Already shared my thoughts in GCT when it first came out. I'm against the reputation system since it adds nothing of value for the most part. Also the reason why I've disabled it and ad-blocked the bars. It usually just causes people to complain because they get their feelings hurt over what anonymous people online think about their opinion (aka this thread). There's really nothing much you can do to fix it. Just roll with it.
You can try to take away negs but at this point most people will stay on the default rank for so long due the weak amount of rep people give. I think the formula is "([current rep]/100) + 1" meaning that most people will actually be on the first two ranks for such a long time there really would be no point since everyone would be the same rank. The only members that'll move up rather quickly would be the staff. Sure they probably get negged more often, but it probably gets canceled out with the pozzes they get. Actually, I haven't seen any member outside of staff get past "On the road to Viridian" to be honest. You'd need 40 people to like your posts while taking into account that the individual would have to rep 40 other people or something. Don't know anyone who'd actually get around to repping 40 people unless they're lurking a bunch of boards. Also doesn't take into account that the negs they'll get. Even then you'll go up from a rep power of "1" all the way to "2." Ooooh, such power.
That's actually a problem with sppf's rep system: you don't get anywhere. You're all the same rank and since no regular member can see your points, there's nothing to judge you by. "Oh look, you're at the default rank! Just like everyone else . . . ." "Here, I'll rep you one point. There, only 89 more reps until you can rep a newb from 10 all of the way to 12!" "Join date and post count don't matter guys so even if you're a great poster who gets to 100 points, you'll only be able to give one more rep point than the guy who has 11!"
Of course, this doesn't take into account that you're judging via rep in the first place. It's inherently flawed. Proof? How about this thread? Or you an read below.
You guys seem to think that rep is for constructive criticism, but it's not. In theory it is, but in practice it's not going to. If you think so then you have been to many sites with the reputation system. Like I've said, it's basically just a way to poz posts you like and neg posts you don't. I'll just use my own for example:
One left a vague comment that I don't know what that means in context. The other guy who left a comment wasted their time. The rest I receive make no comment that's "constructive." They either don't say anything or say "you rock!" Why? Because it's a "like/dislike" option with the ability to write a quick Tweet. I probably didn't need to post this anyway. From the looks of it, you've learned that anyway.
Anyone who posts what they want and has been on the internet for a while probably doesn't care if people don't like their post. If worst comes to worst, they can just hide their rep and be done with it. You're critique that accompanied the neg they got? They don't care. Otherwise they would've shaped up. At the end of the day, they're e-points that mean nothing especially since you can hide it. Anyone who realizes this won't care for the pozzes or negs they get.
"Haha Verny, you're negative all the time so here comes my neg!" *I lose one point (or maybe even two!)* "Oh no, now people still won't know my rep since I disabled it on the first day so if I just stop caring about what others think about my posts I'll get through this! . . . Never cared."
See how silly that is? And that's just sppf's system. Rep is a silly feature that's outdated and never gets used like people want them to get used. If it sticks around then suck it up and stop caring what random people think about your opinions. If you don't make **** posts then you'll get the point you lost back quickly. If you do, well, you probably don't care anyway. If you post in a section where you'll be judged (aka all 5 of you that still post in the used-to-be-active-but-now-a-carcass-due-to-thread-approval-system known as debate forum) then you should already be used to it.
