Reputation System currently Disabled

[schweb]

I like Rep as I find it a nice little and very quick way of telling people of what you think of there post or the views they expressed.Obviously people will abuse it, but how about you keep Rep but don't display it to everyone (ie only viewable in the USER CP)

So that way members can give you Feedback on your Posts, while you remove any competition element from it.

Are you reading our secret forum?

The rep system is not necessarily gone for good. But there will most likely be some serious tweaking or changes before it is returned.

 

[RNDdave]

This is the 3rd, maybe the 4th site I'm a member of that has a rep system that was abused and eventually the system has been taken away.

It's a real shame the system has had to be shelved for a while and it does seem a little strange to see the posts without the posters green dots, but I'm sure we'll get by. There are too many great people here for the lack of a few green dots to affect the friendliness of this great community.

It was nice to be able to leave a little thank you to those that have helped you and it was nice to be thanked for helping people, but to be honest I think the biggest advantage of the rep system was that for people like me that had been on sites that used rep system prior to joining Mac-Forums, you could see an answer from someone like MacHeadCase and feel fairly confident that based on the number of green pips under that user-name, they prob know their stuff and that the answer they provide is the one to try first.

 

[BIG D 04]

Are you reading our secret forum?

Possibly... *Evil Mr Burns Laugh*

To be honest I think you are going to find it hard to moderate any element of the Site completely as there are numerous scenario's in which some one could spread messages of hate or just generally unacceptable behaviour on the site.

 

[schweb]

To be honest I think you are going to find it hard to moderate any element of the Site completely as there are numerous scenario's in which some one could spread messages of hate or just generally unacceptable behaviour on the site.

Trust me, after doing this for over 4 years I know.

 

[MacHeadCase]

It should be interesting as to how the lack of the rep system impacts attitudes. If nothing else, it kept a lot of folks in check, which is why I was fond of it. I've said it before, I know, but this has got to be one of the friendliest forums I've ever frequented - and I think a lot of that can be attributed to the rep system. People wanted to have those green dots. It might have been nothing more than psychological, but you saw very little flaming - especially of noobs, asking questions that had been asked time and again.

I know a lot of people get aggravated by that, but there's nothing more unwelcoming for a new member than to be shot down when asking your very first question - even if you unintentionally committed a faux pas by not searching first. I truly hope our normal sense of community lives on without the rep system.

Either way, I trust the mods on this forum to keep it a nice place to be - it is well moderated. I've always enjoyed my time here - even when I didn't know what the rep system was.

How very true cwa! Another impact could be that some won't be willing to help as much do you think? Those that were rep-system oriented, I mean.

Anyway, we'll see how much (or little of) impact the abolishment of the rep system brings. But one thing is for sure, I sure as heck don't want this place to change for the worse.

 

[Zoolook]

Until further notice, the Mac-Forums reputation system has been disabled. When we are ready to reactivate the system, we will post here to announce when that will occur.

We have taken these steps for several reasons:

- A growing issue with rep system abuse
- An unhealthy, obsessive focus that has started to build around the rep system
- An increasing problem with people leaving inappropriate feedback with the rep points

Overall the rep system has lost the innocence and altruistic purpose for which we instituted the program to begin with. Our hope is that temporarily removing the feature, it will give everyone time to adjust and allow the system to function as it was intended.

Fair enough, but would just like to make two points. Firstly, why not simply remove the people who are abusing the system, or are there so many people doing it that that's a problem?

Secondly, I think the rep system is what really makes this place as helpful and community oriented as it is. Getting good feedback that makes a tangible difference to your visible reputation is a great incentive to continue to be helpful and likewise knowing that you could get negative feedback if you're rude or sarcastic to someone, not just from them but from other members, is good reason not to if you care about how others see you.

It shouldn't be that way, people should just act accordingly anyway, but we all know that in reality people often need to incentives to stay in check. I hope you bring it back, perhaps with harsher consequences for leaving negative feedback or 'farming' rep points.

 

[DistantHoller]

Im a newbie on this forum and I must say it seems to me it was a wise decision to remove the rep system. It had an elite glow around it wich I felt was not healthy. People need to be able to speak up and not be afraid of negative rep. (within the forum rules of course).

People will help each other without the rep system anyway, and if they don´t well... they where not good people to start with, just green dot farmers.

 

[ibookclamman300]

yea half the negative feedback I have gotten didn't have a real reason behind it. I agree with his decision.

 

[christm]

gd choice. but when u switch it back on is all our rep lost from before ?

 

[iRye]

Yeah, I'll want my rep back thank you.

Imagine how long it would take for DB to get his points!

 

[schweb]

Just to be clear, I'm not expecting the atmosphere to change here because of the removal of the system.

Those around before the system will tell you it was the same community atmosphere as it was after we turned on rep points.

So far only those newer members who weren't here before rep points seem to be concerned about a change. Trust me, all will be well

An IMHO, if someone leaves or stops posting b/c the rep system is gone, they weren't a true member of the community anyway.

 

[KoDorSean]

maybe all those people with 6+ bars of rep that had no personality will actually act like a person now. maybe their big heads will deflate a bit.

 

[TheCustomer99]

maybe all those people with 6+ bars of rep that had no personality will actually act like a person now. maybe their big heads will deflate a bit.

LOL, well my big head hasn't deflated yet. I think it's a good move. It seems a little different around here now, but it's no reason to leave.

 

[Cassifire]

Yeah, I'll want my rep back thank you.

Imagine how long it would take for DB to get his points!

I think the whole rep thing was not a really good idea.

Like other's have said, a lot of negitive feedback was posted that didn't have a good reason. Plus, the system didn't really let you voice your opinion. Because if you did, you would get negative rep for it! I bet if the rep system was still enabled, I would get negative rep from someone who likes the rep system for this post, just because he/she didn't like my point of view!

A lot better this way, IMO. I had a LOT of negative rep because I spoke my mind, and a lot of times I got negative rep for people who didn't agree with me.

 

[giulio]

- An increasing problem with people leaving inappropriate feedback with the rep points

I agree. Someone left me negative rep with only "Jebus Christ".
Hey. if you don't like what I have to say, pick an option:
a) mind your own business
b) take someone else's lord's name in vein
c) spell his name right

 

[dtravis7]

Just to be clear, I'm not expecting the atmosphere to change here because of the removal of the system.

Those around before the system will tell you it was the same community atmosphere as it was after we turned on rep points.

So far only those newer members who weren't here before rep points seem to be concerned about a change. Trust me, all will be well

An IMHO, if someone leaves or stops posting b/c the rep system is gone, they weren't a true member of the community anyway.

VERY well said. I was here before the Rep. Agreed completely.

And I had maybe 8 or more green dots. Makes no difference to me. Same forums, same mods, same people. The dots were never a reason I stuck around.

 

[TheCustomer99]

I spoke my mind a lot, and I never received negative rep. In fact, I never had negative rep, period. But using it as a weapon because you don't agree with someone had to be a contributing factor to disabling the system. I mean, how weak do you have to be at debating that the only comeback you can think of is giving someone a little red dot without your name and saying, "haha, I got you now"?

 

[Cassifire]

I spoke my mind a lot, and I never received negative rep. In fact, I never had negative rep, period. But using it as a weapon because you don't agree with someone had to be a contributing factor to disabling the system. I mean, how weak do you have to be at debating that the only comeback you can think of is giving someone a little red dot without your name and saying, "haha, I got you now"?

You'd be surprised at how many times I got that...

 

[Kash]

I spoke my mind a lot, and I never received negative rep. In fact, I never had negative rep, period. But using it as a weapon because you don't agree with someone had to be a contributing factor to disabling the system. I mean, how weak do you have to be at debating that the only comeback you can think of is giving someone a little red dot without your name and saying, "haha, I got you now"?

That is my only qualm with the system. I remember getting one or two negative reps and couldn't figure out why because the posts in question didn't seem like they deserved the neg rep

I think I liked the rep system more so when I first joined because it gave me an indicator of whether I was having a positive influence here. This was especially important as I had just switched to Macs and didn't really have a clue. But now with 800+ posts in just a few months and lots of rep points (not to mention 2 MOTM nominations), I no longer need the validation provided by the rep system.

Perhaps we can adapt my experience to the overhauled system. Just have a positive aspect to it, but leave it personal. So no more green dots, but let people be able to leave short comments that can be viewed in the Profile section. So newer members, or seasoned members such as mathogre, can gauge how they're doing on the forums.

 

[moss918]

For the reasons Zoolook mentioned above I'd agree it's sad the system has to go, but really can't see it having a big impact. What's even sadder though is that people have abused it in the 1st place.