If readers are required to post a reply before voting, I can see one of two things happening:
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Shy, inexperienced users will be afraid to reply, and voting will fall off, thereby widening the gap between the truly experienced and the neophytes.
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Everyone and their uncle will post quickie replies, which might:
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Dilute the ratings pool.
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Create a lot of additional work for consideration.
If we can address those issues satisfactorily, then I'm all for the change.
As for the particular method for rescaling the existing voting system, there are a number of possibilities. Between weighted redistribution and renormalization, it will be a daunting task to come up with a fair system. Not impossible; merely difficult.
-v.
"Perl. There is no substitute."