Are some people cheating to get a high score?

[bmendez]

Hi All,

Thanks for the heads up DustSabre,

Yes, we've known that the certificate system was not perfect. But we wanted to make them available so that the volunteers could have something that shows our appreciation for their efforts. They are not really meant as awards as such, but rather tokens of our gratitude.

I never really liked the term 'cheaters' (that was just the language that appeared on the board before I had a chance to star this thread). We've taken great lengths to assure that real cheating (e.g. altering our database to be discoverer of a dust particle, etc.) is impossible.

What people had been accused of doing (though there was never any strong evidence that anyone actually was), was trying to achieve high scores dishonestly. This is much the same thing. Someone could dishonestly create their own certificates.

Ultimately, it's a pointless thing to do. It can't affect our search and it won't help anyone find real stardust.

So, my thought has always been if someone wants to be dishonest about these things, let them. They aren't really cheating anyone but themselves.

Thanks to all you honest and decent dusters!
-Bryan

[reddwarf]

I dont think it is too malicious. Having said that I think there could certainly be a couple of improvements to make it a little less easy to do. I suppose we could also ask why should we have to make those imrovements? But that is a wider moral debate.

Some people have obviously been upping their scores by wasting a little too much of their time on calibrations rather than the real movies, and other such behaviours.

I certainly try to dissuade this sort of thing.

[norcalstardust]

hm...banning the IP is imho not the right way...

here in germany most peoples IP changes every time they dial in (at least every 24 hours, because of a disconnect after 24h), so this is not really a problem to change the ip...

if you detect that someone only views calibrationmovies, i think banning the account, or better, reset the scores (the score necessary for the top 100 may be sufficient, the %scores for sensitivity and so could stay, if they change their opinion and start to search )...

but i hope you are successful in securing the search, so nobody can cheat :)

Good point