We’ve disabled the reputation system that enabled members to “like” another member’s post as helpful. Unfortunately, for a tiny percentage of CC members this was turning into a game of reputation inflation, and the resulting status bars weren’t reflective of broad community support.
We really do want to let our members let other members know when they find an answer to a question or other post particularly helpful, and we’ll continue to explore ways to recognize those super-helpful members. We know we have outstanding contributors here who know their topics and take the time to answer questions patiently, often ones that have been asked before.
I think it was an interesting experiment. But most frequent visitors, even those who are not prolific contributors, start to recognize respected posters before long. So I don’t think it’s a big loss either way.
^I agree. It doesn’t take long to recognize consistently helpful, quality posters.
I have often had the urge to ‘like’ a post, however. That would be a useful feature.
I was increasingly puzzled by the rep bars. Some posters with very few posts (<200, or even <50) accumulated a broad swath of green bars. Other CC members, with thousands of useful posts, had the lonely, single bar.
It’s no loss having the rep system gone. A peculiar thing it was.
I was responding to the post, and not the poster. And I appreciated when others did the same for me . . . especially when I took a chance and said something potentially controversial, and someone was kind enough to respond with a “Way to go - wish I’d said that!”
I’m also not the sharpest tool in the box . . . it took me forever just to figure out that people were leaving comments on my posts! And now that I’ve figured it out, they’re gone. Sigh.
I was getting close to figuring it out, and now it’s gone! I got some nice comments, but I couldn’t figure out to give points back. I also didn’t know who assigned the fortune cookie-like labels (on a distinguished road; reputation beyond repute). I did like the one I got – Classof2015 is just really nice. My kids wouldn’t agree but it made me want to be nicer when I posted.
I think it would be far better to have some type of system which allowed for rating/liking a post, rather than adding reputation to a user. There are some posters who are extremely knowledgeable regarding certain issues, but have none whatsoever on others. That doesn’t stop them from posting, though, on that which they are ignorant of.
Interesting experiment which made me rethink a lot about where I was spending my time.
Agree. Putting in another plug for increasing the size of the PMs. 50 is just not enough. Please consider increasing the storage space. Hopefully it wouldn’t take up all that much bandwith.
but it made me want to be nicer when I posted.