Rep abuse

[Deusp]

Three points for style, and my sympathies for your headache.


No, basically that's how the rep system was designed to work. Just because it means you're getting neg repped doesn't mean it isn't working, no matter how you personally feel about it.

Well if it's coming from you, then that's proof the system's broken.

 

[Pete]

I never claimed it was by one guy. It's the justification of these negative rep that's the problem. They seem to have very weak justification, and likely the posts in question are not particularly worse off than anything these "long-time high-rep users" post. I don't want to name names, but I can tell you that some of senior members with high rep are quite rude and stubborn, and are guilty of much of what they accuse others of.

Judging by your rep status, you must have been pos-repped a few times. Would you consider those reps similarly weakly justified, or do you reserve denial for the disagreeable reps?

If you're receiving neg reps from many people, perhaps you should reflect on your posts. Also consider that though ideally reps should be thoughtful encourage-/discouragements, they may be more reactive. That doesn't make them any less valid, though their attendant description may not be edifying.

The fact that a negative rep is worth 1/3 a positive one should hint that the tool is designed to encourage positive contributions and curtail casual misuse. The problem you describe isn't really rep abuse, but simply a number of others disagreeing with your posting style or substance.

As for those high-reppers with posts similar to your neg-repped posts: perhaps they acquired their rep with other styles of posts, in conversations outside of the ones they had with you, or merely over a longer period of time (you've been posting but a month)? I'd wait until you slid into negative points before considering the system broken, and even then consider that it takes an awful lot of neg reps to affect anything but the bubble color under your name.

Or you could ignore those bubbles altogether, and focus on the posts. (You also have the option of disabling displaying your rep.)

Except that the ones with high rep have all the say and the ones without don't. I can't say this is fair.

I'm not sure what say they have beyond repping. That doesn't stop anyone from reading your posts and judging them on their own merits.

 

[tabs]

Only Senior Members and above can leave neg rep.

I would love to know why a 'senior' member felt it necessary to leave me a neg rep, with the helpful comment of '?' as some kind of mystery calling card to set me off on a wild trek to find the first clue of why he left it. Not exactly what I'd call reputable behavior. Neg rep could be a helpful tool. If you feel like doling some out then tell us where you think we poor noobs are going wrong.

 

[Deusp]

Judging by your rep status, you must have been pos-repped a few times. Would you consider those reps similarly weakly justified, or do you reserve denial for the disagreeable reps?

I don't post crap, I tried to post meaningful stuff. Hence I do get some pos rep. Of course, there will be disagreements and that is to be expected, but then people seemingly neg rep me because they disagree, not because I did something wrong.

If you're receiving neg reps from many people, perhaps you should reflect on your posts. Also consider that though ideally reps should be thoughtful encourage-/discouragements, they may be more reactive. That doesn't make them any less valid, though their attendant description may not be edifying.

The fact that a negative rep is worth 1/3 a positive one should hint that the tool is designed to encourage positive contributions and curtail casual misuse. The problem you describe isn't really rep abuse, but simply a number of others disagreeing with your posting style or substance.

Rep abuse is where people are unjustifiably giving out neg rep. Sure, the 1/3 neg rep limit reduces this somewhat, but it doesn't stop people from doing so anyways. And it's not one or two people, but quite widespread. A very large group of established people seem to use the system to push newer guys down.

As for those high-reppers with posts similar to your neg-repped posts: perhaps they acquired their rep with other styles of posts, in conversations outside of the ones they had with you, or merely over a longer period of time (you've been posting but a month)? I'd wait until you slid into negative points before considering the system broken, and even then consider that it takes an awful lot of neg reps to affect anything but the bubble color under your name.

I can't even begin to imagine that. I haven't been here just a month, I've lurked for a while longer. Some of these people have always been rude and difficult to deal with, but they also have very positively rep right. Some of them have reputations on other boards, and they are not very well received. Yet they still have very high rep here. It certainly feels like there's a double standard here.

Or you could ignore those bubbles altogether, and focus on the posts. (You also have the option of disabling displaying your rep.)

I don't think junior members can disable rep.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Rep abuse is where people are unjustifiably giving out neg rep. Sure, the 1/3 neg rep limit reduces this somewhat, but it doesn't stop people from doing so anyways. And it's not one or two people, but quite widespread. A very large group of established people seem to use the system to push newer guys down.

Oh god, it just one big conspiracy to keep the new guy down??

Until you actually admit there's alot wrong with the content, and tone of your posts, this goes nowhere.

The rep system is not broken, it's doing exactly as it was meant to, which is make you realize that there is something wrong with your posting style, and the way you throw around your own version of the facts rubs people the wrong way.

If your neg reps come from a variety of users, isn't it logical to assume that they are valid complaints for the most part?

 

[Deusp]

Oh god, it just one big conspiracy to keep the new guy down??

No, it's the selfish desire of those with high rep to disrespect other people. It happens all the time in the real world, but it doesn't make it right.

Until you actually admit there's alot wrong with the content, and tone of your posts, this goes nowhere.

Pot, kettle, black. You are one of the rudest posters here and you are in no position to say that.

The rep system is not broken, it's doing exactly as it was meant to, which is make you realize that there is something wrong with your posting style, and the way you throw around your own version of the facts rubs people the wrong way.

If your neg reps come from a variety of users, isn't it logical to assume that they are valid complaints for the most part?

A lot of people who sound like they didn't agree with me, and that is all. It's also logical to assume that there are a lot of biased people who use pos rep on posts they agree with and use neg rep on posts they don't.

 

[SugarCoat]

I've noticed that the problem with rep is isnt in the system but with the people, almost always new. Many like yourself come into a forum, register, and start stepping on toes when you should be treading lightly if you want people to not see you as a troll. Many people do post here and read here regularly, it can be considered their home and you are the guest, and when they see someone whos registered yesterday or last week calling someone wrong or being far too blunt or abrasive with their posts dont expect to be welcomed with open arms. I have NO idea where you post most of the time but i bet its the console section which is by far the best place to go to get into a verbal scuffle and easily walk away with neg rep from members. Many of them have been posting/reading here for a year or more and know the style that others write in and for the most part when other users are being sarcastic, silly, rude, or serious. Again though, you are the guest here so dont expect any leniency or respect because we dont know you and your first impression obviously left alot to be desired. Until you realise that and give us a chance to get to know you rather then hopping on peoples backs (calling other members wrong or ignorant), wordsmithing other members posts, or otherwise being stubborn/rude, which is what i suspect you've been doing, dont expect any of us to stand before you with arms open.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Pot, kettle, black. You are one of the rudest posters here and you are in no position to say that.

So you say, yet somehow I've had maybe half a dozen negative reps in the last year, and constantly get positive reps from mods and other respected members. How is that possible if what you say is true?

Food for thought...

 

[Deusp]

So you say, yet somehow I've had maybe half a dozen negative reps in the last year, and constantly get positive reps from mods and other respected members. How is that possible if what you say is true?

Food for thought...

Like I said, rep abuse.

 

[Reverend]

I've had a post deleted in this thread (which I don't mind and can understand) but I hope this one won't get the same treatment.

The way all the B3D staff/mods have commented in this thread means that we probably shouldn't expect any major changes to the rep system because the B3D staff believes in the way the rep system works. I suggest you guys just live with it.

If you don't disable your rep, that means you're after only one thing; or you're just not bothered enough to disable it. Whatever the case may be, if you are here to enjoy participating in the forums, I think you'll enjoy it more if you just don't check your rep points/who neg-repped you.

I think out of the last 10 neg-reps I've received, probably 6 or 7 of them have come from one particular participant. And out of the last 10 pos-reps I've received, probably 8 of them have been from different participants.

That's the way it works.

 

[Reverend]

Neg rep is only 1/3 the power of pos rep for a reason as well. Yet people still insist on getting all bent out of shape over individual ones.

In your day-to-day real life must-work-to-survive routine, do you remember the last 10 praises you've had, Geo? On the other hand, do you remember the very last (or last three) criticism you'd received?

 

[Reverend]

The fact that a negative rep is worth 1/3 a positive one should hint that the tool is designed to encourage positive contributions and curtail casual misuse.

Has it worked? Can you provide proof that it has worked? If you can prove it, then it proves the rep system as it stands works and that the rest of this post can be disregarded. If you can't prove it however, then all the rep system is is what B3D would like it to be but has really no control over and thus proves that the rep system is just wishful thinking, which causes problems and wastes time, B3D's time (like this thread and many others of the same theme).

This topic has been a pet peeve of mine. The B3D staff knows this. Example :

I got a neg-rep (again, from the same guy that has neg-repped me 6 or 7 out of the last 10 neg-reps I'd received) for this post with his neg-rep comment being "You is soooo clever Rev!". Can any of the B3D staff tell me if that post of mine deserved a neg-rep? Please respond, B3D. This is the basic issue of this thread, which I think isn't about rep points but about whether B3D's rep system is idiotic or useful.

No, I don't care if a neg-rep carries 1/3 or 1/10 weight. I simply want to know why it's bothers me, and many others, when I/we get neg-reps and waste your time with threads like this. I would also like to know why I/we never self-congratulate when we get pos-reps. Can B3D staff answer this while looking at themselves in the mirror?

I can't be bothered to check it but Rys himself gave me a pos-rep for my starting a topic about reputation quite a while back in this site feedback forum (you can all check it through all the pages), about whether I think it's useful, etc.

I'm sorry but it's my opinion that the very existence of the "neg rep" within the current rep system here turns off folks more than it does to encourage "better posting behaviour". And to be fair to B3D, I don't think there's any way to improve this.

We're talking about human nature here, something no one can really control or influence regardless of medium.

Please, if B3D wants to delete this message, shoot me a PM that you understand what I posted above and then by all means delete this post. I only want a B3D I can feel comfortable participating in, with the least amount of distractions that do nothing but waste time. Your preference may differ.

 

[vazel]

I'm wondering when I will be able to neg rep. I have just the person in mind who's posts struck a nerve with me. j/k

 

[Reverend]

I'm wondering when I will be able to neg rep. I have just the person in mind who's posts struck a nerve with me. j/k

Itchy fingers, huh? Proves my point.

 

[_xxx_]

People, having a great rep on an internet forum means NOTHING for your life. It won't give you a bigger dick nor more money or fame.

Why can't you just realize that you have an actual real life and the internet is just a "thing" out there (unless you're running a website for living or such, which would be the only exception)? I really don't get all the whining, same thing over and over again.

 

[Reverend]

People, having a great rep on an internet forum means NOTHING for your life.

To some folks, it does, no matter how many times you or I repeat it. If I said this is "dangerous", I'd be taking this too seriously but I'm sure B3D doesn't.

It won't give you a bigger dick nor more money or fame.

You're stating this? In this forum?

 

[nthd]

...I can't even begin to imagine that. I haven't been here just a month, I've lurked for a while longer...

How is anyone here supposed to know that? (Join date, post count.)

 

[_xxx_]

To some folks, it does

Well, I do feel a little bit sorry for them. Just a little bit.

 

[vazel]

Itchy fingers, huh? Proves my point.

Proves what point? Didn't you see the j/k; in case you don't know what that means it means joking. Meant as a jab against the people ticked off about receiving -rep.

Well, I do feel a little bit sorry for them. Just a little bit.

I find people that take themselves this seriously on a forum amusing. There was this one guy on another forum I would always neg rep because it bugged the hell out of him(Now this probably proves your point Reverend ). I would laugh out loud as this guy kept whining about it. The rep system on that other forum was broken anyway, everyone would give each other +rep in exchange just so they could get those nice rep checkmarks. B3D is the only forum I've see rep work reasonably well.

 

[AlNom]

Well, I do feel a little bit sorry for them. Just a little bit.

I was thinking they wanted you to feel something big...like...huge.

B3D is the only forum I've see rep work reasonably well.

quoted for truth....or is it quit f**..........

When I think B3D forum, I think of a lot of the contributing members who are very technical and mature in their posts, but it's something you have to stick around long enough of which to really get a sense. I think the system works because I've seen the QoP (quality of posts!) go up for some members that I initially thought were a little nuts to begin with*. I'd like to "remember" that I've only neg-repped people for attacking others verbally or for ridiculing them in a not-so-classy way. There's a way to confront someone, and there's a way to understand someone (something like that )


*It seems I've hit a ceiling limit for my own QoP though *nudge* *wink*