Poll: Rep system...is it flawed?

[dr del]

Hi,

I just gave rep out...for no reason...didn't say anything. Because I can. Is the system true? Is it flawed?


I just don't understand how someone who has been on this site for 3 months has 5 green bars and has earned more privileges than an individual who has been a member for 6 years?

Does that seem right...because I just showed that you can give rep out for absolutely no reason at all.


I guess I am just one that, if it is going to be done...shouldn't it be done right?

The thing should just be called the "popularity meter" because really that is all it is. It has nothing to do with being helpful...it can...but it's not the foundation to the system at all.

The system's fine - the people might need work.

We used to require people to leave a comment - that was removed after asking the members about it.

We don't control if you want to give positive or negative or no thanks to anyone else on the site. Why would we want to and what on earth would give us the right to.

We do stop people having fights via the reputation system and the amount of points ( positive or negative ) is set according to a couple of different factors - length of membership being one of them in fact.

But if someone has been here three months helping people as best they can and as often as they can then they should have a higher rep than someone who joined on a whim 8 years ago and has been here about 10 times since without even trying to help anyone.

There are members of the site who I hold in awe for their depth and breadth of knowledge.

But some hardly ever post and most other members don't even know they have an account. If they never post there is no way to give them any rep.

As for the system not knowing if you had a legitimate reason for pushing the button? No button does.

Do you also press the call button in elevators or pull the firealarm just because they are there?

It's not up to the button to make you behave in a sensible manner. It's not up to me either.

I'm just here to disconnect the button if you can't be trusted with it so badly it causes problems for the site.


dr del