Reputation - A Seth Cross Debate

[Nenad]

Probably more than half of my posts got deleted so far:

Join Date
June 7th, 2005

Cause i was inactive for 2~ish years, and it's nice. I was such a child back then XD

In any case, when i WAS active Seth was very active (and under a different name x) ) and so were some other people that aren't online at all or not very much (Acehart, Ryoko, Conan etc.)

I sort of like the rep system, but i agree that it's flawed if you think of someones worth by their reputation. What we should have is reputation for each separate forum category, but that is too difficult to achieve. That's why i like the "badge" idea. I rarely even tend to look at reputation nowadays, i only glance over the post count and the join date if the thread is wrong or incorrect and i'm unfamiliar with the username.

 

[SerraAvenger]

So just awarding members with points for answering a question correctly will defeat the purpose of reputation. This reputation would no longer represent a person's attitude nor his/her uniqueness.

The problem is that there are members who I deem very cool but don't have a lot of reputation.

On the other hand, you're right; Reputation rewards attitude, not skill. And sometimes not even how helpful you are. I got more reputation in the social field (discussions, friends, writing etc) than in the wehz and star craft help zone. I think I have like 75% of my posts there.
I think that's off balance.

But maybe its true, and reputation should not reflect skill, rather than integration in the community. And that's what it does.
And I have to admit, the community is great. And it's probably the only reason why I for one am still here, even after growing out of world editors and similar.

And yeah, reputation does do a good job at regulating new members. Not a perfect job, but a good one. It gives them the feeling that they can achieve something by behaving and helping others.

Maybe a two bar system, "respect" and "knowledge" could help separate the two jobs. But then a gain, less is more.

I really dunno.

 

[UndeadDragon]

I would say a 2 bar system could work well.

Reputation, which shows that you have been overall active and such and a Skill or Helping bar which records how many problems you have actually solved.

 

[Slapshot136]

only how would the skill/helping bar be "judged" - what would make it different from the normal bar? would only staff/admins be able to give points to it?

 

[tooltiperror]

Two bars too much. People don't give rep, they won't get "thanks" or whatever you want to add.

Rep is not broken.

 

[Dr.Jack]

Excellent debate, that perhaps could affect the site.
Thanks for hosting it Seth.

Now, on to blessing you all with the opportunity to read my opinion...
I think if understood properly reputation can be a GREAT system. It awards people that help/contribute. As I explained before, I love getting +rep. Not because I care about the green squares (that are, as to 2011, below my name!) but because it is good to know that your effort is is acknowledged. To be frank, if I post something that I believe is contributive/helpful and I don't get thanks/rep I'm disappointed. I feels as if I worked hard for the site, but no one cares. Even more, if I post thread A and thread B, thread A gets 20 reps, thread B gets 2, I'll know to post more threads like thread A, because people appreciate more these kind of threads. So yes, as someone that contributes to the site (or at least contributed), reputation is a great way to be rewarded, and to know how to contribute.

As for HOW to use REP. Firstly, I think anyone should use it however he feels like. If someone made me laugh, and I feel appreciative to his post, and I think he deserves respect for being witty, he'll get REP! Even more, if I see someone working hard to contribute, but I don't think he did a good job/his effort may help others but not me, I'll still REP him for making the effort. If someone helped me directly, sure as heck I'll rep him, as appreciation! If someone made an interesting argument in a debate/posted a smart well put thread/posted an interesting new articles etc. I'll rep the person because he made the forum interesting and fun to read. However, there are limitations. Even if I like someone, but he doesn't contribute to the site, I will not REP him. Maybe I like him, but I don't respect him necessarily because he is not contributive.

All in all forums are made by the community and nothing else. If someone gets a lot of REP that means many people respect him, and each one respected in his own way. Some because he made them laugh, others because his effort but it doesn't matter as long as people appreciate him.

As for -REP. I think we don't use it enough. You have NO idea how many times I want to -rep someone. If he speaks 1337, says something stupid/offensive, or just make worthless post, I'm so tempted to hit that -REP button. But it is considered rude and an extreme action so I hold back. But I think if we used -REP more people will understand people how their posts are viewed and will avoid making idiotic posts. Also at the moment someone with 3000 posts probably has at least 300 rep, but he still may be very disrespected, just no one ever gave -rep because they didn't want to be rude.

So, to conclude, I think we use REP correctly. maybe more -REP would be better for the site, but at the moment it seems like people prefer to avoid that.
And remember, we are here to help, not to get REP. Sure, REP is a nice thing to get because it shows appreciation, but the important thing is to help and contribute.

 

[Slapshot136]

I think that rep will be used much less often now because of where the button is..

and I think it's pretty much only the staff that gives -rep, since for others then you would get this like -rep in return fest/etc.

 

[FireCat]

Well, let's Just keep it like it is.

 

[Bartuc08]

Well, let's Just keep it like it is.

This is a debate... not a suggestion thread.

@Dr.Jack
I don't necessarily agree with the -rep, at the moment it takes genuine effort to achieve a noticeable reputation. If we started -rep on nitty-gritty things then we'd most likely scare away would be contributors.

 

[Ninva]

@Dr.Jack
I don't necessarily agree with the -rep, at the moment it takes genuine effort to achieve a noticeable reputation. If we started -rep on nitty-gritty things then we'd most likely scare away would be contributors.

Good point, I agree.

 

[azareus]

I like the rep system, even though the Hive system with icons for contests etc. intrigues me...

Maybe a testperiod?

 

[Ninja_sheep]

Well, this forum itself proves that the current system is working.

 

[Pineapple]

Let's just keep in mind; We're not discussing making changes; Just current opinions. I want to make that clear, especially if some more of the Staff come by and decide that the conversation is getting too... "Progressive", let's say

You all seem to be forgetting this.

 

[Hatebreeder]

I don't see -rep being distributed so often ( well, I only got it once ).

And it doesn't ruin your rep count as much ( -1 to your rep count really is nothing... ). Besides it takes a while until you can -rep a person again.

So, I don't see -rep as a sort of threat, but as a reminder or as a warning ( we all exaggurate at some point. And if words don't get through, then rep should ).

 

[Sajin]

Truthfully I think rep is a major aspect in your first impression of someone , Pineapple for example, when I first noticed him (either in the riddle of the day or joke of the day or maybe both ) before I had ever set foot in that part of the forum, I automatically knew he was a good person and someone I could deem credible, solely on his rep count. Another example is that I saw aceheart one day long ago (when I was still crystalguard) I never talked to him, never interacted with him in any threads or anything like that, First thing I noticed about him was that apart from thehelper he had the largest rep bar I had seen. And ever since i've always remembered his name and exactly who he was.

Rep plays an important role in our society. If you have it your known by almost everyone in your part of the forum and if you don't, then you're pretty much a ghost, no one will remember you apart from '...that guy who posted on my thread'

Also apart from what hatebreeder said I think -rep effects people a lot, most importantly the people who don't have much rep (me for example lol) When your trying to start off with such few people giving rep where it should be given, well... they don't, and that is fine, it's their choice, But when you only have 10 rep, -1 rep is devastating to your rep.

The thing is. Rep is too vital to the community to change it (even though it is broken) What (in my opinion) needs to happen is that they completely separate +rep and -rep (you get to keep all of your rep its just split up into two categories) that way, notoriety and fame are still both visible but they don't effect each other negatively, especially for newer members going after sigs and custom user bars

also, on the note about getting rep'd for humor. it happens much more often then for actually helping people as i just got like 3 people reping me for 1 comment

 

[azareus]

I agree with Sajin in the fact, that if a Moderator or Administrator -reps you that can be quite devastating. (Unless you have lots)

Also, AceHart has more rep than thehelper

 

[Trollvottel]

I don't see -rep being distributed so often ( well, I only got it once ).

Haha, i often get -rep'd for -repping someone.
People are always offended when you -rep them, they just don't have the ability of self-reflection and thus dont get my reasons for -repping them.
About 50% of the people i -rep'd just -rep'd me back at some random post .
At this point it is great that members with negative reputation can not spread rep, because i mostly -rep new/immature members who dont know how to behave correctly and don't have the intention to help anybody. And if you -rep them, they can not -rep you back because their reputation is negative.

 

[Sajin]

Also, AceHart has more rep than thehelper

keep in mind this was multiple years ago

 

[Zakyath]

keep in mind this was multiple years ago

No it wasn't

http://www.thehelper.net/forums/memberlist.php?order=DESC&sort=reputation&pp=30

 

[Slapshot136]

seeing as how TH joined in 2000, and AH joined in 2004, it makes sense to assume that until ~2005 or around then, that TH had more rep then AH