Reputations

[Imladris]

Originally Posted by SpM

Thanks for the responses, and further thoughts on the approach to adopt when awarding reputation would, I think, be most hepful.

Repping postitively, I look for a well written "thesis." If they present their case well, they get a rep. If they present their case in an interesting way they get a rep. If the person has a point and people disagree with them yet the person sticks to his point and tries to make the others understand his point of view he gets a positive repping (if the person is just being pig headed I scoff at him) -- now, I'm not saying that this has happened...but if it happened, that's what I'd do. At the end of an RPG I give rep to people who have had good character developement, to those who have noticeably improved, and to those who have stuck through to the bitter end.

Now, for negative repping. Who deserves negative rep in my opinion? Well, people who have been on the boards a while and still act like a "newbie" and by the use of the word "newbie" I mean it in a...well, the other meaning of the word. The "insulting" meaning. The meaning that means incorrect grammar, chat speak, and other barbarous slaying of the English language (if they're from a non-English speaking language I will be duly impressed that they can write English like a native). The "veterans" who act "newbieish" I will rep negatively, and if they continue to do so I will continue to rep negatively. If someone is rude to another member I will rep them negatively. If someone is grievously off topic I will rep them negatively. If someone insults another person or thing they know in real life I will rep them negatively for rude behaviour.

I will immediately admit that I am much more liable to give out bad rep than I am good rep. Why? Because I don't want good rep to become inflated as it were. I like good rep and I want to keep it good rep. I want to squee everytime someone gives me good rep, instead of saying "Pfft, what does it matter? Who cares if I have four squares? Everybody else has over three anyway." (note, I'm not saying this is the case but I'm just trying to make a point.) But that is just my thinking.

Am I saying that we have a bunch of lousy people on the site? No...I am not. We have a lot of people on this site that are really great. If I would have to compare, I'd have to say that I nod to the semi-precious gems, neg-rep the rocks, and pos-rep the rubies and sapphires and diamonds.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

My repping criteria is this: the post must fit into one or more of the following categories:

*concisely, politely, and interestingly answer a question*

*promote discussion of a new question that I have interest in*

*make me laugh out loud and share it with a friend*

*show good understanding and research of the topic at hand*

*be well-written (with thought paid to native language and age of poster)*

Although I have yet to negative-rep anyone, I would for any post that threatened the family-friendly nature of this website. If my mother wouldn't like it, than it probably shouldn't be here. (Understand that I have great respect for my mother's opinions, since she has proven time and time again that she is usually right. )

I do rather like Fordie and Saucepan's ideas of the Out-Loud test, and the General Helpfulness qualifications. I'll take those into consideration.

Fea

[Sapphire_Flame]

There is a danger that those lower down the rep table will look to the top of the table, see the seemingly insurmountable levels of rep being accumulated there, and simply opt out of the system, thus perpetuating the effect.

Except for us unquenchable ladder-climbers. *patpats her shiny rep points*

I do rather like Fordie and Saucepan's ideas of the Out-Loud test

Ditto that. ^_^ If a post makes me laugh out loud, or just make a thoughtful sort of sound, it usually gets repped.

I also try to rep posts for newer members, on the same principle as Heren. We're a friendly board, aren't we?

~ Saphy ~

[Mithalwen]

Having examined my control panel and my conscience, it occurs that should I reach such exalted levels, the designation should read that "Mithalwen would be jester at the court of Aragorn". While it may be extreme that 60% of the comments currently displayed relate to crazy captions, I feel rather a fraud because I am getting repped for entertainment value rather than erudition - especially in the light of some of the comments above. To much artistic impression and not enough technical merit?

[Boromir88]

Anyone care to speculate as to the next levels up from Aragorn's Court? Do we move to Numenor? Beleriand? Gondolin perhaps? And thence over the Sundering Sea to the Undying Land?

I must say, whoever thought up of the idea that Davem will supplant Aragorn's throne (sorry I can't find the person who thought that up), was a good idea. I don't know where to go after that, but as a "final" repuatation title the person can be Eru's right hand man.

PRAISE ERU!

You can't get any higher in status then Eru himself, hmmm...does he/she then supplant Eru? Anway once we reach Eru I would have to say the reputations names/status/fame has to stop, lol.

[mark12_30]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

but as a "final" repuatation title the person can be Eru's right hand man.

That would raise some eyebrows.

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

While it may be extreme that 60% of the comments currently displayed relate to crazy captions, I feel rather a fraud because I am getting repped for entertainment value rather than erudition - especially in the light of some of the comments above.

Well it seems clear to me from the comments above (as well as from my own User CP) that people value being given the opportunity to laugh as much as they value being given the opportunity to think. Which is as it should be. It would be a very dry and crusty old board indeed were it not for the sparkling wit that permeates the forum.

And Tolkien himself was most certainly not averse to a sprinkling of humour amongst his many weighty words ...

I could ramble on here at length about the importance of humour but I won't because these people put it much better than I could:

Humour is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit. ~Aristotle~

Total absence of humour renders life impossible. ~Colette~

A sense of humour is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done. ~Dwight D Eisenhower~

Humour is by far the most significant activity of the human brain. ~Edward de Bono~

Humour is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away and a sunny spirit takes their place. ~Mark Twain~

So I think you have good reason to hold your head high, Mithalwen, and regard your rep points as rightfully earned.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by mark12_30

That would raise some eyebrows.

Eru's ambidextrous perchild being the pc version? But surely that would be Manwe?