Reputations - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Mithalwen · 01-14-2005, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Aragorn's court is becoming a lonely place, is it only you and me Mith? Of course, I can't blame anyone if they aren't satisfied with being next to Aragorn, I guess that's the key in life, rising up the ladder, and getting promotions

Wel I am an under acheiver so I wouldn't know...

but I will be glad of your company untill you continue your meteoric rise..... but I am sure there will be new people along as others pass ... I mean HI has been having a quiet phase - I am sure he won't be around long either like bb & Helen .... Oh well at least I will get my own way with the redecorations..

PS To find out who is where, go to Members List and click on "reputation" and it will sort accordingly

Ealasaide · 01-15-2005, 12:48 PM

Geetings all you high-achievers!
At the risk of sounding negative, I was wondering if there is a way of turning off the reputation system and simply opting out. While I understand that it was not intended as such, the reputation system seems to have taken on something of the air of a competition on the Downs to see who can accumulate the most points the most quickly. For personal reasons - which I can explain by PM if necessary - I would really prefer not to see the Downs as a competitive place, as least not where I am concerned.

The comments and feedback are nice, but I don't much care for the point accumulation. On the old system where one was rated with bones, I did turn it off. Overall, I see no problem with the system as a whole. Most people seem to enjoy it. I just believe that those of us who wish to avoid competitive situations should be allowed that option.

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 01-15-2005, 01:11 PM

There are no winners or losers on the Downs. Reputations is not a contest, but it is a measurement of approval of and by our members. We are all living within the bounds of the same reputations system, so though some people may be uncomfortable being numerically rated against their peers, everyone is treated equally by the system.

Overall, the Reputations feature of vBulletin has been a positive influence on the Downs. Only occasionally and for very short time periods has it become the main topic of discussion, and when that happened, it subsided as quickly as it started. Most of our members have been prodded by Reputations into cleaning up their posts in both content and appearance. With such forum-wide benefits, allowing people to turn it off would skew the results and make the system inaccurate.

With that said, even if I could turn it off for specific users (I can’t), I wouldn’t. I have been quite happy with Reputations ever since we started using them, and I am sure they will continue to work well for us. I recommend that anyone who perceives the system as negative (or even oppressive?) remember again that the Downs is not a competition. It is just a place for you to read and discuss everyone's favorite topic: Middle-earth.

Ealasaide · 01-15-2005, 01:52 PM

Thank you for your prompt response and explanation, Barrow-Wight. I did not mean to imply that I thought the reputation system was a negative or oppressive thing as a whole. As I said in my first post, I believe that most people do enjoy it. I, too enjoy the immediate feedback aspect of it. I just don't care for the idea of point accumulation, as, whether anyone cares to admit it or not, it does lend an aura of competition to posting. Being in the vast minority in my opinion, i.e. not liking the point aspect of it, I had no expectation of or even intention of suggesting that it be stopped for everyone.

Now that you have explained that giving folks the option of not participating would skew the calculations for others, I understand why that option is not offered. That is all I wanted to know.

(Later - Edited for clarity as I wrote this post intially at work & was interrupted just as I went to place it on the thread.)

Lyta_Underhill · 01-15-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

There are no winners or losers on the Downs. Reputations is not a contest, but it is a measurement of approval of and by our members.

Indeed, I enjoy the ratings system not merely for its measurement qualities, but simply because it allows me to direct short expressions of "Good show" or "Well said" to the poster without having to resort to the cumbersome and limited PM system. It works great if I've got a one line comment or something I'd rather not muck a thread up with or that means something only to the poster. It is a quick, on the spot comment system that I've enjoyed using! Good show, BW!

Cheers!
Lyta (that was a slight bit longer than one line!)

Boromir88 · 01-16-2005, 08:14 AM

Quote:

I just don't care for the idea of point accumulation, as, whether anyone cares to admit it or not, it does lend an aura of competition to posting.

I take that as a good thing. That only prods people to write intriguing, thoughtful, posts and gets you to learn a lot more about Tolkien.

I think also if you look at the discussions on the board (even this one), most people get a long and enjoy eachother's input.

Fordim Hedgethistle · 01-19-2005, 11:29 AM

Welcome and well met Bethberry to the Council of Elrond! Delighted to see you.

Sherry? Pipe? Loom?

01-15-2005, 01:11 PM	#3
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	There are no winners or losers on the Downs. Reputations is not a contest, but it is a measurement of approval of and by our members. We are all living within the bounds of the same reputations system, so though some people may be uncomfortable being numerically rated against their peers, everyone is treated equally by the system. Overall, the Reputations feature of vBulletin has been a positive influence on the Downs. Only occasionally and for very short time periods has it become the main topic of discussion, and when that happened, it subsided as quickly as it started. Most of our members have been prodded by Reputations into cleaning up their posts in both content and appearance. With such forum-wide benefits, allowing people to turn it off would skew the results and make the system inaccurate. With that said, even if I could turn it off for specific users (I can’t), I wouldn’t. I have been quite happy with Reputations ever since we started using them, and I am sure they will continue to work well for us. I recommend that anyone who perceives the system as negative (or even oppressive?) remember again that the Downs is not a competition. It is just a place for you to read and discuss everyone's favorite topic: Middle-earth. __________________ The Barrow-Wight

01-15-2005, 01:52 PM	#4
Ealasaide Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Fencing Lyst Posts: 810	Thank you for your prompt response and explanation, Barrow-Wight. I did not mean to imply that I thought the reputation system was a negative or oppressive thing as a whole. As I said in my first post, I believe that most people do enjoy it. I, too enjoy the immediate feedback aspect of it. I just don't care for the idea of point accumulation, as, whether anyone cares to admit it or not, it does lend an aura of competition to posting. Being in the vast minority in my opinion, i.e. not liking the point aspect of it, I had no expectation of or even intention of suggesting that it be stopped for everyone. Now that you have explained that giving folks the option of not participating would skew the calculations for others, I understand why that option is not offered. That is all I wanted to know. (Later - Edited for clarity as I wrote this post intially at work & was interrupted just as I went to place it on the thread.) Last edited by Ealasaide; 01-15-2005 at 08:37 PM.

01-19-2005, 11:29 AM	#7
Fordim Hedgethistle Gibbering Gibbet Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Beyond cloud nine Posts: 1,844	Welcome and well met Bethberry to the Council of Elrond! Delighted to see you. Sherry? Pipe? Loom? __________________ Scribbling scrabbling.

01-15-2005, 12:48 PM	#2
Ealasaide Shadow of Tyrn Gorthad Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: The Fencing Lyst Posts: 810	Geetings all you high-achievers! At the risk of sounding negative, I was wondering if there is a way of turning off the reputation system and simply opting out. While I understand that it was not intended as such, the reputation system seems to have taken on something of the air of a competition on the Downs to see who can accumulate the most points the most quickly. For personal reasons - which I can explain by PM if necessary - I would really prefer not to see the Downs as a competitive place, as least not where I am concerned. The comments and feedback are nice, but I don't much care for the point accumulation. On the old system where one was rated with bones, I did turn it off. Overall, I see no problem with the system as a whole. Most people seem to enjoy it. I just believe that those of us who wish to avoid competitive situations should be allowed that option.