Grey reputation

polo_pro · 12-31-2006, 03:38 PM

For folks who don't know what "reputation" is, it's a way that your fellow chat members can collectively suggest that others read your posts. To use this feature, you simply click the scale icon in the lower left of any post or reply. The scale icon is between the "online/offline" cirular icon and the "report this post" triangle/warning icon.

If you click on this scale icon in one of your own posts, it tells you how many reputation points you have. If you click on this scale icon in someone else's post, then a small window pops up where you can select "I approve" or "I disapprove", and you can also enter a line of text explaining why you chose one or the other. If you don't enter any text, the recipient won't know why you liked or disliked what they posted about nor will they know who you are.

About every 2 weeks someone gives me rep points, but very often instead of green (approval), I end up with grey rep points which don't change my reputation at all. I'm not sure, but I think this may happen if the person giving rep points has handed out rep points to me already? But at this point I feel gipped having had this happen a dozen times.

ps - Maybe the real solution is getting more people to use the reputation feature. Oh, and Pam, I'm not asking you to adjust my rep points. I prefer to get them legitimately.

polo_pro · 01-05-2007, 08:39 PM

Well, some kind folks gave me rep points for this post (and they weren't greyed out...yeah!), but had a further question of how to compare people's reputation. Unfortunately, while you can see your own quantitative rep score, you can only see a generalized version of other people's rep score. For other people you'll instead see:

"plo is on a distinguished road" or
"plo will be famous soon enough" or
"plo has a spectacular aura about" ....

where each saying corresponds to a range of rep score (like 0 to 50, 51 to 100, 101 to 201, etc). Anytime you hold your mouse over someone's rep icon (usually one small green square in the left column below their post count), this phrase appears. That's the only feedback you get about other's reputation. I suppose someday people will have two or more small green squares but to do that...well, we all need to start giving each other pats on the back when we do a good job!

ps - I think the reason for using vague phrases is to avoid competitiveness as people might try to edge each other out if their rep points are close (and they knew the exact number of rep points each had).

ryan_walters · 01-05-2007, 11:38 PM

Assuming the board is using default values for reputation, the following table would define points values to the phrase.

I don't know what the grey reputation is used for. I had a grey one in my list, but they're all green now. Maybe they have to be approved?

As far as for when you can give someone points the second time is determined by "reputation user spread" detailed here. But I don't know the default value, assuming the board is currently set to default. Or even if this has anything to do with the grey rep.

nickyboy · 01-07-2007, 11:39 AM

Sorry to appear a little slow, I guess its an age thing.
Can I acctually see who is issueing/giving me rep points? I appear to have 10 but am blowed if I know how I got them, is that a standard "starter" score and you earn extra or get them deleted for being, erm shall we say not so good.
I add to a persons reputation if I think a comment is partically valid, or if someone is extra helpful with advice etc? I assume thats about right.

Nick

gbrandwood · 01-07-2007, 01:07 PM

Nick, you are right (not about being slow or it being an age thing though). You give points based on whether you think someone's post merits it. If you think it was particularly bad or uncalled for, then you can give negative points. I think we all start with 0. And, unless the person who gives you your points decides to identify themselves in the brief comment space, then you've no way of knowing who they were. They sometimes don't even say why. Look in your profile to see if any comments have been left. I make it policy now to put my username in the points I dish out.

For one post, for example (one comment), I got something like -30 rep points and it has taken me months to claw them back. Did these folk identify themselves? Nope. Do I care? Nope. Are they wasting their time? Yup.

polo_pro · 01-07-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickyboy

Sorry to appear a little slow, I guess its an age thing.
Can I acctually see who is issueing/giving me rep points? I appear to have 10 but am blowed if I know how I got them, is that a standard "starter" score and you earn extra or get them deleted for being, erm shall we say not so good.
I add to a persons reputation if I think a comment is partically valid, or if someone is extra helpful with advice etc? I assume thats about right.

Nick

In answer to your first question, push "User CP" on the menu bar at the top of this web page. You'll see a section called "Latest Reputation Received" and my comment as I added to your rep.

I'm not sure how many rep points an account starts with?

In answer to your last question, you decide what conditions to add to someone else's rep. Personally, I feel that people should add to others rep often until we all get use to using it. Your reasons are quite valid too, but in practice I'm sure groups of people have "love fests" where they add rep to everyone in their group. There's a mechanism in place to prevent this, because if you try to add to someone else's rep too often it won't take it.

ps - I got two more grey reps in the last few days. If folks don't mind, leave your name in the comment of the rep form because I'm not sure if grey rep comes from getting multiple reps from the same person.

bentbiker · 01-07-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbrandwood

I make it policy now to put my username in the points I dish out.

Good suggestion. I tried to give you rep points, but had given you some earlier and now I must spread the wealth before I can give you anymore. Please withhold any further good suggestions until I'm in a position to suitably recognize you for them?

Seems questionable (I had a stronger word here) as to why I can't reward the same person in different threads when he makes contributions in both. Also seems inapproriate for negative points to be awarded without identifying yourself. In fact, its a shame all comments don't show the name of the person awarding the points, but maybe history has shown this to be the better way.

bentbiker · 01-07-2007, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plo

. . . I'm not sure if grey rep comes from getting multiple reps from the same person.

I have noticed, as you noted in an earlier post, that all awards with no comment are grey. What I don't know is whether that means anything regarding point totals; perhaps the points only accrue if you add a comment???? Anybody know? Otherwise, the grey squares are of questionable value as I can already tell that there are no comments.

polo_pro · 01-07-2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bentbiker

Good suggestion. I tried to give you rep points, but had given you some earlier and now I must spread the wealth before I can give you anymore. Please withhold any further good suggestions until I'm in a position to suitably recognize you for them?

Seems questionable (I had a stronger word here) as to why I can't reward the same person in different threads when he makes contributions in both. Also seems inapproriate for negative points to be awarded without identifying yourself. In fact, its a shame all comments don't show the name of the person awarding the points, but maybe history has shown this to be the better way.

I think the reason that people aren't allowed to give positive feed back to a person for multiple threads is the potential for abuse. I recollect a problem with this when we switched to this forum early last year. If my memory is correct, I don't think the abuse went on too much before being caught.

I know it's hard to believe, but I've actually gotten negative feedback?! It happened once last year, and I'd say in the interest of minimizing flame fests anonimity should remain an option.

Timezkware Tim · 01-07-2007, 02:47 PM

On another forum, I put myself on ignore, and all my posts disappeared. I fact, I'm going to try that right n

12-31-2006, 03:38 PM	#1
polo_pro Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA, USA. Posts: 2,608	Grey reputation For folks who don't know what "reputation" is, it's a way that your fellow chat members can collectively suggest that others read your posts. To use this feature, you simply click the scale icon in the lower left of any post or reply. The scale icon is between the "online/offline" cirular icon and the "report this post" triangle/warning icon. If you click on this scale icon in one of your own posts, it tells you how many reputation points you have. If you click on this scale icon in someone else's post, then a small window pops up where you can select "I approve" or "I disapprove", and you can also enter a line of text explaining why you chose one or the other. If you don't enter any text, the recipient won't know why you liked or disliked what they posted about nor will they know who you are. About every 2 weeks someone gives me rep points, but very often instead of green (approval), I end up with grey rep points which don't change my reputation at all. I'm not sure, but I think this may happen if the person giving rep points has handed out rep points to me already? But at this point I feel gipped having had this happen a dozen times. ps - Maybe the real solution is getting more people to use the reputation feature. Oh, and Pam, I'm not asking you to adjust my rep points. I prefer to get them legitimately.

01-05-2007, 08:39 PM	#2
polo_pro Advanced Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA, USA. Posts: 2,608	Measuring someone's rep Well, some kind folks gave me rep points for this post (and they weren't greyed out...yeah!), but had a further question of how to compare people's reputation. Unfortunately, while you can see your own quantitative rep score, you can only see a generalized version of other people's rep score. For other people you'll instead see: "plo is on a distinguished road" or "plo will be famous soon enough" or "plo has a spectacular aura about" .... where each saying corresponds to a range of rep score (like 0 to 50, 51 to 100, 101 to 201, etc). Anytime you hold your mouse over someone's rep icon (usually one small green square in the left column below their post count), this phrase appears. That's the only feedback you get about other's reputation. I suppose someday people will have two or more small green squares but to do that...well, we all need to start giving each other pats on the back when we do a good job! ps - I think the reason for using vague phrases is to avoid competitiveness as people might try to edge each other out if their rep points are close (and they knew the exact number of rep points each had).

01-07-2007, 01:07 PM	#5
gbrandwood Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: North west England, UK. Posts: 3,043	Nick, you are right (not about being slow or it being an age thing though). You give points based on whether you think someone's post merits it. If you think it was particularly bad or uncalled for, then you can give negative points. I think we all start with 0. And, unless the person who gives you your points decides to identify themselves in the brief comment space, then you've no way of knowing who they were. They sometimes don't even say why. Look in your profile to see if any comments have been left. I make it policy now to put my username in the points I dish out. For one post, for example (one comment), I got something like -30 rep points and it has taken me months to claw them back. Did these folk identify themselves? Nope. Do I care? Nope. Are they wasting their time? Yup. __________________ Gareth Brandwood The comments posted are made by the fat figners of the individual and do not necessarily represent the views of the brain.

01-05-2007, 11:38 PM	#3
ryan_walters Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 347	Assuming the board is using default values for reputation, the following table would define points values to the phrase. I don't know what the grey reputation is used for. I had a grey one in my list, but they're all green now. Maybe they have to be approved? As far as for when you can give someone points the second time is determined by "reputation user spread" detailed here. But I don't know the default value, assuming the board is currently set to default. Or even if this has anything to do with the grey rep.

01-07-2007, 11:39 AM	#4
nickyboy Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: South East England Posts: 738	Sorry to appear a little slow, I guess its an age thing. Can I acctually see who is issueing/giving me rep points? I appear to have 10 but am blowed if I know how I got them, is that a standard "starter" score and you earn extra or get them deleted for being, erm shall we say not so good. I add to a persons reputation if I think a comment is partically valid, or if someone is extra helpful with advice etc? I assume thats about right. Nick

01-07-2007, 02:47 PM	#10
Timezkware Tim Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 941	On another forum, I put myself on ignore, and all my posts disappeared. I fact, I'm going to try that right n

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