Poll: Rep system...is it flawed?

[Jerhart]

FWIW, small cow turns the corner for the home stretch, about to tie it up! Go small cow go!

[OhhWatALoser]

Any of you guys have teachers that gave you stickers when you were in first or second grade? Did those stickers have any real value outside the classroom? Did they make a difference in the real world? Did you get them simply for participating as well as achievement? Once you realized that cute as they were they had no real value did you feel sad? Cheated? Ready to play on the swings because you never bothered to think of them past the -wow what a pretty sticker- part of having stickers at all?

Did you pine for stickers? Long for them? Plan nefarious deeds in order to obtain them, to possess them, to hold them shiny and bright in your very own hands?

Seriously, they're stickers that we get for participating and occasionally achieving something cool; picture, clutch, cleverly worded diatribe, etc. etc. etc.

Sometimes, not always but sometimes, a thing is just what it seems to be. The greenies are just a way for others to be nice to you. Either be nicer, grow a tougher skin, or alter you perceptions of what is important.

I think the point of this thread is that the new kid that comes into the class and sees all the stickers on one person's name thinks "wow they must be really know what their doing, im going to listen to them" Everyone seems to be making it out like OP is mad about not having many bars, which he obviously is not.

[Jerhart]

I think the point of this thread is that the new kid that comes into the class and sees all the stickers on one person's name thinks "wow they must be really know what their doing, im going to listen to them" Everyone seems to be making it out like OP is mad about not having many bars, which he obviously is not.

This is partially it. There are many knowledgable people on here who are brand spanking new who are as well, if not better versed in the hobby than many of the "veterans." However, it is some of the new members AND veterans who have earned rep points for simply posting pics and saying "yeah I agree!" which I feel skews the 'sticker' system...showing who is helpful and who isn't.

As for myself, if you search my post, I post probably the most nonsense-filled irrelevant replies on this board. I joke most of the time so no, it's not about me. It's about what does the rep REALLy mean?

[kitedemon]

If I may just add 2¢. I don't have a problem with the rep system but perhaps it should not apply for off topic forums. Getting tons of thanks for posting pictures or something that is not relevant to the topic of reptiles seems odd. Thanks for reptile related posts but none for off topic sections.

[JLC]

If I may just add 2¢. I don't have a problem with the rep system but perhaps it should not apply for off topic forums. Getting tons of thanks for posting pictures or something that is not relevant to the topic of reptiles seems odd. Thanks for reptile related posts but none for off topic sections.

What if in certain sub forums the reputation wasn't effected by thanks, like the picture galleries?

The software isn't that sophisticated. It's either on...or off.

[kitedemon]

Sorry Judy I didn't read all the banter, just thinking, I guess it is stuck the way it is.

[bassistjon112]

If you choose "I disapprove" in the rep can the user see that you gave them one? Or can every body? Or is it anonymous? Because Ive seen some pretty bad advice giving on here but I know the person would interwebs attack me if I said any thing.

Now to add my thoughts on the actual subject.... I think its flawed, it seems more about popularity but hey they are just little green bars. Also it's similar to post count some times, people assume that person is a all knowing guru because they have a super duper high post count but it's not always the case. After that though it doesn't seem as flawed. If some stranger is going to give you thanks you probably deserved it. And for people who have been here awhile, to my understanding it will say veteran next to your name so there is your green bars. To me veteran means more than some bars.

If none of this makes sense just don't mind me, I'm tired

[JLC]

If you choose "I disapprove" in the rep can the user see that you gave them one? Or can every body? Or is it anonymous?

Different sites are set up differently, so don't assume what I say here will apply to another forum. Here at BP.net, only you (and the staff, if they have a reason to look) can see the rep comments left for you by others, positive or negative. And they are NOT anonymous. You'll always see who left them.

Also, we don't look kindly on retaliatory rep games. But we'll only know about such things if they are reported to us.

[wolfy-hound]

I give rep points or thanks when a post is really good(i.e. someone takes the time to type out a in depth response explaining something in reply to a question, someone answers in a particularly witty way, someone posts something unusual to share it with everyone). I very rarely will give neg points out, reserving that for only when someone is obviously being a jerk, nasty or trolling. I never give a neg point to someone because of a difference in opinion or because they don't agree with something I said, etc. You pretty much have to TRY to get me to give you a neg point, really.

I don't thank every single post on a thread of mine. I don't thank every picture posted. It's not that I don't enjoy those, or feel appreciated when people post on a thread. I just always thought of rep points as something to give for specially good postings, not just all the time.

This is only the way I feel about the system, not the way I think everyone should do it. I think that if someone is new and they are making a lot of good posts, they can rack up a lot of points fairly quickly. If a lot of newer members have started assigning points or thanks to every single post in a thread they've started, you'll see folks getting higher point totals.

Haha, I just looked at my own green boxes and it says "Wolfyhound can't wait to help you!". While that might not be true on my grumpy days, at least I try not to post nasty comments just because I'm having a bad day and am in pain. LOL.

[PitOnTheProwl]

This is only the way I feel about the system, not the way I think everyone should do it. I think that if someone is new and they are making a lot of good posts, they can rack up a lot of points fairly quickly. If a lot of newer members have started assigning points or thanks to every single post in a thread they've started, you'll see folks getting higher point totals.

I thanked you just because I can LOL
I dont see rep points as anything important.
A post means more to be than little green boxes do, even time as a member means NOTHING if you information in not valuable.