From: cust_ts@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Tero Sand)
Newsgroups: rec.games.go
Subject: Re: Change my strength?
Date: 22 Nov 92 12:53:02 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki

In article <1enq8aINNlb9@roundup.crhc.uiuc.edu> jlzhong@focus.csl.uiuc.edu (Jialin Zhong) writes:
>Hi Tero,
>
>cust_ts@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Tero Sand) writes:
>
>>In article <1endjmINNifl@roundup.crhc.uiuc.edu> jlzhong@uirvli.csl.uiuc.edu (Jialin Zhong) writes:
>>>While believe or not, I will never set my rank to 3.5UFO (only an example)
>>>although UFO is some kind of standard on igs. The whole thing is not which
>>>ranking system is better. Igs is only an informal forum for go lovers to have
>>>a place to play. Any ranking system, even the UFO system, is not and will not
>>>be perfect. So what is the point? As I and Youyi pointed out before, play with
>>[cut]
>
>>You know, this thing cuts both ways. You say you don't understand why
>                                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>some people want a ranking system, but what _I_ don't understand is why
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>some people (not you, necessarily, you might not just give a damn
>
>I said, if you read my posting again and carefully, that I did not understand
>why some people were so worried about other people's ranking. I hope you
>quote me right if you want to quote. 

You said: "Any ranking system, even the UFO system, is not and will not
be perfect. So what is the point?". To me, that translates to "I don't
understand why there should be a ranking system".

>Be frank with you, what I mean is that
>I don't understand why, for example, a 7kyu worries about whether a 7 dan is
>a real 7 dan or not. Do you think the worry is necessary? 

Depends what you mean by necessary. Okay, to a 7 kyu it might not
(actually, doesn't) matter whether somebody is 7, 6, or 5 dan. However,
to a 1d it might. Believe it or not, some people want to get as even a
match (even if it is only theoretically) as possible, and some people
like to gauge their development. Now, please don't say these people
should leave!

>What I don't give
>a damn is not which particular ranking system (I happen to have the view that
>there is no perfect way to rank players on igs, too bad). I don't give a damn
>to whether or not someone who I don't even know is a true 7kyu (only as an 
>example) or not. I am more concerned about the game than how other people
>should be properly ranked.
>

Yes, you are. But are you willing to allow a system that doesn't effect
the way you can view games, but does accommodate those who feel a
ranking system is an improvement?

>>(frankly)) seem to vehemently *oppose* the idea. My view: as long as you
>>can still set the rank manually, and the server doesn't force handicaps
>>according to rank, those that don't care about ranks can continue to do
>>so.
>
>Okey, so what is the point? There still will be a mass on igs.

Three points spring to mind.

1. You have to ask the rank anyway when you start a game.
2. You can gauge your development, even if only roughly.
3. Somebody who really doesn't know his/her rank can get a rough
   estimate.

Again I ask: why oppose it? What are the drawbacks (except for the
programmers)?

	Tero Sand

-- 
	EMail: cust_ts@cc.helsinki.fi   or   custts@cc.helsinki.fi
   "I feel most ministers who claim they've heard God's voice are eating
too much pizza before they go to bed at night, and it's really an 
intestinal disorder, not a revelation." - Reverend Jerry Falwell
Newsgroups: rec.games.go