Appropriate use of reputation points

[mtrawls]

I searched around a little, but didn't see anything; forgive me if this is discussed extensively elsewhere. But, it seemed to me it would be a good time to have a discussion about the appropriate use of reputation points (whether they serve any good or not should be another discussion, if someone is so inclined).

The reason for this was sparked by a negative reputation I got while attempting a forage into the chit-chat forums. In specific, in regards to my post in the Draft thread (this one), I received negative points, with the explanation being (paraphrasing) along the lines that even Bush admitted Iraq has no connections to terrorists, and particularly to 9/11. First let me state that I really do not care at all about the rep points themselves, and I don't intend to violate the privacy of the person who gave me that rep.

However, it did get me thinking. I was dissapointed, not because I got a negative rep, but because it seemed so blatanly to be because of my politics. Now, I don't think anyone on the boards would agree that the reputation system should be used to punish or even encourage a particular ideology, -- and I understand too that if you agree with something or disagree with something, you would tend to up vote it or down vote it, respectively. But I felt my post was reasonably well thought out and inclusive. And it seems too that at least the first claim (Iraq having no connections to terrorists) is patently false, and the second claim is open to wide speculation as to just exactly what "connections" means. (Though my post had nothing to do with the second claim in the reason for down voting.)

It seems to me that if this happened to me, others might potentially be abusing the reputation system, perhaps unwittingly. So are there any guidelines? Should a funny post be upvoted, or should it be reserved for serious and informative answers? What excactly should be the standard for downvoting, -- simply a non-informative, non-useful post, or one that actually is offensive or otherwise inappropriate? Should the chit-chat section count towards rep, and if so should we try to at least informally limit it to FIRST or engineering-related topics, or otherwise very intelligible and insightful posts? I tend to stay away from giving out rep myself, but if I see something that I would like to encourage (e.g., someone giving their Woodie Flowers essay in that recent thread or volunteering for the programming conventions talked about some time ago), I do upvote it. I use it rarely so that it has a more pronounced effect, -- I know this is opposite of how others use it, and I doubt there is any "preferred" method, ... so I thought an informative discussion about it would be handy. I guess I just don't understand if the rep system is just being tested out right now to see how it is, or if there's an intended use for it besides it being there. Color me confused

[sanddrag]

I've also noticed that people with FAR fewer posts than me have the same or higher rep than me? I'm not by any means complaining, it was just something I noticed. It may go back to the same thing of rep isn't given where deserved and is given where not deserved.

[Elgin Clock]

Ha ha.. lol

Sorry, I don't mean to laugh at your post or it's meaning just at the whole rep system.

I have gotten good reps for everything from a good topic to bring to CD, to a random rep point from someone I was talking in a chatroom, to a rep point from someone I met and they just gave me a rep, to a good rep for a thought inspiring quote I made.. (Oh wait.. that last one wasn't me)

Anyways, just take the rep points with a grain of salt. They are cool to have, but not really meaningful IMHO.

Then again maybe I am in denial that they mean anything because I only have 3 or 4 bars) edit: 8 bars??? whoa. cool...

Anyways, The bad rep I got was for apparently "hijacking a thread" by adding in a thank you for something which was kind of related to the subject, to a negative rep I got for adding in a "be careful what you say here" quote about a certain topic dealing with a sensitive team subject. It was apparently redundant, and "I am not the FCC" - I liked that last quote....

Ok, I'm done ranting.. But like I said, take it with a grain of salt. It's all in good fun(?).

[Swan217]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Then again maybe I am in denial that they mean anything because I only have 3 or 4 bars) edit: 8 bars??? whoa. cool...

I am perfectly happy with my 2 dots edit: 4 dots.

[Astronouth7303]

I think altogether, I've gotten 3-4 neg rep. only one of those I feel are justified. There are a few people who obviously mis-use the system, repeatedly.

When rep is abused, it's generally red ones.

[Jeff Waegelin]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

When rep is abused, it's generally red ones.

Well, that, and people usually don't complain when users "abuse" positive rep

[Swan217]

Originally Posted by Jeff Waegelin

Well, that, and people usually don't complain when users "abuse" positive rep

I hate how positive reputation points are abused all the time. I've seen positive rep given for a reason no better than people like my hair or my smooth dancing skills. I know of people much more deserving than me that have one, maybe 2 bars at most. Come on people! Show these people some respect! I'm sick of people giving out positive rep to any ol' person that pops up on a thread, such as a John V-somethingorother or that dude, what's his name, the guy who wrestles pigs...
Oh, and another thing, there's nothing worse than posting a comment about having 4 bars, and SOMEBODY just having to prove me wrong by making it 5.

Say "no" to positive rep abuse!!!

[dez250]

Originally Posted by Dan Swando

I hate how positive reputation points are abused all the time. I've seen positive rep given for a reason no better than people like my hair or my smooth dancing skills. I know of people much more deserving than me that have one, maybe 2 bars at most. Come on people! Show these people some respect! I'm sick of people giving out positive rep to any ol' person that pops up on a thread, such as a John V-somethingorother or that dude, what's his name, the guy who wrestles pigs...
Oh, and another thing, there's nothing worse than posting a comment about having 4 bars, and SOMEBODY just having to prove me wrong by making it 5.

Say "no" to positive rep abuse!!!

Finally someone else that sees wat i see. Yes these are only little green dots and i can give a hoot (thanks homer) about them really, but one thing to go along with Dan's comments is about the Chit Chat forums. I think that Rep coming from the chit chat forums is pretty much a joke, espically when its negative rep. I posted for the first time in the political debate in the chit chat forum and was slammed by people thinking what i posted was not appropiate. I mean isnt the chit chat suppossed to be where you can speak your mind and not be judged for it really. Also something i noticed recently at an off season event is how much rep means to some people. I mean come on people when your at an off season and someone tries to talk to you and then you blow them off cause you have more "rep" on cd then they do... Maybe you should examine the terms Gracious Professionalism.

[JVN]

Originally Posted by dez250

Also something i noticed recently at an off season event is how much rep means to some people. I mean come on people when your at an off season and someone tries to talk to you and then you blow them off cause you have more "rep" on cd then they do....

Really?
That is just silly.
Where the heck did you see that?

I don't believe that ANYONE takes the reputation that seriously.
I certainly don't.

[Corey Balint]

Rep should just be used as a an entertainment tool, it really shouldnt matter. I mean why would you not talk to someone cuz they have lower rep, or not post a reply in a thread, because it was started by a guy with one rep bar.
Ive got 2 rep bars, and im not a famous/important person in first, but i could be important to someone on my team or to people on other teams, thats what really matters. Not a bar of "reputation" on a, hate to use this word but makes point best, stupid little forum.

[Andy Baker]

I too think that the rep point system is over-rated. It has some merits, but it also gets too much attention. People joke about it, complain about it, and debate it. We all are guilty of giving it more credit than it is worth.

As for abuse of positive rep or negative rep, I don't understand. If you are free to say what you want, then someone else is free to give you negative or positive rep about it. If they are being a jerk about it, then they have to deal with the ramifications. How is that abuse? We're all supposed to follow an outline of how to give positive and negative rep? I know how I give rep points, but that is just me. I don't worry about how everyone else is giving them. Nor do I tell others how to give our their rep comments. Do what you want. Deal with the results.


Andy B.

[Max Lobovsky]

Andy, I think most of use are not really complaining, but more expressing disappointment at the behavior of some members of the community. As I stated in my earlier post. If you haven't already, read Mrawls, or my earlier post to get an idea for what sort of actions we are talking about.

[Ken Leung]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

As for abuse of positive rep or negative rep, I don't understand. If you are free to say what you want, then someone else is free to give you negative or positive rep about it. If they are being a jerk about it, then they have to deal with the ramifications. How is that abuse? We're all supposed to follow an outline of how to give positive and negative rep? I know how I give rep points, but that is just me. I don't worry about how everyone else is giving them. Nor do I tell others how to give our their rep comments. Do what you want. Deal with the results.
Andy B.

The part that people care the most about is their appearance in front of the community. That's where reputation hurt the most, because you are in front thousands of people in this program being judged in a spot light. You aren't sure of how you are being judged, you have an idea what they like or don't like to see, but it doesn't really matter if you are right or not because ultimately yourself is the harshest judge of them all.

The reputation point system is an interesting idea to throw out to the community. Everyone have some sort of idea on how it should and shouldn't work, and people did what they wanted for a year and had fun for a year. It seems to me the discussions in here prompted a bigger questions about the Chief Delphi Forum, and that is, what is the appropriate behavior in this forum. We only give or take reputation points when we see something we like or don’t like. Problem is, there are too many standards out there.

We all have different system of right and wrong. That will never change. I for one do not agree with people answering questions in the form of "I am not sure but..." or posts that ask for nothing but trouble. We all have our pet peeves in this forum. Only, with a weapon (or reward) so easily at hand ready to punish people whenever we feel like it, some people use it more often then they should. And that's something to think about: What message are we sending to the community?

Are we saying we are so lazy at reading people's post that we have to rely on what others thing of them base on how many (or little) green dot that person has, especially when half the dots given or removed are based on acts that are half serious only? For those of us veteran posters, of course not. But any rookie member might come in and see the dots and care more than they should, and I think that's a bad message to send out. I would hate to see us teaching students with anything other than patience, example, and truth.

But Enough about that. People seem to want a reputation system to play with, so I am not going to argue. Anyway…

There are ups and downs with the reputation system, which come from how people use the system. But instead of arguing what's right and wrong, which is only going to dig us deeper into the hole, I think we ought to think of ways to improve the system.

For example, I truly believe that we should add an + zero reputation button so people can give comments to each other without being forced to give or take reputation points. A lot of times when I want to give constructive criticism to a fellow poster, but I don't want to take away rep points, so I awarded them instead. After all, what kind of mentors are we if we can't tolerate some mistakes. If I had the option, I wouldn’t have to do that, and would choose to comment on a lot more posts.

All I ask is for the rest of you to think about it, don't reply so quickly.

[Andy Baker]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

I too think that the rep point system is over-rated. It has some merits, but it also gets too much attention. People joke about it, complain about it, and debate it. We all are guilty of giving it more credit than it is worth.

As for abuse of positive rep or negative rep, I don't understand. If you are free to say what you want, then someone else is free to give you negative or positive rep about it. If they are being a jerk about it, then they have to deal with the ramifications. How is that abuse? We're all supposed to follow an outline of how to give positive and negative rep? I know how I give rep points, but that is just me. I don't worry about how everyone else is giving them. Nor do I tell others how to give our their rep comments. Do what you want. Deal with the results.


Andy B.

Sheesh... the above quote was my attempt at being as brash and blunt as I could be about this, hoping that someone would give me some negative rep points. I even put in there "please give me some negative rep" to prove that I really don't care too much about this system. But that seemed to obvious to me, so I deleted that sentence.

Honestly, if you wish to bash someone because you don't agree with them or you think that they are being to harsh, you should feel like you have that right. I'm SURE that I ticked a few people off with the above post, but no one gave me any negative rep points.

Do you guys see what I am saying? Not only should we feel free to post what we want to think, we should also feel free to give each other negative or positive rep points. You just need to be able to back up your opinions and stand by what you say.

Andy B.

[edit: woohoo! I've got 3 negative reps for this post... keep 'em coming!]

[Rez648]

Originally Posted by Corey Balint

Ive got 2 rep bars, and im not a famous/important person in first, but i could be important to someone on my team or to people on other teams, thats what really matters.

I totally agree with this!! I don't have the best rep on CD, but I am a respected member on my team and I respect every single person on my team and I respect all of those that are a part of FIRST, regardless of their rep on CD.