Well I for one don't use it. I have long-since adblocked the rep dots (and the hyperlink that gives rep), and closed the reputation list in my CP. So I have no clue if my rep is maxed out, or if I'm deep in the red. I have no clue if JBotAlan has tons of green dots or red dots, yet I read his post completely, and while it's not my opinion, it's still a post worth reading. So I read it. Just an example.
If you ask me, the rep system is a popularity contest, people give negative rep because their opinions differ (or positive rep for just agreeing without adding anything new), and CD was already well policed before VB3 added the Rep feature. A person could ask a question, and another person would kindly answer it (or put up a link to another similar topic). If that replyee (is that even a word?) supplied incorrect information to the subject at hand (which generally, wasn't malicious, just them being human and therefore mistaking), then other people would chime in, kindly giving correct information. If people got out of hand, the mods could delete posts or close a topic. AND IT WORKED! It's my opinion that the Rep system actually scares people from voicing their thoughts. But that's another debate entirely.
So, how 'bout them Red Sox?
