What this instrument is.
A plain account of who rates the gear, how a review is signed, and what makes the score worth trusting.
Community ratings
Every item carries two readings. The community scores it on shared gauges that read 1 to 5, and the publication score measures it against a fixed rubric that reads 0 to 100. Each reads on its own scale. See how we score for the rubric.
Signed with a Field Key
A review is signed with a Field Key, a private signing identity your browser generates for you. Skip the email, the password, the whole account. The key stays on your device. When you post, your review carries a signature, so a voice builds a track record while your identity stays yours.
Generated in browser. Stored on device.
Weighting
Signatures carry different weight. A verified key counts in full. A brand new key counts for less until it earns a history. This is the main defense against manipulation. A flood of fresh keys barely moves a gauge, while one established voice moves it.
Proof of work
Each submission has to solve a small computational puzzle before it is accepted. The cost is trivial for one honest review and painful at scale, which raises the price of spam and automated bots.
Moderation
A submitted review waits in line before it appears. It enters a queue and shows up once it has been approved. The gauges you read have already passed that check.
What moves a number
A gauge moves on signed community ratings, weighted and moderated. Those ratings are the only input. Editors, owners, sponsors: each one stays clear of the number. Whatever keeps the lights on, the gauge answers to the ratings alone. What the score says is what the gear did.