[Occams Chainsaw]

It's far too easy for trolls and idiots, which are in abundance to dish out 'red rep' points to comments that may not even deserve it. I have seen a few cases of this and in fact have had this happen to myself.

I would like to put forward the idea that you make it a tad more difficult to 'red rep' possibly you need a reputation high enough (ie. lots of green rep points) to 'red rep' someone
or maybe make it a longer process (though this may be inconvenient to legitimate causes and may make people stop dishing out justice!)
or perhaps even only let certain members have the function to 'red rep', perhaps mods.

The first idea, to me seems to fit best but I hate to see good comments be repped down because some idiot decided they want to ruin someone's day.

What do you guys think?

[Gofre]

Those "trolls and idiots" typically have a negative rep score themselves, meaning their rep has no value and is ultimately inconsequential.

[Vulpes]

(Original post by Gofre)
Those "trolls and idiots" typically have a negative rep score themselves, meaning their rep has no value and is ultimately inconsequential.

Thing is, I've noticed that the number of +ve and -ve rep on a post affects the way other users interpret it.

For example, if a person asks "What is the UKCAT?", a reply linking the OP to lmgtfy.com may get an accumulation of pos rep (for being funny) or neg rep (for being unhelpful) and I've noticed many users generally follow the trend.

[Alpharius]

Why do you care OP? It's just rep. Means nothing to me.

Surprised I have positive rep, tbh.

[rmhumphries]

(Original post by Vulpes)
Thing is, I've noticed that the number of +ve and -ve rep on a post affects the way other users interpret it.

For example, if a person asks "What is the UKCAT?", a reply linking the OP to lmgtfy.com may get an accumulation of pos rep (for being funny) or neg rep (for being unhelpful) and I've noticed many users generally follow the trend.

With regards to this, how about if the system was changed so that the number of thumbs up / thumbs down was changed to display the number of positive rep score added on the thumbs up, and the amount of negative rep score given on the thumbs down, with the number of times rep has been given for each given on mouse-over?

*****

Regarding negative rep being restricted to a certain group of people, then I think the admins want everyone to have the ability - and I know that mods themselves don't want to be the only people with negging ability.

[Vulpes]

(Original post by rmhumphries)
With regards to this, how about if the system was changed so that the number of thumbs up / thumbs down was changed to display the number of positive rep score added on the thumbs up, and the amount of negative rep score given on the thumbs down, with the number of times rep has been given for each given on mouse-over?

*****

Regarding negative rep being restricted to a certain group of people, then I think the admins want everyone to have the ability - and I know that mods themselves don't want to be the only people with negging ability.

I see where you are going with this. However, one of the features of being a subscriber is to be able to see how many rep points someone has given to you. Additionally, by adding that feature, the rep system will be even more complicated than it already is. The current system may be slightly flawed but it works for majority of the members on TSR so I don't really see a need to change / remove it.

[rmhumphries]

(Original post by Vulpes)
I see where you are going with this. However, one of the features of being a subscriber is to be able to see how many rep points someone has given to you. Additionally, by adding that feature, the rep system will be even more complicated than it already is. The current system may be slightly flawed but it works for majority of the members on TSR so I don't really see a need to change / remove it.

Hmm, true. Although I think that subscribers value more knowing who, than how much - you can often work out how much rep a certain post has given you if you wanted to by just paying attention to your rep score if you get repped/negged for 1 post lots. The rep widget would remain the same, so subs would still know who had repped them, and non-subs would only know the total rep they had gained / lost for a post (possibly display only one number?). It would also only add (/change) one thing, how rep for posts was displayed - so wouldn't complicate it that much and would help to a degree fix the rep whoring by posting funny instead of helpful posts - I imagine that very helpful posts gain a higher rep score than funny posts.

[Wilfred Little]

(Original post by Vulpes)
Thing is, I've noticed that the number of +ve and -ve rep on a post affects the way other users interpret it.

For example, if a person asks "What is the UKCAT?", a reply linking the OP to lmgtfy.com may get an accumulation of pos rep (for being funny) or neg rep (for being unhelpful) and I've noticed many users generally follow the trend.

Welcome to the internet* mate.

*Also applies to real life

[pr0view]

Posting in the debating forums such a UK Politics is a sure way to get red rep.

[cl_steele]

(Original post by pr0view)
Posting in the debating forums such a UK Politics is a sure way to get red rep.

Too true that

[cl_steele]

(Original post by Occams Chainsaw)
It's far too easy for trolls and idiots, which are in abundance to dish out 'red rep' points to comments that may not even deserve it. I have seen a few cases of this and in fact have had this happen to myself.

I would like to put forward the idea that you make it a tad more difficult to 'red rep' possibly you need a reputation high enough (ie. lots of green rep points) to 'red rep' someone
or maybe make it a longer process (though this may be inconvenient to legitimate causes and may make people stop dishing out justice!)
or perhaps even only let certain members have the function to 'red rep', perhaps mods.

The first idea, to me seems to fit best but I hate to see good comments be repped down because some idiot decided they want to ruin someone's day.

What do you guys think?

As Gofre said if they are Spammers/trolls they will generally speaking have red gems anyway in which case they effectively cant give/take away any rep from you regardless. If it does bother you that much though you can always become a sub see who gave you the rep and get them straight back again, petty but satisfying