must spread around

Originally Posted by diamondlil

Just a suggestion, could the rep points carry no weighting? As in a rep from any member would equal the same value? When someone wants to rep a post, it shouldn't (IMO) mean more or less who they are, how long they've been here, etc

I think I could set up the rep options in that manner. Basically give zero weighting to EVERYTHING and just give everyone an initial number of rep power points. The options page has been posted in this thread for comment along such lines. I'm looking for thoughts on what people would like to see from that system before I implement any changes.

But there will always be issues from people who really WANT to abuse the system. For instance, without some limits on the number of times someone can rep another, what is to prevent two people from giving each other rep over and over again just to inflate their rating? There ARE people who would do such a thing, for whatever reason. Heck, there are people out there that think the number of "friends" they have listed on Facebook really means something... Some people are just competitive by nature, even when there is no prize for some perceived "winner".

Actually a while back I asked my programmer about making is such that someone giving someone else rep points would have them subtracted from their own rating. He thought it was a bad idea, so that idea went no further. I thought that if giving rep actually cost you something, it would make you much more circumspect about someone giving it out. As it is, it doesn't cost a thing to rep everyone you can, so why not? Maybe they will even give YOU rep in return. After all, it is free. But my programmer felt that everyone would just stop using the rep system entirely if set up that way. So I tried to do that in another manner by severely limiting the number of reps you could give out in a 24 hour period.

If the rep number is no longer displayed, what benefit would there be to people repping each other back and forth, to up their rep? And if they really think it's that important, they're probably the only ones who care anyway.

As for limits to prevent abuse, how about 10 reps in 24 hours and only 1 rep to any given user a week? I can't see anyone but the clinically odd waiting with baited breath to give a special chum a weekly rep point!

Originally Posted by Nanci

If the rep number is no longer displayed, what benefit would there be to people repping each other back and forth, to up their rep? And if they really think it's that important, they're probably the only ones who care anyway.

How long has it been since the rep power number has not been displayed? Has it slowed down anything since then?

Janine, then you're back to the spread it around problem.

Originally Posted by Nanci

Janine, then you're back to the spread it around problem.

I thought the issue was that you have to rep a certain number of other people before repping an individual you've repped before?
For example, I might really like some advice you've given to someone. then I might really like you showing support to someone else. Until I've found other people I want to rep I can't express any more rep for YOU. Now I might only rep 3 posts in any given week, or none at all. So it might take forever to rep you again.
Maybe different limits would work, say 20 reps a week and any particular individual can only get rep from you once a day? There has to be some sort of limit otherwise it'll quickly go off the scale again.

Honestly I don't get exactly how the rep system works. I like to use it to say something a little ??? that I won't say on the thread. Someone posted earlier and I would have just repped with touché, but an argument of have followed and I couldn't rep the person. Maybe comment on a post without adding or subtracting rep, but not making it as public. Nah never mind that would not work I would probably blast to many people in private, if I could.

Page #2, post #12 of this thread shows you all the options I have available to work with for the reputation system. No more, no less. Sorry, but I am not entertaining the idea of any custom programming for this function.

From that list the last to items, I would think, could be lower so that you could give more reps (post a private good post message) without getting .... must spread around

I don't have a big problem with the rep system now, or the way it was. It is not THAT important to me. I don't really care if it is reset to zero or not. BUT - as others have said, it is a nice way to thank somebody for a well thought out post. I have seen other forums that actually say under some posts "X thanks you for this post" or "___ members found this post helpful". I am guessing that this forum format doesn't allow for that?

I have also found that I tend to rep the same people over and over because they constantly write thoughtful and helpful posts. That DOES stop me from leaving rep for some who deserve it, until I can make the rounds and rep them again later.

I am not too wild about negative rep. I have seen "wars" over negative karma on the BOI. If it was seen only by the member and mods, and not public, then I guess it would be a way of letting somebody know that their post was not appreciated, without getting into a war for the world to see.

I really miss the age disclosure. I do reply somewhat differently to kids. I don't expect them to be experienced, and I understand that they may not think as logically as adults (are supposed to, anyway!). I do cut them some slack. I have found that even "20 somethings" sometimes revert to teenage thought processes on occasion. That is just the way humans are made. By the time we pass the 30 mark or so, I do expect more thoughtfulness and logical thinking. A 30 or 40 year old (or older) may be new to corns or herps, but they SHOULD be experienced in being a decent human being who can communicate effectively with other humans. If they can't, then I may not bother to help them in the same way I would make an effort to help a kid or teenager. Maybe age GROUPS would be more palatable, if allowed by this format? Such as "under 18", "19 - 30", "over 30", or something like that? True, they can lie about their age. But don't you already have something in place so that minors have to get parental approval before joining, or something similar?

Also, I don't care for the user pages. I virtually never use them, except when replying to somebody who posted on mine. Then I go to their page to reply. So, as stated earlier, I only see a bunch of random comments on my page, or somebody else's page. I would be happy to see that feature gone. I can message anyone if needed - which is what I already do.

I do have some opinions about the whole system, as mentioned above. But it is not a terribly important aspect of the site to me. So I am sure I will be happy with whatever you decide.