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Karma system is bad for discussionFollow

#1 Apr 08 2009 at 5:34 AM Rating: Decent
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I feel that the karma system for rating posts is very rarely being used for its intended purpose.

It has been demonstrated to me on numerous occasions that most forum posters who disagree with the majority get rated down, regardless of the quality of their post. The end result is one big, happy group of forum users who all agree. There is no room for differing opinions. They get rated so low that they eventually disappear from view (unless you have chosen to see sub-default posts, which I think is disabled by default.)

I believe that moderating should be the job of the moderators, not the users.

Edited, Apr 11th 2009 9:28am by Darqflame
#2 Apr 08 2009 at 5:36 AM Rating: Excellent
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The karma system is working as intended.
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#3 Apr 08 2009 at 5:38 AM Rating: Excellent
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I've always contended that the kind of group think that leads to a well thought-out post becoming sub-default just because not everyone agrees with it is caused by the fact that we can see the rating at all. I think the filters themselves are a good enough way to weed out unpopular opinions; there's no reason the 'good/excellent/decent/etc.' should appear next to your name. That just leads to people skimming through a discussion and automatically rating down people who have already been rated down.

I say, leave the karma system in place, leave the filters in place, but take away the 'good/default' markers next to the post.
#4 Apr 08 2009 at 5:40 AM Rating: Decent
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Dread Lörd Kaolian wrote:
The karma system is working as intended.


Ok, then let me ask you this. Do you feel that my original post above should be rated down? It has been.

If so, then can you please direct me to the list of things that deem a post worthy of an up/down rating?
#5 Apr 08 2009 at 5:51 AM Rating: Good
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Time and time again people have complained of this. Do people rate based on personal preference? Of course but for those of us who have been here long enough, unless you are banned, nothing can stop you from posting and if people really want to read what you have written they will regardless of its rate.

People will always be petty, thats the nature of the beast. If it does get too out of hand admins will norate or karma smack the offender.
#6 Apr 08 2009 at 5:53 AM Rating: Excellent
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************************ Lörd Kaolian wrote:
The karma system is working as intended.


Ok, then let me ask you this. Do you feel that my original post above should be rated down? It has been.

If so, then can you please direct me to the list of things that deem a post worthy of an up/down rating?[/quote]

Yes. I rated it down.
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#7 Apr 08 2009 at 5:56 AM Rating: Default
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niobia wrote:
Of course but for those of us who have been here long enough, unless you are banned, nothing can stop you from posting and if people really want to read what you have written they will regardless of its rate.


Assuming the post wasn't rated sub-default, or the user has chosen to see sub-default posts. How many users know where or how to enable this option?

niobia wrote:
People will always be petty, thats the nature of the beast.


Very true. But by giving these people the power to spread their wrath to other users, thereby affecting everyone else's experience, the site has effectively condoned this behavior. I don't think it should.
#8 Apr 08 2009 at 6:03 AM Rating: Decent
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top of the page, see where it says Default Filter? Change it to never filter, then click apply.

Quote:
Very true. But by giving these people the power to spread their wrath to other users, thereby affecting everyone else's experience, the site has effectively condoned this behavior. I don't think it should


Those posters who behave that way eventually leave. (and we still remain.) Truthfully, it appears to depend more on your ability to form lasting friendships and to accept change. When I first started posting, there was a group of posters who (if they felt like annoying you) would camp every single post - this was back when people could even camp your years old posts. 2 of them I haven't seen in 2 years, 1 posts once in a blue moon.

The people who behave petty leave the boards within a year or two. (some self destruct like Feba or Weedjedi. And some just face into obscurity like Skeet)

My point is, just focus on the acquaintances you make here. The buttheads will flush themselves.

Edited, Apr 8th 2009 7:11am by niobia
#9 Apr 08 2009 at 6:08 AM Rating: Decent
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Dread Lörd Kaolian wrote:
Yes. I rated it down.


Ok, I have a better understanding of how things work around here. Thanks for the response.
#10 Apr 08 2009 at 6:08 AM Rating: Decent
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The number one rule about karma is that you don't speak about karma.

Sure, the current system allows garbage to turn into platinum, and gold turning to lead, but it's simply how the system works. Don't fight the system, go with the flow.
#11 Apr 08 2009 at 8:43 AM Rating: Decent
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I rated you down because I felt like it. Your name is retarded and you should know better than to complain about karma.

Working as intended.

Edited, Apr 8th 2009 11:44am by Vataro
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#12 Apr 08 2009 at 9:04 AM Rating: Decent
AshOnMyTomatoes wrote:
I've always contended that the kind of group think that leads to a well thought-out post becoming sub-default just because not everyone agrees with it is caused by the fact that we can see the rating at all. I think the filters themselves are a good enough way to weed out unpopular opinions; there's no reason the 'good/excellent/decent/etc.' should appear next to your name. That just leads to people skimming through a discussion and automatically rating down people who have already been rated down.

I say, leave the karma system in place, leave the filters in place, but take away the 'good/default' markers next to the post.
NO! They already took the numbers! These titles are my only lifeline to reality now.
#13 Apr 08 2009 at 9:05 AM Rating: Good
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I rate people down mentally now a days. Using arrows is for generic commoners.
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#14 Apr 08 2009 at 10:14 AM Rating: Decent
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"*****************

Your posting name annoys me. Sounds like complications from a STD...

Rate down.

And, for God's sake, get some penicillin for that...

(Furthermore, don't concern yourself with posting karma...it's imaginary Smiley: wink )

#15 Apr 08 2009 at 10:18 AM Rating: Excellent
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**** Trickle is the name of a NASCAR driver.
#16 Apr 08 2009 at 10:45 AM Rating: Decent
AshOnMyTomatoes wrote:
**** Trickle is the name of a NASCAR driver.


I'm sure that's why he picked it. Smiley: nod
#17 Apr 08 2009 at 12:52 PM Rating: Good
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************************ Lörd Kaolian wrote:
The karma system is working as intended.


Ok, then let me ask you this. Do you feel that my original post above should be rated down? It has been.

If so, then can you please direct me to the list of things that deem a post worthy of an up/down rating?[/quote]I rated your OP down because it was complaining about the Karma System. There are several ways to deal with the Karma System and being rated down.
  • Continue posting anyway: If what you have to say is consistently well written, poignant, and noninflammatory, your Karma Rating will recover. Even if it doesn't recover, most people have their settings on "Never Filter," so they'll still be able to see what you write.
  • Take a break: Stop posting for a while until the mob finds another target.
  • Don't post at all: Nobody is forcing you to post here. You can always avoid the incredible amount of pain that being rated down must incur upon your ego by just not posting. They can't rate you down if you don't post.


Really, being rated down isn't the end of the world. Having a certain color name or title on a gaming website doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things. You're not going to lose that bid at a job because you're only a Scholar on Zam.com.
#18 Apr 08 2009 at 1:49 PM Rating: Good
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As I sit in my folding chair late one night, cheetos safefully tucked into the nook of my arm, the registration screen made a simple request. "Username"

Looking around my room, my eyes fell upon my most prized collection; my NASCAR commemorative plates. Oh, but to immortalize the name of my hero!

Suprisingly, no one else had yet claimed Mr. Trickle's moniker.
#19 Apr 08 2009 at 4:54 PM Rating: Decent
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Wow, it does sounds exactly like a Nascar driver's name...

Just another reason to hate Nascar Smiley: motz.
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#20 Apr 09 2009 at 7:45 AM Rating: Excellent
[quote=*************** then let me ask you this. Do you feel that my original post above should be rated down? It has been.[/quote]
any post that contains the word "karma", "rate up", or "rate down", that isn't being used mockingly automatically deserves to be rated down repeatedly.

karma is serious business.
#21 Apr 09 2009 at 2:20 PM Rating: Decent
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ThePsychoticOne, Assassin Reject wrote:
[quote=*************** then let me ask you this. Do you feel that my original post above should be rated down? It has been.

any post that contains the word "karma", "rate up", or "rate down", that isn't being used mockingly automatically deserves to be rated down repeatedly.[/quote]
Not to mention most of them that are. Olde jokes are olde, and all that.
#22 Apr 09 2009 at 2:34 PM Rating: Excellent
Admins are typically quite aware of people who abuse the system, even if we don't say anything publicly. We will watch someone if we see something or get a report and if there is cause, we deal with it privately for the most part. That can result in norating, banning, muting, all kinds of things. Nine times out of ten however, it is far less serious that the person feels it is and there really isn't an abuse of the system going on.

However, trolls, spammers etc we feel deserve to be nailed by the community at large and have no problem exposing and using our ban cannons on.
#23 Apr 09 2009 at 10:47 PM Rating: Decent
I rated the op down for being petulant.

Quote:
Ok, I have a better understanding of how things work around here. Thanks for the response.

Indeed.
#24 Apr 10 2009 at 4:47 AM Rating: Excellent
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Wordaen, Keeper of the Banstick wrote:
Admins are typically quite aware of people who abuse the system, even if we don't say anything publicly. We will watch someone if we see something or get a report and if there is cause, we deal with it privately for the most part. That can result in norating, banning, muting, all kinds of things. Nine times out of ten however, it is far less serious that the person feels it is and there really isn't an abuse of the system going on.

However, trolls, spammers etc we feel deserve to be nailed by the community at large and have no problem exposing and using our ban cannons on.


We prefer to do this in private since not really having a clue what you have done wrong and being called out in public is devastating, and really not fair or professional.

Some individuals have no clue how the system works or have a button pressing fetish. We tend to send a little PM asking for you to stop abusing the system. Now and then you might get one from Kao that says "Stop karma camping," because he was typing during his lunch break and had to be quick. Everyone usually gets a freebie with a warning. Sometimes people just need to step back for a few, so we norate or mute them temporarily. It is rare that we just go all out and ban you for karma abuse, actually I can't recall that we ever did that.

I think the only times we really ever mention publicly who may be camping is when the come in here and whine that soandso is camping them and find out the OP is doing the exact same thing... and they were fully aware what they were doing.
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#25REDACTED, Posted: Apr 10 2009 at 4:55 AM, Rating: Sub-Default, (Expand Post) its common knowledge that certain posters gets away with things regarding karma.
#26 Apr 10 2009 at 5:27 AM Rating: Excellent
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I report people because the admins have yet to accept the fact that I should be able to ban people, so I need to get them to do it, until then.
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