06-13-2009, 11:34 PM

Hello. I have a question(s). I just clicked on a link in a member's sig that led to a thread started by schweb. It appears to be from when the rep system was first introduced.

1. Is there still a requirement for how many posts you have that controls who can and cannot use the rep system?
2. Is there a way I can see rep comments given to other members. Sometimes I see members with a red dot, but I would like to know why/how they got the rep they did. Any way to do it?

Thanks in advance.

06-14-2009, 12:17 AM

New User Reputatition System

06-14-2009, 12:42 AM

I am not really able to discuss the whole REP system here as a member of staff, but I will just say this. If a user has a Red dot or more than one Red dot, they did something pretty bad and I would be careful about trusting most of them.

I have been a member here for years and most of those Red Dots are there for a reason!

Read the URL DB provided. It will explain the system.

06-14-2009, 12:53 AM

That's the same one that I read. It looked too old to bump and it appeared some of that stuff may have been out of date so that's why I posted this.

06-14-2009, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by iPod Nano

That's the same one that I read. It looked too old to bump and it appeared some of that stuff may have been out of date so that's why I posted this.

Take a look at this one:

Reputation System FAQ

06-14-2009, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by iPod Nano

1. Is there still a requirement for how many posts you have that controls who can and cannot use the rep system?

Although you can leave rep immediately after joining, it doesn't count until you've been here for awhile and/or received enough positive rep. Also, if you have a red dot, any rep you leave doesn't count.

2. Is there a way I can see rep comments given to other members. Sometimes I see members with a red dot, but I would like to know why/how they got the rep they did. Any way to do it?

Thanks in advance.

No, it's private. I will tell you that whenever I've seen someone with a red dot, they've usually done something pretty heinous.

06-14-2009, 11:46 AM

Thank you cwa107. Most helpful.

06-15-2009, 07:44 PM

Sorry about this, but I was adding rep points to Van Smith for some of his valuable contributions. I was trying to speed up the process by clicking the "Add Reputation" button multiple times. Then, when it went through, I discovered that I had apparently given him reputation 5 times. Any way you mods/admins can delete all but one of those? Sorry about this

06-15-2009, 08:33 PM

The rep system has certain limitations that prevent this sort of thing. Rest assured, it will only allow you to add reputation points once. After that, you'll need to "spread it around" a bit before you can do so again.

06-15-2009, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by iPod Nano

It gave me the thank you message a few times so I assume it had been added more than once. Perhaps I was wrong.

You were, trust me

06-15-2009, 08:41 PM

It gave me the thank you message a few times so I assume it had been added more than once. Perhaps I was wrong.

06-15-2009, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by cwa107

You were, trust me

Huh. Very weird. Thank you very much for your help.

06-16-2009, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by cwa107

Although you can leave rep immediately after joining, it doesn't count until you've been here for awhile and/or received enough positive rep. Also, if you have a red dot, any rep you leave doesn't count.



No, it's private. I will tell you that whenever I've seen someone with a red dot, they've usually done something pretty heinous.

Having a red dot isn't a completely hopeless case. Early on, I acquired a red dot (or did it get as high as two?) when I was trying to help someone with a puzzling issue and a regular (bobtomay, I think it was) told the OP to ignore all this and to just get a legit copy of his OS. I was a bit chafed at that since the OP was insisting he had a legit copy and I didn't think that regular was fair to the OP or myself in telling him to disregard what I said, and I made it clear so. In the process, I got several disapprovals, which initially ticked me off further. After failing to make headway with the OP's problem, I finally realized that yeah, he probably did have an illegitimate copy, and I asked him point-blank by private message. He didn't admit it, but the answer sufficiently skirted the issue to confirm that he did have an illegitimate copy.

So... lessons learned... never assume a poster is being completely forthright, and while the regs certainly don't know it all, they certainly shouldn't be dismissed when they have something to say.

06-16-2009, 07:43 PM

Thanks for your advice. I like your new avatar. Not as scary. You would always frighten me before (LOL)!