After reading these posts: There is a way to turn off your reputation! Go to "Settings" > "General Settings" > And where it says "Reputation Level" switch it to "Hide Reputation" and click "Save Changes." I've turned off my reputation, as you can tell by the grey gem I have above my avatar. I'm tired of looking at it also. The reputation system, for a lack of a better word, disgusts me. It betrays the "equality" that the site's motto claims we have. I don't want members thinking I'm better than them because I have a red gem attached to my name. I don't want members that have a low amount of gems think they're worthless. I'm also not comfortable with the idea that members may base their behaviors on the most pixel-reputable members. Pixel Hope made a good point: Well, first I'm honored to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Lupr and Zephyr, but seriously, this shows that members sometimes try to emulate those that have the most pixel-rep. I can see that as a good and a bad thing, depending on who has the most rep at the time, as we already know that rep isn't always given for equal reasons. It's a popularity contest of sorts, and even real-life experience has shown us that the most popular person isn't always the best to emulate. I'm NOT citing any examples from this forum. In fact, I'm not even looking at the rep-list right now, so if you are rep #1 and reading this, what I'm saying has nothing to do with you in particular, because the #1 slot changes from time to time. Heck, even I was at the number one spot before. I include myself in this. While I was #1, if some tried to emulate me, that's flattering, but that's not what I want. It's best to be yourself. Be a good member, yes, but also be yourself. By "good," I mean simply participate how you want as long as you don't violate the rules. To me, that's all you need to do to be a good member. You don't have to make art, fanfiction, posts walls of text, have the most rep or the highest post count. Each member has their own unique qualities that make them a good member. In my eyes, you're all good people. I don't need to see gems above your name to know that. Anyway, now I'm digressing away from the topic. There's one more post I'd like to comment on while I'm here: This is why we have a poll. To get a consensus. Actually, there may be no "rules" but there are guidelines. It explicitly states, "Reputation is a way of rating users depending on the quality of their posts." Now, what determines "quality"? As I've said time and time again, that's subjective. However, if you read was I said before, you may recall me mentioning the part where members are giving rep for reasons outside of the post and Everypony. That is one thing I'm not happy about. It's supposed to be about the post itself, not if you're buddies, or you want to just give them gems, or because of something they did for you outside of the site. I will admit guilt to the last one again. I've +repped someone for something they did outside of the site. I shouldn't have done it, but I did it to express my appreciation. Although my intentions were good, I now look back and realize I, too, have abused the system. Your analogy is rather, actually, very disproportionate. If you remove your arm, your changing an aspect of your entire life. If you remove the reputation system, it's not a life-altering experience. Sure, if you like the system, you may be miffed for a while, but you'll get over it. If you remove your arm, you'll adapt eventually, but in the end, losing rep isn't life-altering. Comparing pixels to limbs is amusing at best. I apologize if this comes off as a bit rude, but I'm just offering my honest opinion on your analogy. Its application is rather erroneous.
I wish I'd have known this sooner. However, I can't seem to find said option. Maybe because I'm on my phone, although that shouldn't be a factor. Don't be. Respect means an awful lot to me, but to be considered better than anyone sickens me, especially someone like you. Anyway, I'd just like to point out to anyone who believes the reputation system serves to highlight members who post the most informative, interesting or entertaining things - won't that be evident by their actual posts?
I never really seen any flaws in the rep system yet. i was gone for a month or so, so i guess i might have missed moments of corruption, but i honestly had no reason to think it needed to be brutally attacked and rallied against. the only issue i see is rep trolls, but what community doesn't have trolls. I do agree with the statement that Senior members shouldn't have more rep points than junior members, each rep should count as like... 3-4 points, no matter your post count, member class, or reputation level. people are saying that the rep system is separating the community and driving it into different corners, like a school rep system. i don't see that, neither do i care. everyone here is a family member to me. Of course we all have arguments, or conflicts, but what family doesn't argue, or have conflicting thoughts, it's part of being with a close family. i agree with option 1 or option 2, i highly disagree with option 4. the rep system does need to be tweaked, the rep point system definitely needs a change, and the amount of points needed to get that high up in the rep system should be changed as well, but a total amputation of a vital part of the community is not needed.
i agree with this totally. in the time I've spent on multiple forums, its always the same thing. but this is the first forum ever that I've seen such a huge debate against it.
In any case, My vote is to leave it as it is, Especially with the option of just hiding it now. If you don't like it, You now have the choice of not using it. No sense of depriving people who like it of it.
I am concerned in all honesty, I do think gems can prove intimidating and result in the moulding of newly registered users... I do however understand that a lot of people like it, it's a nice easy way to thank people and show your gratitude and/or respect - when sometimes words just aren't enough (or you can't find the right ones!). I spoke to Derpy and recalled an idea previously suggested by somepony, what about the removal of the rep system and the addition of the ability to 'LIKE' a post, you can still show your thanks and feel good about people 'thanking' you - But it doesn't produce that sub-consequential bragging right, some are worried about. I'd love your feedback on this one Ponies... EDIT, Example: http://www.juot.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1064556&postcount=5 Thanks, ~ Grey
The only problem I see with the above, If the likes aren't tracked, Users may never know their posts got liked in fast Moving threads. My English teacher once said: "When words just aren't enough, open a dictionary." There's always a way of conveying appreciation, And the current system is capable of doing so as well. And do you really want to deprecate a currently existing system, Only to replace it with an entirely new system of highly similar functionality? As a programmer this strikes me as silly. And once again, I know of people who are happy with the system as it is.
i agree with that, the rep system, to me, was made to give appreciation to people for their posts or thoughts. it wasn't meant to show that one pony is better than the other. the rep system was meant to show positive feedback, instead its showing negative arguments.
The key word being similar, you know seem awfully bent against it considering you've deactivated your own reputation. We're trying to be fair here, I'm offering alternative solutions, not forcing them upon you but ULTIMATELY we (as in the STAFF) will have to make a decision and NO WAY ON EARTH could we make every single pony on here happy, we'll do our best to appeal to the majority, but no matter what we decide somepony is going to be disappointed. There is very, very little I can do about that. I'm sorry.
In that case you should start an official poll For such a matter. Or at least, make the one here more publicly visible. As to deactivating my rep, That's a personal choice. Others may not want to do so, And currently that's my concern. For one, Matty was positively elated when she got her first green gem.
instead of reps, make it likes. An "i like this comment" like Facebook sort of. it keeps from people thinking that person is of very big value, and it still allows people to give positive feedback on someones post. it works perfectly. epony and saikyo hate it so much, every post they make is a tl;dr. making it a like instead of a rep would make them happier. recap: the "like" system is a good replacement for the "rep" system because: it allows people to recognize someone for a good post, it removes the issue of "who is better", it removes competition for the most rep, and it seems like the best replacement to amke the majority happy. ***like this comment if you agree with me*** XD
How about we have each pony earn their gems based on how many "likes" they got, as well as include the likes under the posts? That way they can keep the gem system, but they'll specifically earn their gems based on their posts. Maybe a limit on how many "likes" each pony can give out every week or so would encourage some real thought to go into the process.
indeed, I was about to propose this also, I'd like to build up this idea: not only like, but Thank you, LoL and dislike buttons. so when you just like some post, you just put like on it, if it helped you, or you're grateful for that post, you can put thank you, if you're just amused by that post, you can put lol, and when you don't like some post, you can put dislike. now, Thank you could count most in rep, then would come like, then lol which would give you smallest amounts of points, and dislike could give you negative rep (but under rule that won't be abusing). also, optional: you could make visible if someone clicked one of buttons on post, and who clicked it.
I don't like the idea of a publicly usable dislike button, It could be subject to abuse. If that particular button were available to mods and admins only, It does address some of the current problems.
they do that already jonin, you are only allowed i think 3 reps per day. and a gem system is supererogatory. a like system similar to Facebook seems perfect to me. maybe add that as a poll.
Benefits of any rep system : Artificially encourage people to write better posts. Downfalls of the rep sysyem : Same as above, except you also need to store it in a DB entry on the server, wasting space not only for the integer value of the rep (which is a short I would guess) as well as the gifs themselves. I vote for it's removal, as you can guess, or at least an overhaul of the concept.
A dislike button, as greyOne said will never happen as people would ultimately use it to bully or 'troll' in some form or another. I think making likes/thank you buttons affect your gems renders the whole point of having the new system useless, it'd work and have the same problems as this current one. @greyOne - This poll is on the forum sidebar, it can't get much more public than that...
