Whas' up with Rants and Raves restaurant reviews?
May 25th, 2005, 05:06 PM
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Whas' up with Rants and Raves restaurant reviews?
Hi
Please see below for an email I just sent to the fodors editors. Any hypotheses are welcome. This makes me suspicious of other rants and raves comments.
<<I was just scanning the fodors restaurant reviews for Rome. I found the restaurant La Tartaruga, where I had posted my own rave review, late in 2001. I no longer see my review there, nor any reviews prior to 2002. However, there is a December 2004 review posted under the name "Jimmy" from Philadelphia, that is an exact duplication of my own review. I know the text well as I have maintained it in my personal file on Rome. Not one word differs.
The review was mine, not "Jimmy's".>>
Please see below for an email I just sent to the fodors editors. Any hypotheses are welcome. This makes me suspicious of other rants and raves comments.
<<I was just scanning the fodors restaurant reviews for Rome. I found the restaurant La Tartaruga, where I had posted my own rave review, late in 2001. I no longer see my review there, nor any reviews prior to 2002. However, there is a December 2004 review posted under the name "Jimmy" from Philadelphia, that is an exact duplication of my own review. I know the text well as I have maintained it in my personal file on Rome. Not one word differs.
The review was mine, not "Jimmy's".>>
May 25th, 2005, 05:40 PM
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I think you are being much too kind to even think of it as sloppiness, especially since the review attributed to someone else is yours word for word.
What I cannot figure out is the point of the whole thing. Why not simply post it as your review?
Very odd.
THIS is the time when I really wish the "editors" would pop in with some sort of explanation but it will have to be pretty convincing.
What I cannot figure out is the point of the whole thing. Why not simply post it as your review?
Very odd.
THIS is the time when I really wish the "editors" would pop in with some sort of explanation but it will have to be pretty convincing.
May 25th, 2005, 05:41 PM
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Bad. Not only because it credits someone else with your review, but also because it becomes highly misleading. There is no way that "Jimmy" could have had a full meal there for US $ 40. in December 2004. I ate there last May and paid 46.50 Euros (!) for a meal with an inexpensive bottle of Frascati.
May 25th, 2005, 05:44 PM
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The odd thing is that once upon a time my review WAS there, under my name.
I can understand if they want to delete older reviews, but why they would repost it under a very recent date and under someone else's name is beyond me. Unless "Jimmy" just plagiarized it?
I can understand if they want to delete older reviews, but why they would repost it under a very recent date and under someone else's name is beyond me. Unless "Jimmy" just plagiarized it?
May 25th, 2005, 06:10 PM
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I also did a random search through the rants and raves and found nothing before Oct. 2002.
Elaine, I can only suppose that, instead of erasing older comments, they have decided to revive them with a newer date. Not a good idea at all, considering that not all restaurants manage to maintain standards indefinitely. Also, as you said, the price point could be out by a considerably factor. I doubt that it is Fodor’s “policy”; probably just some over-enthusiastic techies that miss the point!
Just another reason why I rely on the latest information provided by posters on this site and take everything written in guide books with a grain of salt.
Cmt: The removal of your post seems far more sinister.
I look forward to hearing about your response from Fodor’s.
Elaine, I can only suppose that, instead of erasing older comments, they have decided to revive them with a newer date. Not a good idea at all, considering that not all restaurants manage to maintain standards indefinitely. Also, as you said, the price point could be out by a considerably factor. I doubt that it is Fodor’s “policy”; probably just some over-enthusiastic techies that miss the point!
Just another reason why I rely on the latest information provided by posters on this site and take everything written in guide books with a grain of salt.
Cmt: The removal of your post seems far more sinister.
I look forward to hearing about your response from Fodor’s.
May 25th, 2005, 06:29 PM
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Here's an idea that suggests ineptness, rather than sinister intent. Suppose someone inadvertently deleted material, and/or scrambled it such that they could no longer tell which poster said what. Could they have made up a fictitious name just to get the material back up on the site? Silly, but if someone were covering a behind...
Another thought occurs to me. I don't think this material is released in any way, for copyright purposes. Suppose they wanted to use the comments but couldn't or didn't want to attribute it to an obviously real person? Would they do something as silly as make up a name to use instead?
Come on conspiracy theorists, whatcha got?
Another thought occurs to me. I don't think this material is released in any way, for copyright purposes. Suppose they wanted to use the comments but couldn't or didn't want to attribute it to an obviously real person? Would they do something as silly as make up a name to use instead?
Come on conspiracy theorists, whatcha got?
May 25th, 2005, 07:41 PM
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My guess is that they simply like to keep reviews "up to date" so they needed newer reviews. Since they had so few, they decided to use yours from a few years ago and just pretend it was new. But rather than use your name, they decided to give it a new name.
Yes, it makes them look bad.
Can anyone think of a possible excuse for their posting which makes them look good?
Yes, it makes them look bad.
Can anyone think of a possible excuse for their posting which makes them look good?
May 25th, 2005, 07:45 PM
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Could "Jimmy from Philadephia" have copied your review and posted it to Fodors and they are none the wiser?
How do they know the validity of any rant or rave, when it comes from
Birdbrain in Ohio? or Doofus in DC? There are no credentials required are there?
I haven't paid that much attention to the rants & raves lately, maybe I should check and see if my one and only was changed too!
How do they know the validity of any rant or rave, when it comes from
Birdbrain in Ohio? or Doofus in DC? There are no credentials required are there?
I haven't paid that much attention to the rants & raves lately, maybe I should check and see if my one and only was changed too!
May 25th, 2005, 08:01 PM
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I was just browsing the rants and raves, mine isn't in there at all. But I got to reading some on hotels where I have been, and some of those reviews are funny!
One lady complains that the "Bellagio (Las Vegas) is Nothing like Italy!!" LOL
One lady complains that the "Bellagio (Las Vegas) is Nothing like Italy!!" LOL
May 26th, 2005, 12:32 AM
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"There are no credentials required are there?"
No, there aren't and there aren't any required here, either, but somehow one assumes, perhaps incorrectly, that whatever is posted is actually from that person and is basically factual.
But I'm still amused by the recent post here from someone who said they are "intimidated by walking across large hotel lobbies" which is why they never stay in large hotels.
So, I gues you have to take all the reviews with a grain of salt sometimes.
No, there aren't and there aren't any required here, either, but somehow one assumes, perhaps incorrectly, that whatever is posted is actually from that person and is basically factual.
But I'm still amused by the recent post here from someone who said they are "intimidated by walking across large hotel lobbies" which is why they never stay in large hotels.
So, I gues you have to take all the reviews with a grain of salt sometimes.
May 26th, 2005, 02:58 AM
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On further reflection perhaps it is irrelevant to classify the whole thing as "bad" (my earlier proferred term) or sloppy or anything since the really worst (IMO) result of this kind of behavior is the ultimate <b> suspicion </b> it sets up in one's mind about veracity and reliability. And that feeling of suspicion takes a very long time to dispell sometimes.
May 26th, 2005, 05:38 AM
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Yes, I think Intrepid's last comment describes the unfortunate result, I'll not regard the rants and raves reviews with much creditibilty in the future.
O'R, you're right, I guess we should rely most on the recent comments posted on this forum.
O'R, you're right, I guess we should rely most on the recent comments posted on this forum.
May 26th, 2005, 06:06 AM
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<i>"I'll not regard the rants and raves reviews with much creditibilty in the future."</i>
I never did. There are very few places foodies can go for reliable customer feedback. Tourist guide books are among the worst places.
I never did. There are very few places foodies can go for reliable customer feedback. Tourist guide books are among the worst places.
May 26th, 2005, 06:10 AM
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"There are very few places foodies can go for reliable customer feedback. Tourist guide books are among the worst places."
And if I may add, message boards such as this are also among the worst at providing reliable feedback.
And if I may add, message boards such as this are also among the worst at providing reliable feedback.
May 26th, 2005, 06:17 AM
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<i>"And if I may add, message boards such as this are also among the worst at providing reliable feedback."</i>
As I've said before, everything depends on everything else. There are certain fodorites whose opinions I would trust. It takes time to learn the playing field but this is true of any public forum. I'll take veteran, individual opinion over generic group opinion any time, especially if I respect the individual's knowledge, experience, and sense of taste.
As I've said before, everything depends on everything else. There are certain fodorites whose opinions I would trust. It takes time to learn the playing field but this is true of any public forum. I'll take veteran, individual opinion over generic group opinion any time, especially if I respect the individual's knowledge, experience, and sense of taste.
