Reputation System Discussion

Sometimes I wonder if people using the upvote/downvote feature are actually using it properly, since there's nothing wrong with what CaveQuest said. Take your passive aggressiveness elsewhere.

 

You're not the only one who has noticed this.  I am thinking of changing the rep system to a like system, similar to Facebook (that is an actual option in the AdminCP), but it's not really my call to change that.

Quote due to new page.

 

I know this going off topic here, so please split it as soon as you get the chance.

Personally, I think the rep system is flawed by default, because I often see that popular sceners get reputation just by writing at all. This includes myself, as I sometimes get rep for stuff that I don't feel like it contributes anything (and it's always the same names, not mentioning any here).

 

I quoted my post in regards to my stance with the rep system... 

 

I personally use the rep systems down rep feature as a way to discourage people from making meaningless, trollish, hurtful, or otherwise useless and annoying posts and topics. I only let my actual opinions affect how I rep people when increasing their rep; there's no point in discouraging people from making valid, purposeful and meaningful posts. The only time I ever down rep based purely on opinion is on a post that's releasing a hack; and it's usually because the hack is simplistic, unresearched, and overall horribly done.

CaveQuests' post fits in perfectly with this topic, adds valid points, and merely displays his opinion. Isn't that basically what we all do most of the time?

 

And the circlejerk comes out of the woodwork. Lovely. Let me tell you why what you're doing is harmful.

First off, the reputation feature in the posts is not for disagreeing with posts. It is to highlight good and bad posts. Dogpiling on someone for having a different opinion than you? You should be ashamed of yourselves. 

Secondly, I know fully well who the people who downvoted the post are and their relation to the OP. Calling this a circlejerk would hardly be incorrect, now, would it? That aside, however, why I'm upset about this? It's discouraging. It stops people from wanting to be around this place, and to be frank, with such a toxic atmosphere I don't blame some of the people who leave the site.

I fully expect this derailment to be split off, but I'm outright disgusted with some of you.

 

I've said it on IRC but I'll voice my opinion here as well. I do not see the purpose of a reputation system on the forums. To me, it seems like a crass, lazy attempt to simplify responding to posts, while not actually providing anything constructive.

For example, in the General Screenshot/Movie Thread, the system seems to be used more as a convenient way of liking/disliking a screenshot or video, but no other information is provided by the member (such as why it deserves that up-vote/down-vote, or how it can be improved, edited, etc.).

Also, more recently, it's been used as a tool to show disagreement between people's opinions, without providing a response or reason behind it. This, in my opinion, is just rude and also somewhat underhanded. If you're going to like/dislike what someone says, or agree/disagree, why not tell them and say why, instead of hiding behind a convenient click of an arrow?

I do not agree with how it's being used like this, and like I've said before, I don't like the idea of a reputation system anyway. I just think that, if we're going to be keeping it, people should be using it correctly.

That's my opinion, so take it as you will.

 

The fact is that I never found this arrow necessary. I think that if there's a reason for the people to click it, they could, since it exists. But I personally was always against this reputation system, which sincerely I always found as something really useless which never did help the forum to grow. As opposite of it, I always thought that this reputation system did hurt the forum a lot, especially for those who do not have to post in response to something they see. This reputation system was a problem one time and I was sure that the permanency would be a problem again in the future. And it really was, as everyone can see.
 

I really found on it this way, the only way to use it in order to don't generate a personal problem with the people. I honestly never treatened it as a disrespect or something, but it's true that I never found this thing to be useful. This is what I think about it, honestly. And the reasons for me to don't to like these reputation points are being seen by everyone here. Even right now, almost three years after the first time I noticed it.

 

From ground zero or will the current reputation points be carried over in any way?

 

Probably starting fresh, as it's going to be a completely different system that's going to be in place on a database that's been twice-converted to get it into XenForo. There is a chance it may come over to the new board, but I wouldn't hold my breath on it.

 

I dont mind the reputation system. It has its uses and you may agree or disagree with them. My real problem is the people using them, as more often than not they are morons or miss the purpose of the system or just ignore that

 

I would settle for a "like system" provided that the likes stay within the posts themselves, in other words, NOT displaying a "Total Likes" anywhere.

If a "total" is displayed (like it is here right now), then, for example, I could act like a dick for the next month, and people will assume that what I'm saying is perfectly fine because they see that I have like 1200+ total next to my name, then are less inclined to downvote.  Their response is not dependent on the post, but the user's total.  Likewise, someone with -400 total, could make a brilliant post, but are less likely to get up voted because of the "negative reception" hanging next to their names/profiles.

The numbers on the posts are not the problem, it's the total storage and display that's the problem.

 

I'm with Natsumi here. 

I honestly, don't mind the reputation system. It's a very good way to tell users whay they're doing right, and what they're doing wrong based on the rep of the post. I see one the main arguments against it is that it doesn't tell the user WHAT they're doing wrong. This is where the comment system for each rep point came into play, but where that hook went upon the update is a mystery to me. My main issue with it is that certain users take the system far too seriously, although that's more of a user to user issue than a forum-wide issue. 

I can see the issue with certian users auto-repping popular users, and that is a big issue. I would say this could be redified by closer monitoring of a person's reputation  activity, but there are quite a few users on this site, and the moderators and admins can only keep close tabs on so I much. I'd much rather the posts in the forums be monitored as opposed to rep abusers. 

I'm cool with it leaving or going. While I'd rather see it stay, I can see why it would go.

 

XenForo has quite a lot of customization available, so things like post counts, total likes, etc. can be made to disappear if they are present. There's going to be a degree of "wait and see" involved, but we're all committed to adapting as needed.

 

I think that if you agree or disagree with someone's viewpoint that you should probably quote their post and say so (and why) somewhere in your own reply to the thread. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, though. Facebook is cool and all, but I never felt like a forum needed to work in such a similar fashion; IPB has tried to turn forums into social media and look how fucking terrible that's gotten. Thank fuck for all this XenForo business. 

 

I actually really like the rep system, it's guided me through a lot, and can add a little more clarification to newer users on what not to post, and what should be posted. If the only real issue is that people don't use it correctly, then can't they be informed? The rules pretty clearly outline how to use the system, but as we all know, many merely skim them without reading everything. I feel the current system would be great if misuses of the system were reported effectively and dealt with, which would not only stop current abuses of the system, but prevent future issues as well. I'm not a mod or anything, though, so I don't know how practical that would be...

 

It seems you're an exception to the rule. If it was always treated as it is on reddit in its reddiquette, it wouldn't be a problem - upvoting/downvoting is not for disagreements. If you post something like "I think the Bible is full of lies", people downvoting it who happen to be Christian and merely disagreeing are breaking the rules. Although that's an example for another site, the whole purpose is so that the good posts get highlighted so that people can learn from them - bad posts get highlighted so that you don't do that.

Although, given some evidence prior in a discussion in IRC yesterday, I think most of us can agree that the people on this site can't be trusted to use such a system properly. A "thank" or "like" system would probably be more beneficial and bad posts just get trashed.

Also, fuck Invision.

 

Personally, I think the rep system is for trolls to make you feel frustrated, or for other people to tell you what they like and dislike. I think of it as a social experiment to see how everyone reacts. From trolling to constructive criticism. I am pretty balanced on the system but needs to be replaced by the aforementioned like system. This will be much more appreciated system. Basically, no one can troll with misuse dislikes and, most of all, really gives a true, more opinion-y, feel to it. Oh you like it? Good! Oh you dislike it? What can I do better? This is just an opinion as mentioned.