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neg-rep comments

Discussion in 'BoM Blogs' started by coineineagh, Nov 23, 2008.

  1. coineineagh

    coineineagh I wish for a horde to overrun my enemies Resourceful Adored Veteran

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    My first experience with reputation was when i noticed that my little green block said "coineineagh is an unknown quantity at this point".:(
    Having no knowledge of reputation, I sent Taluntain a message, coz I was worried that I'd done something wrong. He explained to me the 'User CP' link button on the main bar. I learnt that my first reputation comment was from someone who thought I was 'condescending'.:o I never got a direct comment from whoever it was, so I felt like I was stabbed in the back. So I decided to not get involved with rep comments back then, I thought it was just childish. Negative ones, that is. But I came to respect people who gave me positive reputation, even though we are in total disagreement. So I thought it was time to start sending some back, but only positive.:)

    When you're in a discussion with someone in a thread, and don't like what he/she's saying, or how they're saying it, why not make it known directly? It seems like neg-rep is an option for people, when they've had enough of a discussion, and just want to harm the other debater:mad:. Like a surrogate to slapping or spitting on someone, on the internet.

    I like voicing my opinion in the Alleys, and this is definitely a place where tensions run high. I guess neg-rep is something I'll just have to accept, because there's a vague line between voicing an opinion and insulting people. I know I accidentally crossed that line once, and I got an infraction as a result.

    :2c:What do you guys think? Does neg-rep serve any other purpose? My opinion is that it is used too often in simple disagreements, so if you don't shrink from controversy, you risk a disproportionately bad reputation.
     
  2. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    I believe I have given neg rep before, trying to remember though :hmm: Might be thinking of an anonymous reviewing section of a game I play though.

    I will give neg rep if I believe a post is poorly constructed and simply uneccessary in its manner, I will also tag it as me whenever I give rep on here so any problems can be taken up in PM. I can understand someone giving rep instead of replying if they're reading a topic after it's been posted in frequently and deviated from its original course, posting a quote from the first page while on the fifth can disrupt conversation enough to instead simply draw ire from other posters.

    I will also only rep posts that in which are in forums I myself would post in, or topics that I have a vested interest in and would then post in later.

    Is there a place to keep track of rep you've given I wonder... I'm forever getting messages to spread rep around.
     
  3. Shaitan

    Shaitan Always forgive your enemies; it annoys them so

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    I liked the idea of rep until I became aware of the fact that you could give negative (and positive) rep without revealing who you are.

    Now the rep thing has made me back a bit away from SP.
     
  4. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    You can always disable it in your profile.

    I know I can have total ***** days so I don't mind if someone tells me that :p
     
  5. The Great Snook Gems: 31/31
    Latest gem: Rogue Stone


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    This may be the only thing that I agree with Coineineagh about. It is bothersome that in the heat of a political debate, people who don't agree with you can stab you like that.

    I have never and will never give negative rep, no matter how inflammatory the post.

    The only solution is to get a SPS account as that lets you see who the dastardly person was. Disabling reputation doesn't accomplish anything as people can still give reputation to your posts.
     
  6. Blackthorne TA

    Blackthorne TA Master in his Own Mind Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    IMO the reputation is pretty useless. It's not really representative of anything other than the momentary whims of the people reading your posts.

    I tend to ignore it other than curiosity over why somebody decided to give rep to some post I made.
     
  7. coineineagh

    coineineagh I wish for a horde to overrun my enemies Resourceful Adored Veteran

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    I wonder if blocking a user disallows then to send neg-rep comments... if so, I know one guy I'd block for this reason;)

    But maybe I'm worrying about nothing; people don't check your reputation before reading your post, do they? Although it does add a little weight to your opinion, if they look at it afterwards.
    But the passage of time is a great effect to improve your reputation, and I'd have to piss loads of people off to get enough neg-rep to counter that...:)
     
  8. Montresor

    Montresor Mostly Harmless Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder

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    I do use positive reputation but have never given negative reputation. If a post deserved negative reputation in my opinion, I would most often either answer the poster directly or (if it's bad enough) report the post to the moderators.

    I raise the bar somewhat in the Alleys, since the topics there are often controversial, and you can't just give reputation over whether somebody agrees with you or not. So it's a little harder to get reputation from me in the AoDA and AoLS, and I would NEVER use neg-rep there.
     
  9. Silvery

    Silvery I won't pretend to be your friend coz I'm just not ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    I like the whole rep thing, It's a chance to give some private feedback and show your support. Not a fan of the negative though, it means that if you don't like someone you can just neg-rep them until they look back.

    Didn't know sps accounts could show who had given rep, do you have to enable that seperately?
     
  10. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Was automatically enabled for me.
     
  11. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    I never give neg-rep and I would never do it anonymously if I ever did give it. I give rep to particularly clever posts or to things I wish I had said. I do not weigh someone's rep when reading their posts, as I would tend to believe there is no correlation between rep and posts per se.
     
  12. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    I think it's a useful feature and as we have it set up, it allows for very little abuse. I rarely give reputation because any hits from me count either as big slaps or significant boosts, but when I do it I like to think that either the + or the - has been more than deserved.

    I don't really understand anyone who tells me that reputation puts them off from participating in the forums. Unless you're someone majorly disliked by a large part of the community (something like that is almost always justified), negative reputation hits will be few and far in between and won't affect your overall reputation much even if you don't post much. But if you've been a member for some time or post at least moderately often, any negative reputation will be evened out quite fast.

    And there's always also the ability to turn off your reputation counter completely if for some reason you don't like the feature.

    Oh, and I don't think that anyone looks at the reputation first and posts later. I know I certainly never do.
     
  13. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Why would people look at rep first? :skeptic:

    I rarely look at who's posting immediately, usually just pick up the avatar and read it. The regulars you can identify by writing style if nothing else.
     
  14. Silvery

    Silvery I won't pretend to be your friend coz I'm just not ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    Neg-rep comments always amuse me. They're generally anonymous which just goes to show that people aren't brave enough to say something to your face. If somebody is too much of a coward to complain about what you're saying in public, then why bother paying attention in private?
     
  15. Nakia

    Nakia The night is mine Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    I have no strong feelings about rep. I rarely give rep points and only positive ones when I do. I try to make a comment. I usually give it in the Alleys and when I feel my comment would not add in a positive way to the discussion. It is usually in a thread that in my personal opinion is a waste of time.

    I just find it a handy way to give a quick short "I approve. Good post but you are beating your head against a wall" type comment.

    I don't look at a person's reputation. I'm self-centered what counts to me is what I think unless I'm asking about that new game or mod or for help in Creative Surge.

    I check occasionally to see if I have any comments. Those do interest me and so far I've been lucky and only seen positive ones. :)

    If I find a post offensive enough to comment on it I might say something, politely I hope, in a post or I might PM the person. If the post is really offensive I may and have reported it to the moderators.
     
  16. coineineagh

    coineineagh I wish for a horde to overrun my enemies Resourceful Adored Veteran

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    :p Interesting detail that I almost forgot: I got my first neg-rep comment on june 30th. Either someone wished me an unhappy birthday for a change, or I got a really poor substitute for a birthday card!:lol: That contributed to the fact that I was so disappointed by it.
    "Unhappy birthday to you, unhappy birthday to you..." Worst wishes on this important day for you.:(
     
  17. coineineagh

    coineineagh I wish for a horde to overrun my enemies Resourceful Adored Veteran

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    Apparently I should stop having differing opinions, especially controversial ones: I've been requested via neg-rep to "Stop being such a pompous ass".
    Think I'm exaggerating? This is the definition of pompous:
    pom·pous
    adj.
    1. Characterized by excessive self-esteem or exaggerated dignity; pretentious: pompous officials who enjoy giving orders.
    2. Full of high-sounding phrases; bombastic: a pompous proclamation.
    3. Chracterized by pomp or stately display; ceremonious: a pompous occasion.

    This certainly isn't how I see myself. Should I dumb down my vocabulary or something? Or am I arrogant to assume that my opinions are worth listening to?:confused::lol:

    I wish I could tell that sorry excuse for a forum debater to stop being such a petty, vindictive little hatemonger.

    BTW, it's possible to extrapolate the identity of your 'assailant' by looking at the deduction in rep points in the User CP screen. I can guess with roughly 80% certainty who it was, because I know his reputation;)
     
  18. Nataraja Gems: 12/31
    Latest gem: Moonstone


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    Dude, I seriously get that stuff too. Not many people like what I say. I do get some positive rep from people who dont like what I say but who like how I say it. I think Ive received more neg rep than any other rep...all from the Alley of Dangerous Angles threads I post on. Also, I keep being told to spread reputation around nearly everytime I go to give you some...seems I just agree with you a lot I guess :)
     
  19. coineineagh

    coineineagh I wish for a horde to overrun my enemies Resourceful Adored Veteran

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    heheh, I've noticed that this forum is dominated by americans, so when you engage them in terms of politics, it's to be expected that some of them will want to burn you a little. Most (but not all) right-wingers are stubborn, and poor losers. You get neg-rep because your opponent knows you're right, and hates you for it;) Some of the guys you've been discussing with are regular neg-rep senders, so now you know. I try to be as courteous and considerate as possible, while still trying to voice my opinion. But it's no guarantee that someone in a bad mood will throw the game board in the air out of frustration.
    I heard that the Alleys used to be much more fierce and hateful, but it's gotten better actually. It's probably one of the friendlier places for political debate on the net:rolleyes:, where left and right can meet on neutral ground. Although the ground looks a bit skewed to the right, it may be just my perspective.
     
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