Thank you for your reply Master Mormegil. I understand updating your skin with enhancements but if a third of your skin needs fixed because it doesn't work how does it rate so high. I can see it getting a higher rating after the problem is fixed but not before then. Thats my question.

Thank you davad70. That answers my question. I have looked at many skins that the author updates and states that that there was a problem and this will correct it. Thats why I asked the question after seeing the initial high rating.

also there is a lot of discussion about updates lately that makes the skinners more sensitive about listing all the fixes explicitly in the description so no one will think they didn't have a good reason to update it.
Most updates fix realatively minor things that are huge to the artist but probably not noticed by most users.

Thank you paxx. I was just trying to make sense out of chaos. I guess ratings are in the eyes of the rater. Pretty to one might not be to another.

I have yet to see anyone defend the ratings system ... so why hasn't it been removed?

No wait, I know, it was implemented as a method to save bandwidth. The idea was (and is) that in times of high bandwidth usage, non-members and lowerclass members will only see skins with a rating higher than X (don't know the exact number).

In the about section of WC, it says nonmembers and exiles can down load 7 and above.

Yes, and it implies that you have to be an apprentice or above to comment on skins. I see a lot of citizen comments. O well, I guess its just a guide.

In an ideal world, each and every submission would be of equal quality and/or standard....but it ain't an ideal world, so there needs to be a way to control/limit band-width demands. This is the raison d'etre for wallpaper moderations and skin 'rating'.
Now, by limiting those who have access to the 'rating' function to 'peers', or those who actually [hopefully] understand the ins and outs of skinning, you 'should' get a more 'informed' rating and/or comment, circumventing the 'wow, this ownz', and 'you sux0rz' type of dross that really helps no-one.
Now, egos being what they are, no 'ratings' will ever be universally accepted......pride gets hurt, toes are stood-upon....but take it in the spirit it is given - to simply maintain some semblance of control of what might ultimately have become an unmanageable monster.

More often than not, I've found that anything with a particularly high 'score' shows an equally high standard of polish/execution, and vise-versa....the same being said for those of 'lower' score and their 'quality'.
[note to self....ease off with the 'quotation marks']..

Anyway, as Paxx maintains, if you don't think much of the 'ratings', just ignore them...