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Old 2010-03-14, 12:59   Link #120
relentlessflame
 
*Administrator
 
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Age: 41
Okay, well, I'd like to thank everyone for their input. I think we've heard ample thoughts from all sides of the issue, so would like to give this issue a break for now. The moderators and admins have received the feedback, and are considering what further steps are required, if any. We do have a few proposals/ideas on the table; we'll see what comes of it.

In the meantime, my general advice would be that people should not take negative rep personally. I know this is hard because you have to see that Red Dot every time you look at your User CP (until it gets replaced with new points), but really... shocking though this may be, all rep points are absolutely meaningless. As they used to say on Whose Line, "everything is made up and the points don't count". It means whatever the heck the person giving it wants it to mean.

I think everyone critiquing the system is trying to be well-meaning and thinks they'd be doing new users and the board on a whole a favour by advocating removing this perceived avenue of hurtful criticism. I can see the logic, but I'm not so convinced. You could also wonder if people who lash out anonymously via neg rep would find other more hurtful ways to lash out if not given that outlet. At least reputation is meaningless and can be safely ignored. It's no skin off of anyone's back unless the receiver personally makes it into an issue. People who lash out immaturely in this manner are not going to all of a sudden wise up just because they no longer have this tool. Fundamentally, it's a behavioural issue.

I should point out that positive rep is often used as a tool to encourage negative behaviour on these boards. Just as some have accused negative rep of being a "de-motivator", positive rep can be a motivator for questionable posting practices. For example, certain posters engaged in a flame war will get lots of positive rep when they put forward a strong argument for their side of the argument, thus encouraging them to drag the flame war out even longer and keep "getting support". The infamous Shuffle Holy War was a veritable rep farm for those actively engaged in it, as I suspect are the various Moe Tournament threads even today. Remember: you gain more through positive rep than negative rep takes away. Because rep points are not vetted, the staff exercises no further control over this sort of "bad use of rep" than any other. While removing negative rep points may eliminate one cause of strife and concern, it will do little to bring objectivity and fairness to the system, or to prevent the system from being used improperly to influence poster behaviour in a negative way.

But anyway, all that's neither here nor there. I believe the various sides of the issue have expressed their opinions clearly, and there is enough information on the table that it can be discussed amongst the staff. If there's a compelling reason to re-open this thread, please feel free to PM myself or any of the other moderators or staff.

As a closing thought, I would like to remind everyone of Rule 4.4:

Quote:
4.4 Please do not post about reputations

If you feel you have received an inappropriate reputation award please contact a member of staff. Please do not make posts or comments in The Forum complaining about such events. In addition, please do not request or "beg" for reputation points as this will be considered a violation of The Rules.

Please Note: If you do not like the Reputation System, the reputation awards you receive or these rules, then please do not complain about them in The Forum. Simply hide your reputation level via your User Control Panel and do not participate.
I would also mention my previous post which explains the general principles currently used by the staff in terms of what sorts of rep "complaints" we consider valid under the current system. If and when a new or modified rep system is ready for consideration, we will let everyone know.
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