288A Abandoned CA2959288A1 (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback
CA2613358A Active CA2613358C (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback

Family Applications After (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2613358A Active CA2613358C (en) 2005-07-01 2005-07-01 Cost-based community feedback

Country Status (3)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2005334090B2 (en)
CA (2) CA2959288A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2007005016A1 (en)

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040205065A1 (en) * 2000-02-10 2004-10-14 Petras Gregory J. System for creating and maintaining a database of information utilizing user opinions
US7881944B2 (en) * 2002-05-20 2011-02-01 Microsoft Corporation Automatic feedback and player denial
WO2005010779A1 (en) * 2003-07-03 2005-02-03 Livedeal, Inc. Facilitation of local, community-based, person-to-person connections and transactions on a national, international, or global scale

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2007005016A1 (en) 2007-01-11
AU2005334090B2 (en) 2012-02-09
CA2613358A1 (en) 2007-01-11
CA2613358C (en) 2017-05-02
AU2005334090A1 (en) 2007-01-11

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20070005683A1 (en) Cost-based community feedback
Reynolds et al. Sharing ephemeral information in online social networks: privacy perceptions and behaviours
Deshpande et al. Web 2.0: Could it help move the health system into the 21st century?
Caron et al. From concept to data: Sleuthing social change-oriented youth voices on YouTube
US20080147482A1 (en) Advertisement selection and propagation of advertisements within a social network
Dylko et al. Impact of customizability technology on political polarization
Kuechler Using the Web in the Classroom
Zha et al. Sound information seeking in Web 2.0 virtual communities: the moderating effect of mindfulness
Riordan et al. A corpus‐based analysis of online synchronous and asynchronous modes of communication within language teacher education
Grissa What “uses and gratifications” theory can tell us about using professional networking sites (EG LinkedIn, Viadeo, Xing, SkilledAfricans, Plaxo…)
McGookin et al. PULSE: the design and evaluation of an auditory display to provide a social vibe
Geyer et al. Inspired by the audience: a topic suggestion system for blog writers and readers
Beck Web 2.0: User-generated content in online communities: A theoretical and empirical investigation of its determinants
Friend The creation of social networks: social capital and the experiences of widening participation students at three elite institutions in the US, England, and Scotland
CA2613358C (en) Cost-based community feedback
AU2012201070B2 (en) Cost-based community feedback
NZ564926A (en) Adjusting feedback scores with associated bank units
NZ588250A (en) Adjusting prominence of items based on feedback score
Hurley et al. Does proactivity drive use? Understanding growth in chat reference services
Do et al. MyWebSteps: aiding revisiting with a visual web history
Li Study on the Web 2.0-based Internet applications in the university libraries
Millis Portrait of an indexer: the first decade
Karmon Introducing JSAH Roundtables
Haynes Virtual Events Have Gotten Mixed Results.
US9203924B1 (en) Recommending a new audio file to a member of a social network

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request

Effective date: 20170228

FZDE Discontinued

Effective date: 20211021