Reputation points......

Once again, you don't need every vote in the county to get elected dogcatcher, and you don't need every member of Bladeforums to like your posts to get a positive rating. Your rating is not ruined, David -- it is positive.

If two idiots get into a reputation point war and give each other negative points as often as the system will let them that will not have a significant effect on their ratings because the system won't let you keep rating the same person. If you want to ruin your rating that way you'll have to find a considerable number of idiots to get into retaliatory point wars with. That could add up to a negative rating especially if you seldom get any positive ratings....

As for me, I'm giving positive points to people who answer questions. I'm only giving negative points when somebody is acting like a real dork, which doesn't often happen around here. I see people giving me negative points occasionally, but I don't mind that -- as long as they are expressing their honest opinion of the post they're not abusing the system.
 
What's the use of reputation points? So that those who can't properly speak their minds have an alternative way to "reply?" C'mon, you can explain it to me. I can speak for myself, and haven't had any need to attack anyone via their reputation points...but, others somehow are unable to speak for themselves. If someone wants to disagree with me, that's fine, but to be able to hit my reputation points, rather than to discuss the issue? That's unreasonable. Some people would rather stab others in the back rather than to show their own ignorance in a reply...and reputation points allow them to. So, they are unnecessary, in my opinion.

Here's an example of one of my posts that received a reputation point "ding:"
geothorn said:
On the Buck Diamondbacks (Made in Taiwan), and the recent Buck Whitetail Deer Collectible (Made in China), I've noticed that these knives have "Buck" along with the model number on the opposite side of the knife than the China or Taiwan stamps, whereas the "Made in USA" Bucks have "Buck," the model number, and 'USA' all stamped into the same side. That may be some kind of a Buck stamping rule, but I haven't yet compared enough Made in Taiwan/China Buck models to see if it's consistant all across the "overseas" model lines.

Sad to have to check where Bucks Knives are made...
GeoThorn
Why couldn't they just have replied, telling me what I said that was wrong? Oh well, apparently we need to let the inarticulate express themselves, somehow.

GeoThorn
 
You ain't bad dude in my book... but if you mouth off in W&C a lot, you will get plenty of rep points of both sorts. The reason you were in the red is because you insulted a whole bunch of people without really meaning to. ;)
I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. You didn't even end up on the PT list. :rolleyes:
 
No one has ever given me any positive points for helpful, contributive posts, and I have never given anyone reason to give me a negative. To me it seems most points are given to those who are successful in W&C.
 
AKA Knife Knut said:
No one has ever given me any positive points for helpful, contributive posts, and I have never given anyone reason to give me a negative. To me it seems most points are given to those who are successful in W&C.
Well said. To me the points are meaningless.
 
AKA Knife Knut said:
To me it seems most points are given to those who are successful in W&C.

"successful in W&C"... I really want to comment on that phrase, but I can't see anything positive coming from it. But thank you AKA Knife Knut, you made my morning.
 
OK, I know this is going to sound stupid, but where in the world do I see the screen that David1967 had in his first post? I've checked my User CP and can't find it anywhere??

- Mark
 
Mark J said:
OK, I know this is going to sound stupid, but where in the world do I see the screen that David1967 had in his first post? I've checked my User CP and can't find it anywhere??

- Mark
Look in the User CP box marked "Latest Reputation Received". Beside the the "Point total" there is a radio button with two arrows pointing down. Just hit the button and the comments section will drop down.
 
Thanks Trane Fan, but this is what my screen looks like. What am I missing, since I don't see the box you're talking about?

screen.jpg
 
Mark J, the reason you didn't see anything is nobody had rated a post of yours. I just rated your post above so now you should see that at the bottom of your User Control Panel. (How's that for an easy way to get a positive rating? LOL!) :D
 
AKA Knife Knut said:
To me it seems most points are given to those who are successful in W&C.

Exactly. I (or - apparently - everyone else for that matter) rarely get rep points for a on-topic post in the Blade Discussion area, PracTac etc.
Post often in W&C and you're bound to get lots of rep points.

A good example of this would be Bernard Levine. Definitely one of the most helpful guys on the forums, but he's only "on a distinguished road" right now. He deserves more positive rep points.
 
rarely get rep points for a on-topic post

I had been away from BFC for 2 or 3 years, but popped in recently to check on something and have been poking around a bit again lately. It seems that the "rep points" system must be new, but I have seen the green squares and found that I had a couple too (for on-topic posts :) ) but I had no idea what the heck this was or what it was all about. I looked and found this thread, which explained almost everything except how to give someone rep points. Clicking on their username doesn't give that option. I finally found the little icon just to the right of the post number. Perhaps that would be a good thing to mention. (Or perhaps not. :p )

Paul
 
Somebody asked what's the purpose of having reputation points? As far as I can see the purpose is to give newbies another clue to help them figure out who knows what they're talking about besides post count.

Other websites have been using the system longer than Bladeforums and we're told they've found it successful. I guess as imperfect as it may be it isn't any more misleading than post count....
 
I think we still don't have enough members using it. In some forums we do, but in other forums the denizens aren't using the system at all. That's why Bernard Levine doesn't have a million points. His case probably doesn't matter too much; even the rawest newbie is likely to be able to figure out that in The Bernard Levine Knife Collecting and Identification Forum Bernard Levine's opinion is likely to be worth listening to, but what about the other knowledgeable members of that forum?

The system won't work unless people use it....
 
The system has the same problems as any other system. It's open to abuse, misuse, ignorance and apathy. If I want to know if a person is a mindless cretin or a smart guy with good opinions I'll read a few of his posts and make up my own mind. Reputation points, (as a source of amusement not withstanding), and post count are almost irelevant.

Go ahead and use them but, as always, caveat emptor!
 
All right, my green indicator says I have 10+ points, but it doesn't show on my CP menu. What gives there? I'm trying to understand all of this, and being computer handicapped doesn't help! Thanks!
 
Everybody starts out with 10 points. That way if your first one or two ratings happen to be negative you still have some slack before you go into the red....
 
Back
Top