Can we improve VBForums Star Rating system?

[boops boops]

The starred threads on VB.Net (and presumably other forums) seem largely to be the result of people starring their own threads -- inevitably with 5 stars. What is more, the threads so starred are often the very worst -- someone failing to ask a clear question, multi-posting and bumping, continually wheedling for ready-made code, never showing own code, never rating people who help them, and an avatar with a décolleté (dear reader, if you recognize yourself in this ... good). The present star rating system has the merit of simplicity, but apart from that it is misleading and distracting, making the forums less pleasant to use and less valuable to people searching the forums for information.

What could we do about this? Barring people from starring their own threads would be an obvious start. But the OPs concerned shun no means of grabbing attention, so it wouldn't surprise me if they create multiple identities for this purpose. An alternative could based on a kind of like/dislike system:



The point values and the texts could no doubt be tinkered with and improved.

BB