To get back to the serious side of the thread, as it was started..
I like the Reputation Points function of the forum. I think it really reflects those who are mature, honest, and well-spoken in their many threads and replies around here. And no, not because I have 4 green dots. Up until last week I only had 2, but thanks to being myself, people felt the need to add to my reputation.
Warning: Not to generalize everyone or lump them together, but more often than not (especially reading this thread and others like it) the people who are more apt to gripe about it being a "popularity contest" or "unfair" because those of us with points are in some super-dooper clique...don't have many points at all.
So tell me, if its all about a popularity contest that you're claiming you have no interest in...why're you complaining in the first place?
Could it be that its just as important for you, a human being, to be liked and accepted like the rest of us who have worked hard to earn our points? Maybe those who are more apt to gripe about their lack of points should look at how we got all of our points, instead of just crying out "Woe, to the unfairness!" everywhere.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MADMAN
only a game that interests people playing it
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I'm like Cav, I couldn't disagree more. The majority of the forum base are mature members, who can resist shelling out points for selfish reasons. We only shell out points to posts or indviduals we feel have gone above and beyond the norm, or on the contrary truly felt your post wasn't worthwhile to the other members of the forum.
Aside from nagging Rich everytime we don't like someone or their post, this is the easiest way to check and balance the membership in our community. If you get a mass of negative points, obviously what you're doing isn't kosher by the rest of us. On the flip side, it feels really good to get "pats on the back" for doing something right, and you're more than likely going to try to repeat said activity.
To sum it all up, its a good visual tool to relay the weight of someone's post and their trustworthiness to a newcomer. They don't know InsanePenguin from Serp (unless they totally miss the terrible typing), but based on the 5 green dots to the 10 red ones, it should help him/her a little more to learn from someone who has the knowledge and maturity of having earned every dot.
As for people abusing it...look at the type of people they are, the posts they make..and try to evaluate why they have little reputation.
I personally think that to be able to give more than one negative point a day, you need to have a reputation over 20. That way it'd limit those who just feel the need to bitch about the injustices of being piddly on the totem pole. And are just out to ruin everyone else who must have "wronged" them in an alternate universe. I also think that when leaving rep points, you should be
required to leave a comment. I'd really like to know WHY I received the points I have, it makes it easier to be a better citizen of the forum.