What would be wrong with encouraging this system for both the original poster and subsequent posts?
Joe, for example, gives this spiffy hat on ebay *****/*****. Trevor, looking at the listing, realizes, with his vast knowledge of the GAoP, that a leather baseball cap with an embroidered Calico Jack, though cool looking, is not exactly "period". So Trevor posts his observations, and gives the hat a 0/*.
It's just like shorthand for what we're already posting, but would make sorting through posts/threads easier.
If we shouldn't let folks rate an item in stars because we don't trust their evaluation, then why are we letting just "anyone" on this board post at all? Should potential posters be carefully screened?
I've still got a broken wrist, and am still typing left handed. So it's difficult, physically, for me to make this post. But I really think Patrick is on to something here, and I'm also beginning to get concerned about people becoming afraid to post what knowledge or experience they DO have, because of the likelihood of their being blasted.