Two new and fairly major updates today:

(1) Rating limit on partially suspended users – Partially suspended users can no longer leave negative ratings. While suspended, the only rating option available for them to give their partners in their swaps is the “5” rating. We have had some trouble with suspended users leaving retaliatory and unfair ratings for their partners. This change prevents that from happening. However, if/when a user makes up their poor ratings and becomes un-suspended, all of the rating options become available once again. It is still up to each individual to determine whether to send to a suspended member based on whether you believe they will fix their poor ratings and become a good swapper again. It is a tricky situation, but this change will at least stop good swappers from being “hurt” by questionable swappers.

(2) Swaps now closed after six months – All swaps will now be “closed” six months after their send date. At this time the swap will no longer be editable by the coordinator and participants will no longer be able to view their partners’ address info or rate their partners. This change prevents users’ addresses from being on view indefinitely to their previous swap partners. It also ensures that swappers can put old swaps “behind them” and no longer have to worry about things like if they are going to get a bad rating from a partner they sent to but never heard from.

This is what the swap option box will look like in a closed swap:

This change works with our automatic account suspension system (see previous update info here and here) to provide a statute of limitations on poor swap performance. Six months after a swap, a swapper can no longer receive a new rating in order to remove a “1” from their account, but their “1” ratings are no longer used as a determining factor in the automatic account suspension at that time. Basically, once a swap is six months old it is closed and your rating (or non-rating) is set in stone. Of course, since this is a new (and abrupt) change, we can work with any coordinators who need any assistance or wiggle room.

A few words about partial and full suspensions: The computer handles all partial suspension that are based on users having four, or more, “1” ratings. Those suspension happen automatically, so it is important that we all rate honestly and promptly so that the computer can do its job effectively. Swap-bot Admins also partially suspend users for questionable performance or for being underage. Full suspension is only used for a small number of reasons (fraudulent or dangerous behavior, using an account to spam other users, invalid or questionable address, duplicate accounts, or offensive or hurtful behavior). Now that users are able to delete their accounts, full suspension only indicates a breach of our rules or policies. Having a certain number of “1” ratings does not necessarily mean that a user will be fully suspended. We rely heavily on our coordinators to determine who they allow in their swaps. Even if a swapper who has recevied a bunch of “1”s becomes unsuspended after six months, that does NOT mean that coordinators need to (or should) let them in swaps. Coordinators own their swaps. We are not able to reassign partners or remove participants after a coordinator has assigned partners. Please keep this is mind when choosing what swaps to join. A coordinator’s record and the swap’s wording can tell you a lot about how successful a swap is going to be. Also keep in mind that a low level of flaking is a risk we all take when swapping with others over the internet. Yep. Ok.

Thanks for listening. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions.

UPDATE 10/26/08: We have made some revisions to the site changes released last weekend. In response to user comments we have made the following adjustments:

Swap Closure: Swaps will still be closed six months after the mail deadline, but we have changed what it means to be closed. A closed swap can no longer be edited by the coordinator, and all participant address info is removed from view. However, you can still leave or change ratings. Ratings will always be able to be improved and you will always be able to view the Swap-bot username (and click to go to their profile page) of your previous partners.

Rating changes: Positive ratings now “lock in” after a two-week revision period. Two weeks after rating your partner you can no longer lower a rating. You can only give higher ratings after the two weeks. For example, if you give your partner a 5, you then have two weeks to change that rating if it was a mistake. After two weeks, the 5 is permanent. If you give your partner a 3, you then have two weeks to lower it to a 1 if needed, but you can raise it to a five at any time. If you give a 1 rating it can be changed to a higher rating at any time. However, you must be very careful when revising ratings to a higher level because they will immediately “lock in” if it has been longer than two weeks after you left their very first rating. The “I do not wish to rate at this time” option becomes unavailable two weeks after giving any numbered rating. Comments and hearts will always be revisable or removable, but changing either will NOT affect a rating’s time stamp and will NOT cause the rating to jump to the top of a person’s rating list.

This rating change requires that we are all more careful and deliberate about our ratings. Make sure that you are rating the correct person in each swap. Also, remember to always include the swap name and your username in each swap package so that you partners can easily rate you.

Travis will be releasing these new changes tonight. Important: All current ratings have been given the two week revision time period. If you believe you have rated anyone a 5 mistakenly, now is the time to revise it. Remember, all low rating can be revised to a higher rating at any time – only 5 ratings become totally permanent after the two-week period.

This rating change is confusing, but it should not affect most of us very often. It basically only prevents users from changing positive ratings in a revengeful manner. It ensures that we never have to worry about losing any of the positive ratings that we have earned.