Spiteful neg rep?

[speckytecky]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. As an elder novice I have posted some dire questions that surely deserved a neg rep at times but the kind folk here have always shown my inexperience a kind of respect seeming to realise we all have to start somewhere.

 

A great bunch of folk here as far as I'm concerned and only once in responses to my posts have I ever felt a respondent was making fun of the naivety of my question and he was made to look pretty silly himself by the positive responses that followed!

 

Until you mentioned it I hadn't been aware of the Rep button anyhow

Edited July 30, 2010 by speckytecky

[tmcd35]

Sorry to hear of your bad experience. As an elder novice I have posted some dire questions that surely deserved a neg rep at times but the kind folk here have always shown my inexperience a kind of respect seeming to realise we all have to start somewhere.

 

A great bunch of folk here as far as I'm concerned and only once in responses to my posts have I ever felt a respondent was making fun of the naivety of my question and he was made to look pretty silly himself by the positive responses that followed!

 

I've never given neg rep - but IMHO it should only be used for p*ss poor advice that could lead to someone's network being trashed (generally not the sort of advice found in these parts), obitual use of comic sans or too much creeping (neg rep your way for the later )

[Rydra]

 

Now I'm getting neg repped because people think I neg repped them... in a thread where I clearly stated I wouldn't neg rep unless they really were a troll, with lichen and everything.

 

Just for the record.... I have NEVER neg repped a single post on this forum.

 

:mad:

 

I vote to remove the feature completely. It leads to wide speculation and random neg repping, and posters feeling bitter. It's just a feature for trolls to send anonymous hatemail. Any post that warrants it is a job for a forum mod, or should be attacked/defended as appropriate.

[speckytecky]

As someone who never realised the Rep button was there till today I agree with Rydra let's bin the rep button - how about a poll?

[teejay]

I do use the rep button and the thanks button, but just for positive rep and mainly in the tech forums when someone has given very useful advice. I can see the point of neg rep, but have to agree it's being abused at the moment. I don't know if the mods/admins can get details of who is dishing out loads of neg rep and have a few words?

[localzuk]

I've used the rep button at times, to give neg rep. It serves a purpose - to reduce the rep of someone who isn't behaving as other users would expect.

 

So, I'd argue that it is working just fine.

[gizmo2005]

Judge: Take him away and hang him.

 

Clerk: You can't hang him for using comic sans m'lord.

 

Judge: What's the maximum sentence then?

 

Clerk: A negative rep m'lord.

 

Judge: OK. Give him a negative rep. Then take him away and hang him!

 

 

Guy being Hung and neg rep: "please cant you just hang me ill do anything just dont neg rep me" im too young to be neg repd

 

Officer: "should have thought about that befor you gave someone the advise you thought was rite"

 

Guy Being Hung: "NNNNNoooooooooo!!!!!!"

[tmcd35]

Guy being Hung and neg rep: "please cant you just hang me ill do anything just dont neg rep me" im too young to be neg repd

 

 

I thought about pleading my innosence but my crimes are plain to see

[teejay]

Edited July 30, 2010 by teejay

[gizmo2005]

 

teejay thats a big statement you made there ............

[teejay]

teejay thats a big statement you made there ............

 

Yeah, for some reason the image is shrinking, just trying to fix it lol.

[dgsmith]

I think it's a waste of time. Sure, keep the thanks button which adds to someone's rep anyway but why the need to have the ability to give good/bad rep on someone's post? If you don't like what someone has said either PM them or quote their post and publically say as much, or the contrary if you like what someone said (or press thanks on it?).

 

The few users I have seen who have had 0 rep due to receiving quite alot of negative rep, generally I am aware of why this is from their posts and usually not-so-constructive contributions to the site - don't need a rep system to know who these people are. I don't agree with being able to give negative rep "behind a closed curtain" which means you have some degree of anonymity which is wrong..

[SYNACK]

I do use the rep button and the thanks button, but just for positive rep and mainly in the tech forums when someone has given very useful advice. I can see the point of neg rep, but have to agree it's being abused at the moment. I don't know if the mods/admins can get details of who is dishing out loads of neg rep and have a few words?

 

@All - if you have a specific issue with rep then you should use the Message the Admins forum to report it as the Admins do have the ability to look into specific cases however given the number of users monitering all users is impractical so it relies on users reporting its misuse.

 

I do see a purpose to keeping the system as it does offer a form of peer moderation however as with any system it can be abused so people should try to be positive with their rep and only use the negitive rep when something is obviously detracting from the forum such as personal attacts (these should also be reported) or extremely bad information.

 

Personally I generally sign my reps and don't use the negitive rep feature very much at all unless it is really warrented.

 

The reason the reps are annonomys is to try to prevent reprisals from people angry about being negitive rep'ed, unfortunatly it looks like blind reprisals are taking place at the moment which is not good and certainly not what the system is intended for.

[GrumbleDook]

The benefit of rep over the plain thanks button is, IIRC, that it takes into account the rep of the person repping someone else. The more rep you have, the more rep your use of positive rep will give.

[dgsmith]

I still stand by what I said. I won't lose sleep if the system stays as it is now although I think it's open to too much abuse currently. Even if you made it so only "reputable" members (say members who has acrewed a certain rep) could actually give it, it may be given a bit more appropriately and cut down on the silly people who join and misuse it (I am assuming that is what can happen currently)? Even taking away the anonymity when you give negative rep would at least make people think twice before acting immaturely..

[broc]

I think it's sad and a bit cowardly when someone gives negative rep & then doesn't have the courage to identify themselves to the person they are giving it to.

 

If you don't agree with what someone has to say have the guts to argue your reasons why, don't hide behind the negative rep button. Someone gave me negative rep recently for a slightly flippant comment I made on a thread.... I hope it really made their day....... meanwhile I have already wasted too much of my time commenting about it.....

[speckytecky]

Perhaps a poll on this introduced by a MODERATOR might be useful - as I said previously till today (and I have been her something like 4 years I think) I wasn't aware of the rep system but then at 58 years young and having consumed many units of alcohol over the years that's not unexpected is it!!

[broc]

Just as a matter of idle curiosity, if a small number of users where to get together & cooperate by giving each other positive rep presumably they could quickly elevate their rep could they not? Do the mods have any way of analysing who is giving +/- rep & playing the system? Perhaps we could have a rep league table?

[techtopia]

I've used the rep button at times, to give neg rep. It serves a purpose - to reduce the rep of someone who isn't behaving as other users would expect.

 

So, I'd argue that it is working just fine.

 

So I wasn't behaving as other users would expect? I think you might want to add that that's the way 'neg rep' works for you, because the neg rep I was given was for no other reason that spite, insofar as I can tell.

[localzuk]

So I wasn't behaving as other users would expect? I think you might want to add that that's the way 'neg rep' works for you, because the neg rep I was given was for no other reason that spite, insofar as I can tell.

 

Obviously in your case it was misused. That's what contacting the admins is for. Saying the entire system should be scrapped because some people abused it is like saying we should abolish all benefits because a few people abuse it.

[dgsmith]

Saying the entire system should be scrapped because some people abused it is like saying we should abolish all benefits because a few people abuse it.

 

I could give you neg rep for having a different opinion to me there (I know you weren't responding to me directly, and yes I say that tongue in cheek before the pitch forks come out)

 

On a more serious note, I don't think your comparison is very accurate. Sure, it'd maybe be a bit of a bad decision to scrap the rep system entirely just because some people misuse it, though I personally don't see how it really contribues to this site. I know a fair few here now, I know those who are valued members and those who aren't as valued as others. If anything comes of this thread, maybe it could possibly pave the way for some improvements/amendments to the system if anything is to come of it?

[techtopia]

Obviously in your case it was misused. That's what contacting the admins is for. Saying the entire system should be scrapped because some people abused it is like saying we should abolish all benefits because a few people abuse it.

 

I don't recall saying the entire system should be scrapped but I don't like the fact that as a new subscriber to these forums, anyone who wasn't familiar with me would have immediately got the impression that at minus 111 rep I must be either a trouble maker or a complete numpty neither of which I hope I am! Whilst some may not be too bothered by it, I was, as it was so unnecessary.

 

What I do think should happen, is anonymity should be removed. You would at least then know who has disagreed with you. I don't quite see why someone disagreeing with you should remain anonymous - we are all adults aren't we, surely we can deal with a little criticism or disagreement?

 

FWIW, someone else has left a neg rep for this thread with the message "here, have some more" which I have reported to the admins. Pointless, spiteful action on behalf of the individual concerned.

[localzuk]

I don't recall saying the entire system should be scrapped but I don't like the fact that as a new subscriber to these forums, anyone who wasn't familiar with me would have immediately got the impression that at minus 111 rep I must be either a trouble maker or a complete numpty neither of which I hope I am! Whilst some may not be too bothered by it, I was, as it was so unnecessary.

 

There have been other users who have commented saying the system should be scrapped... The comment I wrote addresses you, and then the other people.

 

What I do think should happen, is anonymity should be removed. You would at least then know who has disagreed with you. I don't quite see why someone disagreeing with you should remain anonymous - we are all adults aren't we, surely we can deal with a little criticism or disagreement?

 

Personally, I don't care either way about knowing who gave me neg rep - 95% of the time it is pretty obvious anyway.

 

FWIW, someone else has left a neg rep for this thread with the message "here, have some more" which I have reported to the admins. Pointless, spiteful action on behalf of the individual concerned.

 

That's just someone behaving badly, and I'm sure the admins will deal with it!

[GrumbleDook]

The whole thing about pos/neg rep is that it is anonymous ... thanks are public. I am happy that someone can neg rep me with feeling that they are likely to have me turn round and pick out one of *their* posts and be petty by ripping apart stuff they say, just because there is a difference of opinion. (NB I have never done this, never intend to but have seen it done where someone finds out someone else had given them neg rep).

 

If someone *really* wants to take me to task (as they have done) they will neg rep *and* PM me ... that is fine, it allows for point and counter-point ... discussion and presentation of facts and perspectives without dragging others into it who are probably not needed.

 

Likewise ... I am happy to have people give me pos rep and also PM me ... sometimes to tease out a few more details of what I was talking about, etc.

 

Yes, it is open to abuse where a small group might choose to neg rep certain people and pos rep others ... personally I would like to see a quota on rep you can give to people in the hope that this makes a few more think carefully about where they allocate it. I would even be happy to start from scratch again ... but to keep some happy we would possibly need an archive of the existing rep.

[techtopia]

Its listed in the usercp (click settings next to your avatar at the top) at the bottom. Only admins can see who left you rep using the admin sytem.

 

Thanks for sorting out the original 'problem'. Unbelievably, someone left some more neg rep with a "have some more" message. Having seen the responses by my peers in this forum though, I'm not too bothered now as I see it for what childish behaviour it is.