TTB Reputation System?

[ralis]

Exactly, who thought of this? I read the criteria as to how posts are graded. The criteria are subjective at best and may represent personal biases on the part of individual moderators. This micro managing of people's opinions will eventually ruin this forum! It seems to me that free speech is not welcome here.

 

This forum is part of the real world and to separate opinions into some mythical hierarchy of good and bad serves no one here. To me, it is offensive to be treated as if I were a child who is misbehaving and will not have a gold star on the refrigerator this week.

[Sloppy Zhang]

Hmm, yeah, I found the introduction of the rating system to be a bit silly. Doesn't really seem to be part of the "spirit" of this forum? At least in my very humble opinion.

 

That said, I haven't really seen it used that widely. I've given a few positive points to people right after I commented on how much I liked their posts. I've only seen one negative one given, and I think that was by someone who explicitly said, "see it was me who gave you that negative point".

 

Maybe I'm not paying much attention.

 

Popularity has never really been in my interest on TTB. It'd be nice if I got a couple thumbs up, but I'm not really looking for it. I'd like to think I wouldn't care if I got negative points, but you never know I recognize people by their names and the consistent quality of their posts, not the number associated with them.

 

I figure that in general, it'll have as much of an impact as the users give it. I for one am not paying it much mind.

 

 

That said, perhaps this might be better suited to be moved to a different section of the forum? Or perhaps it won't get as much attention there. To be honest, I don't visit many other parts of the forum besides this one too frequently, despite there being some good stuff in other parts!

Edited November 10, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[TheSongsofDistantEarth]

Sux.

[Aetherous]

Yeah, bad idea.

[Gerard]

I agree with the points system but I think it is still weak. I would introduce karma stars under each member (like some forums do) to slow down/deter trolls from posting, and there are few around in here, but I guess like anything in life they are required to balance the system: good-evil, positive-negative.

[Stigweard]

I agree with the points system but I think it is still weak. I would introduce karma stars under each member (like some forums do) to slow down/deter trolls from posting, and there are few around in here, but I guess like anything in life they are required to balance the system: good-evil, positive-negative.

I am certainly hearing you folks. Twas Sean's call to turn it on. If it's not working for folks then it can be just as easy to turn it right back off again.

 

Please keep sharing your views

[ralis]

I agree with the points system but I think it is still weak. I would introduce karma stars under each member (like some forums do) to slow down/deter trolls from posting, and there are few around in here, but I guess like anything in life they are required to balance the system: good-evil, positive-negative.

 

Karma stars? Are you serious? What colors do you like? Red, gold or blue?

[Sloppy Zhang]

I agree with the points system but I think it is still weak. I would introduce karma stars under each member (like some forums do) to slow down/deter trolls from posting, and there are few around in here, but I guess like anything in life they are required to balance the system: good-evil, positive-negative.

 

But see that's the thing though- even perception of who/what is considered a "troll" is subject to opinion. Someone could be raising valid, though unpopular points, and be considered a "troll" equally with someone who is legitimately just dicking around, and be considered a "troll" equally with someone who is just not eloquent enough to get their thoughts across completely.

 

Any type of user rating/ranking system is open for abuse stemming from someone's opinion about the poster, rather than about the quality of the posts themselves. Even brilliant posters don't always post the next holy book, and even unpopular posters can hit the nail on the head in a topic. Best to just have everyone read the post how they want, free of any sort of plus/minus.

 

In my humble opinion.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Sloppy Zhang

[RiverSnake]

I think it is an interesting system. If i see someone who's given a really insightful post i usually give them a positive and feel good when i give positive feedback.

 

-I rarely give negative feedback unless someone says something that strikes me as intentionally argumentative and simply to get people angry.

 

 

-I think the idea that it would ruin the forum and constrict freedom of speech is silly. It's just a number by your name and it helps give person feedback about there posts.

 

-I'd like to see how it plays out.

 

My 2 cents, Peace.

[goldisheavy]

Exactly, who thought of this? I read the criteria as to how posts are graded. The criteria are subjective at best and may represent personal biases on the part of individual moderators. This micro managing of people's opinions will eventually ruin this forum! It seems to me that free speech is not welcome here.

 

This forum is part of the real world and to separate opinions into some mythical hierarchy of good and bad serves no one here. To me, it is offensive to be treated as if I were a child who is misbehaving and will not have a gold star on the refrigerator this week.

 

I agree completely. Look at it this way... e-sangha was heavy on moderation, and where are they now? Their karma was to crash and burn. Any place that tries to control what people say is a dishonest place and it is destined to fall sooner or later.

 

I'm all for disagreements and debates, but shutting someone up is wrong.

 

I would only make an exception to this policy for obvious abuse, such as posting 20 links to some commercial site, etc... Basically using TTB as a free sales platform is spam and abuse. So anyone who uses TTB as a free sales platform should be banned.

 

If you want to discuss spiritual matters, stick around, even if your opinion is unpopular and even if you curse every 3rd word. I have no problem.

 

If you want to sell crap, buy ads like every other business, but don't post on forums. That's the only kind of moderation I approve of.

 

If you're a long time member who participated in many meaningful discussions and you want to recommend some book or product, fine. If you are here and all 3 of your posts are sales pitches, that's not fine.

Edited November 10, 2010 by goldisheavy

[Marblehead]

I think we might be misunderstanding the purpose of the reputation function. It is designed so that any member reading a specific post can indicate that that one particular post was of positive or negative value to that individual member. It shouldn't be about judging the value of the member him/herself.

 

I do agree that if the button is being used to attack a member then the function has already lost its value.

 

What's that word? Honesty? The post, not the poster.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Marblehead

[Stigweard]

I posted this over in the thread that's relevant to this topic but I will repeat it here:

 

At the moment any registered user can click + or - on the rep buttons. So the "evaluation" is open to all members. Moderators have no control over it at all and, after seeing the wild accusation made, I will suggest to the other mods that perhaps we should make it a policy to disqualify ourselves from using the rep buttons at all.

 

I hope I have made this very clear that it isn't moderators who are adjusting people's reputations but all members.

[Vajrahridaya]

But see that's the thing though- even perception of who/what is considered a "troll" is subject to opinion. Someone could be raising valid, though unpopular points, and be considered a "troll" equally with someone who is legitimately just dicking around, and be considered a "troll" equally with someone who is just not eloquent enough to get their thoughts across completely.

 

Any type of user rating/ranking system is open for abuse stemming from someone's opinion about the poster, rather than about the quality of the posts themselves. Even brilliant posters don't always post the next holy book, and even unpopular posters can hit the nail on the head in a topic. Best to just have everyone read the post how they want, free of any sort of plus/minus.

 

In my humble opinion.

 

Hear, hear!!

[C T]

I am wondering if the plusses and minuses cancel each other out?

 

Like my friend has about 15 minuses (clearly a target, or even a _conspiracy?), but lately he also got a few pluses... would it not make a bit of sense if this rep thing could go up and down like stock values in the exchanges?

 

(just a thought!)

[Vajrahridaya]

I posted this over in the thread that's relevant to this topic but I will repeat it here:

 

At the moment any registered user can click + or - on the rep buttons. So the "evaluation" is open to all members. Moderators have no control over it at all and, after seeing the wild accusation made, I will suggest to the other mods that perhaps we should make it a policy to disqualify ourselves from using the rep buttons at all.

 

I hope I have made this very clear that it isn't moderators who are adjusting people's reputations but all members.

 

Seriously, I'm sorry I accused you of that Stigweard. I feel bad.

 

All the best to you!!

[Stigweard]

I am wondering if the plusses and minuses cancel each other out?

 

Like my friend has about 15 minuses (clearly a target, or even a _conspiracy?), but lately he also got a few pluses... would it not make a bit of sense if this rep thing could go up and down like stock values in the exchanges?

 

(just a thought!)

Yes in fact they do. As we can see with Mr Vaj. Perhaps someone did drop a -1 on a bunch of his posts. But now I notice that another someone has run around and dropped +1 on a whole bunch

 

I will investigate if we can monitor such activity

[Vajrahridaya]

I am wondering if the plusses and minuses cancel each other out?

 

Like my friend has about 15 minuses (clearly a target, or even a _conspiracy?), but lately he also got a few pluses... would it not make a bit of sense if this rep thing could go up and down like stock values in the exchanges?

 

(just a thought!)

 

Yes! I had -33 a few hours ago... now it's down to negative 13, LOL!

[C T]

Yes! I had -33 a few hours ago... now it's down to negative 13, LOL!

Cool out! So you have appreciated in value! See, i always knew there were good-hearted people on this forum...

[goldisheavy]

I think we might be misunderstanding the purpose of the reputation function. It is designed so that any member reading a specific post can indicate that that one particular post was of positive or negative value to that individual member. It shouldn't be about judging the value of the member him/herself.

 

I do agree that if the button is being used to attack a member then the function has already lost its value.

 

What's that word? Honesty? The post, not the poster.

 

Marble, but lots of posts are valuable to me and I don't click the "plus" sign. I think it's idiotic and I refuse to participate. That doesn't mean my failure to click some buttons indicates lack of value.

 

So if someone makes judgements based on that number, those are probably flawed judgments.

[Vajrahridaya]

Cool out! So you have appreciated in value! See, i always knew there were good-hearted people on this forum...

 

It appears so... thanks guys!! See... my mood has been altered due to the rating system, which is pretty sad. :lol: Just kidding... I mostly find it funny.

 

But, I say down with it!

[C T]

 

So if someone makes judgements based on that number, those are probably flawed judgments.

Yes. Moreover, it turns people's focus out to external symbols and manifestations, which is basically another form of distraction. Spirituality, according to popular opinions, is about letting go of externals, as a start, which helps to direct the focus inwards, and eventually learning to even let the inward distractions and subtler clingings go as well.

 

So maybe this rep thing could be useful as a tool for self-investigation? I mean, if i am biased towards some idea, tradition or person and go around clicking negs on posts deemed 'anti-my-own-beliefs', and then one day realize, out of sheer honest frustration that the only person who is affected by bias is me myself, it will definitely force me to question my own 'rep' then, and ask why such lop-sided attitudes are stuck inside me in the first place.

[Marblehead]

Marble, but lots of posts are valuable to me and I don't click the "plus" sign. I think it's idiotic and I refuse to participate. That doesn't mean my failure to click some buttons indicates lack of value.

 

I feel exactly the same way. I wasn't arguing against what y'all were saying - just trying to present an alternative view. Personally, I have used the button only twice and both were tests. But that doesn't mean that I haven't read a lot of posts that were of value to me. But I do try to respond to those posts in discussions that I am involved in that are of value.

 

So if someone makes judgements based on that number, those are probably flawed judgments.

 

Granted. I think that a better scale of the value of a post is whether or not anyone responds to the post.

 

Personally, I don't care about brownie points. Didn't when I was in the Army either. But I do feel a little warmth when someone recognizes my existence by speaking to or with me, even if they tell me that they think I have lost it.

[Marblehead]

Yes. Moreover, it turns people's focus out to external symbols and manifestations, which is basically another form of distraction. Spirituality, according to popular opinions, is about letting go of externals, as a start, which helps to direct the focus inwards, and eventually learning to even let the inward distractions and subtler clingings go as well.

 

That is an excellent point. (No, I'm not going to click the button. Hehehe.)

[Vajrahridaya]

Well... I'm clicking a whole bunch of positives of people because I think it's just better that way.

[Marblehead]

Well... I'm clicking a whole bunch of positives of people because I think it's just better that way.

 

Oh No! The boy's got a new toy. Hehehe. Go play with your hot roommate.