reputation points

how do I have -5 reputation points, I had like 10, and all of a sudden -5.

Someone with 15+ points of rep power must have docked you for a negative or inaccurate post. Some consider that a hint.

Are the rep points really necessary? Sure they're fun and everything but it all seems like a popularity contest to me
Just my opinion.

Someone with 15+ points is likely to be more experienced and knowledgeable, therefore a new members has a way to handicap the wide variety of responses they are likely to receive.

FWIW, those points don't just get passed out like candy. Members with points have earned them and are known for providing good, solid advice. Just my .02...

But if you look at cornman6969 or whatever his name is, he has 7 rep points or something and suddenly everyone is accusing him of having false credentials! I'm not making any accusations here, but if he didn't give good solid advice, why does he have those rep points? You get a rep point for every 100 posts you make, who's to judge whether those posts have been helpful or not? They could have been just filled with smilies or a couple of words, not remotely helpful. Even this post will contribute to my own rep points, is it really a helpful post?

Originally Posted by Itsnowingcorns

I'm not making any accusations here, but if he didn't give good solid advice, why does he have those rep points?

Some may have agreed with what he said and added to his reputation.

Originally Posted by Itsnowingcorns

You get a rep point for every 100 posts you make, who's to judge whether those posts have been helpful or not?

Your peers, anyone and everyone here.

Originally Posted by Itsnowingcorns

Even this post will contribute to my own rep points, is it really a helpful post?

Yes it is a helpful post because there may be 20 other poeple who were wondering the same thing but didn't ask the questions you have just asked.

Your peers, anyone and everyone here.

Their judgement may not always be best though.

Rep Points and Rep Power are confusing with the names being similiar.

You get 1 Rep Power for every 100 posts.

The number of green boxes under your avatar is a representation to everyone, how many rep points you have.

Of course you can check your own rep points in your user cp but you can't look in anyone else's, hence the little green boxes.

You also gain Rep Power from time spent here. If you look around, you'll see people that haven't posted in ages or don't have too many posts but they have good Rep Power level...look at the date they joined, in this case it's ususally a member from early on in CS.com

I like the rep system personally, it's not a popularity contest it simply shows everyone who has a good reputation in our community.

I like the system also, I think it's handy for a necomer getting mixed opinions in some cases. Not everyone has coventional views on all the topics here, and they post what works for them, which is cool, but the rep power helps to substantiate the post, I think. Am I making sense here?

And there are some people who deserve more rep points but have been unable to receive them simply because you can't add to the same person's reputation more than once without giving rep points to several other people first. This is the only thing I don't like about it.