Neutral reference and color coding.

[Adunaphel]

Hello Fellow Bartertowners,

I have a question about Neutral references.

There is a Bad Trader thread currently where the bad trader in question has had quite a few Neutral references. When I went to look at the references, because they look exactly like Good references, my mind didn't register right away that the trader had a significant problem with shipping his stuff out.

I know that there have been suggestions in the past for making negatives and neutral references an odd number so that they stand out.

I am wondering how hard it would be to make Neutrals a different color (like the Negatives) so that they stand out a little more. Is this possible? Or would we even want it?

I know that one fairly new trader would maybe not have made a transaction if the MANY neutrals that a certain trader had stood out a little more on the reference page.

Am I barking up the wrong tree here?

Karl

[npd_bigdaddy]

OOOH, a color coding! Now you're on to something there! Having neutrals coded in yellow would be awesome, it would make them stand out from the whites and reds. That is an EXCELLENT idea!

Erik

[Adunaphel]

It's funny. I can't take credit for this one, because I just rechecked the thread I referenced and somebody else had the idea earlier this morning.
I didn't see it because I had been rereading all the stuff in the new Deadbeats forum.
I had PM'ed the OP in the BTF (see I am learning this NEW language), and had discussed the problem of actually seeing the neutrals.
No big deal. I guess if I can give the idea more coverage it might help.

Karl

[vesrian]

I suggested this a while ago, and i thought it was on the todo list. I agree it would be very helpful and hope it does it added. As it is, if there's a bunch of references, i just do a text search for the word neutral on the refs page.

As another suggestion, instead of listing the reference under someone's name, could we instead have a total of the number of good/neutral/bad references they have, possibly color coded. So instead of the current system of:

RandomTrader
(24)

we'd have something like:

RandomTrader
(12) (2) (0)

I think It's easier to see a summary of their trading history when it's laid out like that. And if you want more information, you could still click on it to see the full references

[MagickalMemories]

I am in love with BOTH ideas.

I think that, if feasible, BTown would be better off with both of these ideas implemented.


Eric

[nightshade_eyes]

I suggested this a while ago, and i thought it was on the todo list. I agree it would be very helpful and hope it does it added. As it is, if there's a bunch of references, i just do a text search for the word neutral on the refs page.

As another suggestion, instead of listing the reference under someone's name, could we instead have a total of the number of good/neutral/bad references they have, possibly color coded. So instead of the current system of:

RandomTrader
(24)

we'd have something like:

RandomTrader
(12) (2) (0)

I think It's easier to see a summary of their trading history when it's laid out like that. And if you want more information, you could still click on it to see the full references

eBay's similar works well for skimming through a person's feedback. A color coded good/neutral/bad would be an excellent addition to Bartertown.

[morgan kelly]

I suggested this a while ago, and i thought it was on the todo list. I agree it would be very helpful and hope it does it added. As it is, if there's a bunch of references, i just do a text search for the word neutral on the refs page.

As another suggestion, instead of listing the reference under someone's name, could we instead have a total of the number of good/neutral/bad references they have, possibly color coded. So instead of the current system of:

RandomTrader
(24)

we'd have something like:

RandomTrader
(12) (2) (0)

I think It's easier to see a summary of their trading history when it's laid out like that. And if you want more information, you could still click on it to see the full references

it'd like to see that neutral color as yellow or orange. dark blue just doesn't give it any ooomph.. just my 2 cents.

[vesrian]

it'd like to see that neutral color as yellow or orange. dark blue just doesn't give it any ooomph.. just my 2 cents.

Yeah, i tried yellow, but you couldn't really see it, so i just picked some random colour. You're right, something else would probably be better.

And actually, to have it stand out better, maybe any number that's a zero could be in gray and you'd only see the colour if there was one or more refs of that type.

so a new trader would be:
(0) (0) (0)

The guy above would be:
(12) (2) (0)

And a bad trader might be:
(1) (0) (2)

[morgan kelly]

it'd like to see that neutral color as yellow or orange. dark blue just doesn't give it any ooomph.. just my 2 cents.

Yeah, i tried yellow, but you couldn't really see it, so i just picked some random colour. You're right, something else would probably be better.

And actually, to have it stand out better, maybe any number that's a zero could be in gray and you'd only see the colour if there was one or more refs of that type.

so a new trader would be:
(0) (0) (0)

The guy above would be:
(12) (2) (0)

And a bad trader might be:
(1) (0) (2)

I see your point.. the orange and red look pretty similar too. even with the seperation of (good) (neutral) (bad) someone might be confused. maybe purple (violet)?

[JohnHwangBT]

I'd like to simply see color-coded backgrounds in the references:
- Good = plain white background (how it *should* be)
- Neutral = pale yellow background (warning)
- BAD = reddish pink background (danger!)
Color-coded backgrounds are big and hard to miss. Even casual a scan will show a block of yellow or red very quickly. Black text will still be very readable.

Also, it'd be nice if the references sorted (or sortable) by reference type before date:
- BAD, by date,
- Neutral, by date
- Good, by date
That way, BAD references always show up first and foremost when you check references. I don't want to have to hunt for BAD or Neutral references. I want to see them immediately.

Coloring the text is less useful to me, but if we do this, I'd suggest:
- Good - in blue
- Neutral - in black
- BAD - in red

[JohnHwangBT]

Could we instead have a total of the number of good/neutral/bad references they have, possibly color coded.

RandomTrader
(12) (2) (0)

Or condense out the unnecessary parentheses and mark as +/~/- for clarity:

RandomTrader
(+12 ~2 -0)