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[SIZE=2]We are going to try out the reputation system of this forum to see if it works for our members. Maybe we'll keep it, maybe we won't.
The reputation system has two distinct ratings: Reputation Score and Reputation Power.
Reputation Score is an attribute of each member that indicates the quality of the member's posts as rated by other active members. A member's Reputation Score increases when other members who have reputation power approve posts by that member by clicking on the "Rate this Post" link in the upper right hand corner of the post. A member's reputation score can be seen by the number of small green squares in the upper right hand corner of any posts by that member. Comments given to a member can be viewed by that member in his or her profile.
Reputation Power is the amount by which a member can affect another member's Reputation Score. Reputation Power takes into account length of membership, number of posts, and Reputation Score. A member's Reputation Power can be seen in the upper right hand corner of any post by that member.
[SIZE=2]The green, blue, and red squares in the Latest Reputation Received table on the My Profile page denote the effect of the comment on your Reputation Score. If the rater approved the post, and at the time of commenting had a positive Reputation Power, the square will be green. If the rater had no Reputation Power the square will be blue. And if the rater disapproved the post the square will be red.[/SIZE]
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[/SIZE]To get more insight into how these ratings work and to view the parameters that control these two ratings, see the page describing the settings in the administrative manual for the forum software: http://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/m...ons_reputation .[/SIZE]
Hi,
Thank you for the explanations and your intentions. That is something different, and I think it's great you are letting everyone know. Thank you for the link.
There are some very knowledgeable people here who in the past, wanting to help, have spend varying amounts of time providing workable answers to questions posted. There was a rating system, but relatively unobtrusive. Now under the new system you know nothings can manipulate it to make yourselves look good. I see AskMeHelpDesk now having a rating system similar the the farce at the old AskMe and now Point Ask. I hope users are smart enough to ignore the silly ratings.
The new system encourages giving ratings. I gave my honest opinion. You have problem with it. By the way Fred, dogs can't digest milk. If you don't know what you are talking about, don't post.
Nobody's asked my opinion and I sure as hell don't want any body to rate it but for what it's worth here goes. I think the focus on ratings ,(especially by other experts) is making a contest out of primary thrust of this site which is to help other people and not ourselves.
First off answering plumbing questions on this site isn't a ego thing with me. I give answers as a hobby. Also to keep my mind sharp and and to make me feel that even in retirement that I still have something to contribute and am not just some old fart setting in Florida waiting to die. I try to give solid answers based on 50 years out in the field. I admit that when I first started answering questions on then old AskME.com i was very competitive and looked at is as a game. It took me over a year to work my way through 200 other experts to get to be number one. I still accept ratings on AllExperts.com but that was when I still looked at it like a game. Sorta like ,
"me against them"
But that was then and this is now. I have never, nor will I ever troll for a rate on AskMeHelpDesk. If any of my answers aren't acceptable, tell me and I'll do my best to make it right. Don't just "bad rep" me and let it go at that.
Also as far as other experts rating me? I'm a computer dummy so how could I possible rate Scott Gems answers in computing? Or Labmans on dogs? Or anybody elses for the matter? If I give a complicated venting or drainage answer what expert out there is going to bad rate me because he or she has a better solurtion. If you do have one then put it up to help the asker, don't just bad rep me, do something constructive.
On another note, these pissing contests between experts has got to stop.
You're not here to prove who's the better expert, you're here to help people.
If I disagree with another expert on the plumbing page I don't start world war three. I offer a second opinion without trashing the first one. That keeps peace on the page and makes the other expert feel like his opinion is valuable and is still welcome to contribute. I work with good people on the plumbing page and have the utmost respect for each and every one of them.
And lastly, I think past transgressions should be forgiven but in the future any expert that uses multiple nicks to trash another expert should banned from this site forever. This is non productive and can only serve to damage the entire site, and that's the last thing we need.
I've read all the posts on this thread and just thought I'd add my two cents, ( and that's about all it's worth) Tom aka speedball1
Well said, speedball1. We need more of your kind around here.
Let's not worry too much about the rating system until the experts have more than one or two green squares. Then if it looks like trolls are gaining undue reputation I'll make some manual adjustments or turn the system off.
Hey, speedball1,
From "one old fart" to another; very, very well said.
Hope you are not anywhere near the latest hurricane coming toward FL. I was born and raised in NW Florida panhandle, lived in different towns/cities in FL, and left "chasing women" to DC.
Then from DC back to VA. I like FL, and hope you are not in harms' way.
Again, Good Post.
Nobody's asked my opinion and I sure as hell don't want any body to rate it but for what it's worth here goes. I think the focus on ratings ,(especially by other experts) is making a contest out of primary thrust of this site which is to help other people and not ourselves.
I just spotted this thread and I wanted to applaud Tom for saying this.
In my opinion the value of a rating system is to give askers a way to gauge the quality of a specific answer and/or a specific expert. I have said this several times in the past, askers cannot be the best judge of the quality of an answer. If they could judge the quality then they wouldn't have had to ask the question in the first place. So an asker may waste time following erroneous advice or, worse, cause damage by doing so.
However, a rating system needs to meet several criteria to be effective.
1) It cannot be anonymous. Allowing people to rate answers and experts anonymously is asking for trouble.
2) Ratings need to be explainable. If there is no way for a rater to justify their rating, then it loses value.
3) Ratings must be public and easily found. It doesn't help the asker if they can't see the ratings and comments.
4) Use of ratings needs to be monitored. If someone goes after a specific expert and rates all their answers badly without justification, then the moderators will need to be able to catch this and take action.
So far, the rating system here doesn't meet these criteria, especially #3. I still haven't been able to find ratings for my posts. I've looked in My Profile area and don't see anything. Can someone give me specific instruction on how to find them?
It also suffers from the 'spread it around' limits. I agree that we shouldn't be allowing unlimited, but the limits appear to be too high to allow effective use of it.
Scott, in some cases the reputation information seems to show up later, and you may have to scroll down through recent posts to find it. Mine finally showed up last night. I was able to see the trolls are after me big time. Offend somebody by suggesting that some their posts are useless mainly to pad their rating, and they start through down rating all of yours.
After Rickj, of unknown plumbing knowledge gave an answer, and corrected it to say what he really meant, Tom hadn't shown up, so I posted this, a link to a previous similar answer
Your tub sounds like the ones he says don't need concrete.''
I felt any past user would want to rely on what Tom said, not some unknown which rickj was at that time. Still hasn't developed any credentials in plumbing. I felt my post added substantial information. I had no reason to pad my post count at that time, I had been an ''Ultra Expert'' for a long time, and that was before the stupid new rating system started. icandoit saw my answer helpful enough he posted back thanking me by name.
I am sure all but a few trolls agree mine was a good post. I think the rating system is more likely to make lightweight trolls look good than competent, knowledgeable people like Tom.
So yes, we now have #4, trolls jumping on somebody with a wealth of experience and the ability to solve problems he never saw before. I have been here a long time, haven't begged for ratings, but have received many posts from real users acknowledging my help.
You make a good point when you say "unknown plumbing knowledge".
This is true about any expert.
I wonder if there is a way, with vBulletin, to do something like this.
And btw, for the very reason that I cannot elaborate like that on "why I think I have something beneficial to say about _______" is why I have that first red line in my signature...
I am tired of having to scroll down through your inflated signature as it is. Please explain how anybody but a troll with an agenda would disapprove a post that brought a thank you from the original asker?
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