Ideally, the iPod's random feature would take a look at ratings and play songs with 5 stars more frequently and stars with 1 star almost never. Since they don't do that, it seems most people have redefined the meanings of the stars. Here's what mine mean:

•     * - This song sucks. Get it off my iPod and out of my library.
•    ** - Needs attention: it's missing album art, it has a long gap at the end that needs to be removed, etc.
•   *** - An average song that i don't need on the iPod but still want to keep in the library. Used when i had space considerations. Now that i'm currently rocking with 80gigs, this one doesn't get used.
•  **** - This is a good band and i need to get more of them.
• ***** - This song has a good part or an interesting approach that i would like to use (i.e., "steal") for one of my own songs

How about you?

* - who put this crap on my iPod?

** - problem with the song (skip, silence) in the first half

*** - problem with the song in the second half

**** - no album art

***** - never used

* - never used
** - never used
*** - never used
**** - never used
***** - this song rocks, put it on a mix.

Five stars is unsurpassable
Four is unbelievable
Three stars is undulating
Two stars is uninspiring
One star is unpalatable

But you get no stars.