Oh chripes...it's not a "practice". I avoided rating unreceived swaps to keep from being rude to others (life DOES happen) and to keep from getting stressed out by all the big swaps I've been flaked on!

It is ridiculous to get rude and freak out about a rating that is temporary if the swap concerning it is spoken about or taken care of!

If a "system" will be put in place, or an actual "rule" about maximum time limits for rating swaps is made, then that definitely changes things.

The only way it would be wrong now is to give a rating for a swap I wasn't in in the first place (which isn't possible), or to refuse to change it if things are fixed.

If it ever actually becomes something that has a set way of being done, then I'll do it that way. But other than actually sending your swaps correctly and being honest on ratings ultimately, there haven't been any solid "have-to's" concerning swaps themselves.

Sure, if it becomes a rule that one is no longer able to give long periods of time to rate, or to forget about rating all together to avoid the stress for a while, then they will be rules and will be followed. That will make a slightly dishonest system...if swaps have a time limit for responsibility...if you can't be rated poorly for a swap that wasn't received (even though they can always be fixed) regardless of the date.

I do others the consideration of rating soon after receiving swaps...

I contact for many swaps I miss...multiple partner small swaps don't always get PM'd (I had a 20 PC swap and received less than 10 of them....would you PM every one of those? No...maybe a few of them, but most swappers would either rate right away, or give time for PCs to make it late).

If it's such a big deal to get rated for a swap that didn't get to your partner, you'd try to change your rating.

Hmm..I guess I'm done explaining here....I've said as much as can be said....and am in no way in the wrong.

I didn't do the most absolutely thorough and extreemly polite thing and make sure that everyone was PMd again, or check to make sure I got everyone that may not have been PMd, but that isn't wrong. And it's not particularly rude....it's merely not as polite as it could have been.

But then, neither is rating on a strict time-line without any consideration of life circumstances.

I choose to treat swap partners as humans with lives outside of their online pursuits; and only a few suffered from it....and only because they've done nothing as of yet to make sure their ratings remain for the better.

FYI Rachel does not agree with this practice as you can see by her post in the Public Forums regarding the matter. There will soon be a system in place to ensure that this doesn't happen again.

I guess no one really has to agree, as long as I'm not actually doing anything wrong. You really can't please everyone. But I'd much rather give more time for swaps to arrive and rate lost swaps later than usual (even risking ruffled feathers), than to rate immediately and ruffle feathers anyways shrug...no matter what, someone will be miffed.

Waiting at least gives the best chance for swaps to arrive, even when life does happen to those who's lives (or the postal service) interfere with their swaps.

No matter what, swaps eventually get rated...and the un-received ones will eventually have to be communicated about.

I do find it kind of amazing that many insist that it's more likely that a solid and real PC got lost (that gets kept with all the other PCs I receive), than that a message got misplaced or forgotten. Does that even make sense? It sounds more like an argument for argument's sake...

Two years is way to long to rate. I do not agree with you at all. A postcard? Chances are better that you received than that you did not. All the other partners received. Ok delete. Just wanted to let you know I disagree with you.

Comments can be ignored and deleted, or they can be answered to....I hope responding is the right choice in this case...

This is my reply to the next comment...

Thank you for the comment, I appreciate your opinion.

But honestly, the expectation to rate in a timely manner is reasonable for swaps you receive. Not for swaps you don't. There really is no time table for late or not received swaps. Some are strict, some lenient; but most rate at some point.

There is no wrong way to rate old un-received swaps; giving others ample time, and even letting them slide is in no way wrong.

But the assumption that some seem to have that they shouldn't get rated for old swaps seems absurd. They may have forgotten, they may have not gotten PMs, or emails may have ended up in their bulk/spam mail (I in fact just found one from my daughter's teacher in mine today), but as often as not seemingly flaked swaps are actual flaked swaps.

I don't complain about appropriate ratings. When there's a problem I strive to fix it. When there's a miscommunication or confusion, I try to straighten it out. That is part of the responsibility one takes on when they choose to do a swap.

Ratings CAN be changed, and it takes as much effort to PM to explain a swap, or to resend an email than it does to flip out on a rating or send rude PMs as many choose to do instead.

Then people complain about how stressful it all is, when most of the time it's easily avoided.

That shouldn't be my concern, though it is sometimes, that's why I still go through the effort of sending explanations to all those who bother to contact me. They actually show that they care about their ratings for one, and have the sense to see that the problem can be explained or fixed, and are considerate enough to attempt to follow through with their swaps.

There is nothing wrong in giving too much time for a swap to come, but somehow people think there's a time limit to swap responsibilities.

I assume that partners send, that's why all ratings assure that I will re-rate if I receive, and my page states that I am willing to un-rate if they actually contact me back about the missed swaps. Very few have (even including the ones who just flipped out and bitched in their ratings comments instead of actually just PMing me).

It IS polite to PM before rating, and I do most often, but quite frankly it comes down to the swap itself...did it come, will it come, is it a lost cause. Not receiving a package owed you in a swap is the ONLY aspect of a swap you have no control over, or can not ultimately change. That is what the rating system is there for.

It can be changed, and has no permanent effects when it is...

-Kye

Honestly you should rate timely and not wait two years to rate swaps.

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