I did wonder if I should wait until my 25th review to write this one.After all, it is only a couple of reviews away.But then that could be eons later.If it were in my nature to wildly exaggerate to prove a point, I’d say, I average one review per annum.
I also have a major confession to make.A while back, at work one day, I was reading a review by Rahul (loverboy_17_4U), my co-worker, a particularly annoying French-Lebanese, happened to see the banner on top with his name, and started winking at me saying ”Ah ha, loverboy, eh ?”So now, Mr. French-Lebanese thinks I’m some kind of desperado, surfing sites meant for desperados. (No offence to you Rahul, but you know how these things are)
I guess I could have explained it to him, but that would mean, introducing him to MS, which in turn would mean, he would read my last review on work (wherein I have set out in great detail, what exactly I do at work).So that’s why, I havta grind my teeth and force myself to smile at him as he winks at me conspiratorily. (One of these days, I fear I’ll lose it and poke his eye out)
Anyways, since my much-vaunted dexterity in minimizing windows was most painfully proven to have been over-rated, I’m playing it safe at work these days and generally avoid logging onto MS at work.Or writing them
I have this uncanny knack of veering away from the topic, but I feel I owe this to all those who have been sending M2M’s wondering why I’m not writing.Okay now I think I’ve managed to make it sound like, “Me” not writing is the worst thing that happened to MS.So, I’m gonna get down to reviewing MS.
Introduction to MS
MS, I suppose, if one really had to classify it into some fixed category, is a site for consumers.I’m not sure how it was conceived, whether Faisal saw it as such or whether he envisioned something wider in scope.But I don’t know if anyone really thinks of it as a site for reviewing products alone.At least I know I don’t.When was the last time I wrote a review on something you could buy off a shelf or walk into or sit down and watch?MS has evolved into what it is now.A meeting place of sorts for people from all ages and walks of life.
It’s USP
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, the USP of this site is the interaction between the people that make up the site. MS wouldn’t be quite what it is, without the wonderful opportunity we have at present to read and write comments.I love writing comments though that I don’t always have the time for it these days (thanks to Mr. French-Lebanese) and I love reading them too.
Quite recently, I was shocked at some of the comments left on a review by a first time reviewer.However badly written the review, maybe, I think it’s always important to be nice to a newcomer.In the case I’m referring to, the person has never written or rated again, and I’m not surprised.I think, a first time writer, should be encouraged, and not laughed at for his/her poor mastery over the language.
Censorship
Does MS have a right to censor?Are they curbing one of our fundamental rights by deleting or editing reviews?My answer is No.They’re not really.If I were running a site, I wouldn’t want any racist, malevolent reviews on it.I wouldn’t want writers on my site, who harbour childish venom or who are hateful and spiteful.Who revenge-rate or who plagiarise or who write reviews designed to kick up a controversy.
Last month, a famous American magazine carried a feature on the septuagenarian Indian prime Minister, Mr. AB Vajpayee.Their main concern was the wisdom of having such an unfit man at the pinnacle of power, with his finger poised over the nuclear button.Its all very fine to cite the “freedom of the press” and say that the magazine has a right to air its views, but in this case, I’m saddened to think that the general American public reading this article will have this image of a reckless, foolhardy Indian state, which ‘knoweth not what it does”.
It was just as disappointing and disheartening to read extremely derogatory (to say the least) comments about India the other day, on MS, written by a non-Indian.A hateful review on a country, masquerading as a review on its national airlines.
The man who wrote that review is a self confessed India-hater and I’m appalled that he’s allowed to continue to vent his racist thoughts time and again on the site.I would NR any review that was written in the same vein, no matter what it was about.And that’s what I did in the case as well.But, in my view, it shouldn’t have come to that at all.Such a review should simply not have seen the light of day!
Mouthshut Support
I think its natural that MS Support takes a lot of flak.Just like students have this love-hate relationship with teachers at school, or with the management at work, the people who work at MS, have to put up with complaints day in and day out.Some of them may be justified, some a tad too unfair.I have personally always got quick responses and messages from them and I really cannot fault them in anyway.
Mouthpad
Aaah.I think of Mouthpad as my nemesis.There’s this fellow MSian and friend (name concealed out of fear for safety of self) who bursts into evil laughter every time one of my reviews gets rejected by Mouthpad.You see he’s had a couple rejected as well and poor soul, I think it makes him feel better to see another get the axe.I finally find the time to write a review and it gets rejected by Mouthpad for want of an appropriate category.The earlier mentioned MSian and I are keeping tabs, and for your information, I’m leading with four rejects, so far.Maybe I should settle down and write conventional reviews. LOL.I do wish MS could come up with some solution for this.Maybe some sorta “create ur own category”?
Star writers
As MS says, there are no strict guidelines, for choosing a Star Writer.There are inexplicable omissions and inclusions.Your guess is as good as mine why some of the finest writers on this site are not, and others are.Okay, so if I forget for a minute, that I’m one myself, I’d say a Star Writer is someone who is active, popular and represents the ethos of the site.
Contests
I think its really nice that MS holds contests, though to be quite frank, I stopped reading the restaurant reviews(unless they were by a member who I knew as a good writer) long before the contest was over.I know that sounds unfair to the new members, but after reading over a dozen restaurant reviews for about two weeks, let’s just say I lost all “appetite “ for them.But on the whole, quite an innovative idea.
MS Community
I’d love it, if the MS team would write and post a review on the site on MS on a regular basis.Kinda like a personal account of happenings at the site rather than just a summary of activities or member news. It’d be great to hear what its like to be on the other side. And it would make the concept of interaction even more meaningful.
To sum up friends, at least no one can complain we’re short of excitement!!.It is but natural that we all have our differences:
When all men think alike, no one thinks very much.’’