Labeling units on the reputation system

[SamBridge]

S the reputation seems to be some open ended interpretation that can be interpreted in any arbitrary way that someone wants, so what if instead there was a specific unit or meaning, and instead of just having it say "like a post", you have it say "it successfully answers your question". It can still be positive or negative because I suppose a comment may actually detract from the answer to the question in such a way that it creates a conflict outside of scientific argument. At least there would be some concise way to agree on what positive and negative means rather than just throwing around some arbitrary likes and dislikes.

Just have some kind of concise unit that everyone can agree on of what positive or negative should should actually mean, I mean we all agree to measure mass in kilograms and amounts of atoms in moles and speed in some variation of meters per second (in terms of science), it would be only fitting that on a science site that there would be a concise unit for the basis of its reputation system.

Edited February 7, 2013 by SamBridge

[ACG52]

Didn't you have another thread, exactly the same as this one?

 

Here's a suggestion. Ignore the reputation system.

[SamBridge]

Didn't you have another thread, exactly the same as this one?

 

Here's a suggestion. Ignore the reputation system.

I don't know if it's exactly the same, it is similar but I don't think it is exactly the same, at first I thought it was different, and I did have some different points and this one is somewhat different because in that one I was just using a base unit as an example for a change rather than a change itself, in the other topic it was more like switching the reputation system to an absolute scale, like with Kelvin versus Celsius, and what would the point of a reputation system be if it should be ignored? If it should be ignored why not just not have it? The people who made the site obviously think it has some purpose other than to be ignored, but the actual purpose seems to be vague, you can interpret "reputation" in any number of ways.

Edited February 7, 2013 by SamBridge

[iNow]

Just have some kind of concise unit that everyone can agree on of what positive or negative should should actually mean

But it wouldn't be prudent to have a "You're an asshole" button on a family-oriented forum like this. Perhaps a "are you huffing glue?" button, or "stop eating paste" feature?

[CaptainPanic]

SamBridge,

You have a nice comment for our forum. However, it is my initial guess that we won't implement it for a number of reasons, of which I shall list a few:

 

1. Contrary to scientific units of measurement, your proposal is still subjective. It may be less subjective than our current system, but it is not the ultimate solution to the problem you describe.

2. The problem you describe is not considered a problem by most people. Or, rather, most people just don't care at all.

3. Although the changes may well have an overall positive effect to the forum, the effort required to build it is too much. It fails to pass my personal cost-benefit analysis.

4. The rep system would become a bureaucracy, with categories on helpfulness, scientific rigor, politeness, humor, trolling, etc.

 

Since you are obviously one of the few people who have a problem with our rep system, the suggestion by ACG52 may be really useful. Just ignore it.

[Spyman]

I enjoy the current freedom I have to vote up or down entirely on my personal judgement.

If the voting system becomes limited or complicated, then I will likely stop using it.