Although I've been in Davis since 1998 and have used Daviswiki.org for a few years now, this is the first time I've created an account, so I'm still pretty new at interacting with this Wiki as an editor (e.g., updating pages, correcting information, adding comments, etc).
With the help of friends, various business owners and food service workers in Davis, I've come the realization that the Daviswiki largely appears to be a place where most people come to vent their frustrations. As one of my friends succinctly put it, "People only give voice when things go wrong. They rarely write about what is done correctly." In regards to the food service industry, most reviews and comments are negative; curiously, few are constructive. This leads me to believe that most people who post negative comments aren't so much interested in helping or seeing a business enterprise improve (so that it can offer them the service that they, the patrons, desire) as they are in complaining, griping and being generally rude and unhelpful to the enterprise in question. Again, I speak in very broad generalizations to most of the posts that I have read. In response to an apparent collective minority of positive commentary, I give my thanks to everyone who has come forward with positive (and true) testimony in defense of a local business.
So here's my plan: Being on a limited budget in a downsizing market economy, I am only able to frequent a small number of restaurants in Davis. Given that I usually don't provide repeat business to an establishment that has not met to my satisfaction, the small number of restaurants that I -do- frequent have earned my patronage. As such, every time someone posts a negative review about an establishment that has earned and kept my patronage, I will make an effort post a contrasting positive review. In order to be as fair and current as possible, each of my counterpoint reviews should cover a new dining experience (as each negative review prompts me to revisit an establishment, so too will it allow me to experience anew the establishment's practices firsthand).
I look forward to learning more about my community and how I can help make it better.
2008-09-05 12:03:12 Howdy Ms. or Mr. Zukumori, and Welcome to the Wiki! My name's Evan, pleased to meet you! Thanks for editing the Crepe House Uni entry. Out of curiosity, are you connected to the business, just a fan, or just someone interested in a new restaurant in town? Once again, welcome to the wiki! —Evan 'JabberWokky' Edwards
2008-10-21 00:32:06 welcome to the wiki, from the looks of what you've done un lerked I think it's going to be nice having you around —StevenDaubert
2008-10-21 07:37:05 If you're interested in date formats, check out the international standard commonly used on the wiki. It's sortable and hard to misread. Don't worry about messing up any entries as you edit... if a mistake is made, it's easy to fix, so just enjoy and try things out to learn as you go. —JabberWokky
2008-10-28 02:16:15 RobRoy isn't a screen name, it's his actual name. Rob Roy is pretty active locally, and has run for City Council in 2006 and earlier this year. —Evan 'JabberWokky' Edwards
2008-10-28 09:08:55 You might want to check out the restaurant guides that some wiki editors have created. There are links to them on the Restaurants entry, about five paragraphs in (Starting with "If you don't trust the random restaurant picker..."). I'm just suggesting it as examples of what others have tried to do to make more constructive reviews. —JabberWokky
2008-10-28 12:18:00 :) Not Wikipedians. The Davis Wiki isn't Wikipedia. We're (like Davis itself) quite a bit more laid back. —JabberWokky
2008-10-29 16:48:37 In response to your question on the Crepe House Uni page, you'll note I had said, "even though women would happily and freely choose to wear sexy clothes in the workplace, that they were deceiving themselves if they thought they were being perceived as serious professionals. Add to this the view of women as "servants," and it does not project a positive picture of women."
You may not agree with my explanation. But that is my explanation.
Also note that many of the restaurant reviews on my page are positive. I'm not here to be a critic, but I will point out positives and negatives when I see them. Some of my favorite restaurants receive scathing reviews from other people. I accept that we have different opinions, and that people will judge for themselves. You seem to have made it a personal crusade to defend your favorite restaurants. I think you'd be better off accepting the fact that not everyone will be happy with every restaurant or with the restaurant's policies. —CovertProfessor
Comments:
You must be logged in to comment on this page. Please log in.