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[Xania]

Scorpiotiger, when you have a spare minute (!) please can you do a description of the reputation points item, please?
I keep forgetting to use it because it is new to me. I wonder how many members are using it. Does anyone know about it? Is there any interest in using that feature?

Thanks if you can enlighten us

[Kevin]

Let me try. When you like or dislike a post, you can give (or deprive) the poster some reputation points by clicking the 'Balance' icon at the top-right of each post. The amount of points you can give or deprive is calculated by the system according to your member status (mostly post count). A long time member will have heavier reputation weight. The reputation system is anonymous, you don't know who gives you the points unless it's specified in the reputation message.

The reputation system is very similar from the user titles, but ranked by other members, it can reflect the member's post quality if most members use it. As far as I know, few vBulletin forum use it as the members tend to ignore it.

You can view your reputation status in your User CP.

[scorpiotiger]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Let me try. When you like or dislike a post, you can give (or deprive) the poster some reputation points by clicking the 'Balance' icon at the top-right of each post. The amount of points you can give or deprive is calculated by the system according to your member status (mostly post count). A long time member will have heavier reputation weight. The reputation system is anonymous, you don't know who gives you the points unless it's specified in the reputation message.

The reputation system is very similar from the user titles, but ranked by other members, it can reflect the member's post quality if most members use it. As far as I know, few vBulletin forum use it as the members tend to ignore it.

You can view your reputation status in your User CP.

well, Kevin... I'm sure glad you explained this.. because I didn't have a clue! very interesting though..

but.. I notice that you can DISAPPROVE of a post. are points deducted then?

[scorpiotiger]

Originally Posted by Arrowwind09

Just images found on the net at this time. I think I might know how to do a personal photo. Did it one time.

what browser do you use? (makes a difference in the instructions)

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by scorpiotiger

but.. I notice that you can DISAPPROVE of a post. are points deducted then?

Yes, some points will be deducted. The amount of points is decided by the system, should be the same with what a member can give.

If you click the balance icon on your own posts, you will see your own points. Move your mouse on the green icon, a short text will be displayed, the text will change like user titles. Currently, most of us should have 10 points. If a user has negative points, a red icon will be displayed instead of the green one. If a member gains more points, multiple green icons will be displayed.

[scorpiotiger]

hey, Kevin.. this logic is pretty smart. I tried to give approval to your post in this thread twice, and it wouldn't let me.

I think vbulletin might be hard to fool..

[Kevin]

Yes, you can't give one member reputation like that. But still, the reputation system is often abused. I only know one forum which uses it a lot, but members give points for return other than the post quality.

[scorpiotiger]

well, that was going to be my next question (now that I know what it is). Do you think this is really a good thing?

I would think a lot of it would be determined by board politics, rather than post quality.

and.. what is the point when you are done? If you have a lot of points.. then what? I guess it is nice to look and see "wow, look how many points I have". but.. what if no one notices your posts? or someone gets pissed at you and disapproves of every post you make? (pinballdoctor.. don't get any ideas!!! ). then.. guess that could be a downer.

I kind of feel ambivalent about things like this. I think they are put there to encourage posting.. but can backfire sometimes.

and.. now that I think about it.. I wonder if I have this on other vbulletin boards and have never noticed it! HAHAHA... probably.

[Kevin]

If you have many points, you are a prestigious member, which will be easily noticed. Your posts will be trusted much more than other posters. This may not apply to new members. I have been trained to pay attention to it when I read a post on another forum I frequent.

It's a good thing if many members use it. It will be useful if the forum becomes big.

[scorpiotiger]

I guess if you have a big enough forum, the majority will vote for posts they like. so.. I can see this.

I will have to look for this when I visit other vbulletin boards.

Learn something new everyday!

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by scorpiotiger

look at one of your old posts, Kevin, and try to edit it (when you are not in admin mode).

for example, I can still edit the last 2 posts I made, but not the "birthday" one.

I changed the edit interval to 7 days, this should be enough for most cases. There are two reasons to setup like this:

- I noticed a member on the old forum edited all her/his posts, this is not good for the discussion.
- The spammers can make legit posts and come back later to insert anything they want, there is no way to monitor it.

If a member wants to correct a post or add additional info, it's better to reply to the old threads, thus other members will notice it. There is really no need to have infinite edit interval, IMO. In case some old posts need to be edited, I will sure help out.

[scorpiotiger]

I think that is fair.

I can think of an instance where I have gone back and edited a post well after i've posted ( a year later, I think).. but the edit was to change a link to an article, where the URL had changed. it was a huge forum, and the article was one that I wanted to keep current.

and one other case, where i realized I had used my son's name, instead of "my son". I think it is safer to not use personal names of family members in posts. just my own preference.

but.. even in this cases, i am sure that a person could just contact you and ask you to edit it for them. right?

7 days is plenty of time to correct typos. I am queen of typos.. a klutz typist. i would have starved if i had tried to make a living as a secretary.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by scorpiotiger

but.. even in this cases, i am sure that a person could just contact you and ask you to edit it for them. right?

Sure, and fast response guaranteed.

7 days is plenty of time to correct typos. I am queen of typos.. a klutz typist. i would have starved if i had tried to make a living as a secretary.

Me too, I always can find errors after I post.

[scorpiotiger]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Me too, I always can find errors after I post.

I can relate!!! even with preview.. sometimes I just don't seem to see it until I post it. then I will go back and read it and think.. whaaaaat? and see a typo plain as day.

thank god for computers. I remember trying to type on a typewriter (in school). I used a lot of whiteout. whiteout was my friend.

[Arrowwind09]

OMG! Has anyone tried the Merry Christmas Skin? Go down to the left hand corner below the reply box and change from default setting to merry christmas.