LQ User Reputation System
 

We're considering enabling the user reputation system here at LQ, but would like your feedback before we do. This system would allow you to leave positive (and potentially, negative) feedback for other members. A members reputation level would then be displayed in each post. Our plan is that you will need to have made a single post to leave feedback for other members. It's likely you'll only be able to leave negative feedback once you're a senior member. You will be able to see what others members have left you feedback. It's possible that we'd even allow you to opt out of the system entirely in your UserCP.

If you have any thoughts on us enabling this system, feel free to post them in this thread. I'd also be interested in how members feel about the specific implementation guidelines I've outlined above. Thanks.

--jeremy

Generally, I think it's a good plan, I've watched it in action on the ubuntuforums.org site, and it seems to work very well.

My (personal) preference is for a simple 'Thanks' button. This creates an incentive for knowledgeable members to be helpful. It also allows those with questions to view a rudimentary trust level (based on how many times a person has been thanked).

FWIW, two successful implementations of 'Thanks' button schemes can be viewed at daemonforums.org and forums.freebsd.org.

I don't care for negative feedback systems at all. They invite weird politics and rivalries.

I am generally in favor of this. Obviously, such a thing needs to be moderated, and that will involve some increase in workload for <someone>.

I would like to see the graduation to different levels tied to performance, and not just the number of posts--In particular, the title of "guru" should be backed up by some level of demonstrated knowledge. The reputation system would obviously help do this.

One other thought: Starting this "mid-stream" can result in newer members acquiring a reputation faster than the old timers whose posting rate may have fallen off. How would that be handled?

Hi,

I do like the idea in general. It does depend on how things are actually set up, details seem to be important :-)

In that light the following question:

- Do you need to be an active participant in the thread you want/need to give feedback?

Rather than a feedback system which would possibly encourage flaming of members or foster clicks/alliances, I would like to see some sort of feedback system which would rate a post as helpful or not helpful. The ratio of helpful to not helpful posts would be counted toward the ranking or if that is not technically possible just count the helpful posts.

Whatever the system, ranking and feedback should be anonymous.

I think you mean clique
Whole different meaning.....;)

It is a very workable plan. It can be abused though. Normally you cannot give rep points to the same person twice. It will tell you to spread the points around. No matter what the spread around variable is set to some members will abuse it. They will give rep points to as many as they need to and then ramp up their buddies points. Working together I've seen a team totally abuse the intended use of rep points. It caused hard feelings on the forum I saw this happen on.
I think you can limit who gives negative rep points to particular member groups which is also a good thing.

Don't see a problem.
 

For guru's and such could give a moderators vote that would give bonus points so they would not start off equal with everyone else. Especially if they post lots of solutions. Or just create an honorary group for them.

Would hate the workload possibilities on this but, could require moderator's approval on negative posts. Could also possibly recruit regular users to help moderate just that.

A couple comments so far:

* I like the idea of being able to thank a user for a specific post, regardless of which way we go with the reputation system. Look for this to come to LQ *very* soon.

[Back to the reputation system]
* It's not a requirement that you've posted in the thread.
* It's already possible to rate a thread (which is a very underused feature).
* Everyone would start off at the same level.

Thanks for the feedback so far - keep it coming.

--jeremy

I don't like the concept at all - I know it has been asked for. If you go ahead, please include an option to turn it off.

what part of it would you wish to turn off?

Additionally, what specifically you don't like about it would also be helpful. Thanks.

--jeremy

Just that I should have to see it - I place this along with avatars and siglines.
As I've said before I'd rather we didn't even have rankings or post counts. This will just generate more noise threads aka "when do I stop being a newbie, what's a guru ..."

I'm concerned about abuse to a rating, particularly excessive negative feedback. For example, eBay have recently abandoned negative feedback for a buyer to leave on a seller, presumably due to abuse; the system wasn't working since people were afraid of receiving retaliatory negative feedback for a genuinely poor transaction. Although I suppose there's no financial element here, so it's potentially less of an issue. As for the thanks option, I think that's a much more tenable system. When people receive a solution to their problem, they can say thanks in such a manner that others can benefit; at present their only option is to thank the person in a post in the thread.

I see the button for thanks has been added to this thread at least - it seems to me it's a little pixellated; perhaps a higher res version is needed?