The Water Is No Longer Fine

[Sturdee]

When the User Reputation points system came in it was meant to be a bit of fun and a way for you to show your approval or disapproval of member’s posts.


Whilst I have no problems with this feature, and it can be a very useful adjunct to posting, I do have a fundamental issue with the anonymity of those members casting their disapproval.


In a previous post ( http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...9627#post59627 ) I voiced my opinion on these anonymous posters and accused them of being DISAPPROVAL REPUTATION NAZIS who in casting their disapproval remain faceless and don’t have to give any reasons.


I believe that if anyone disagrees with my posts then they should tell me and I would either withdraw or apologize for my remarks if my post offended them or debate the issues raised. This is my way of doing things and is the same as most posters on this board.


However there is the small anonymous group of DISAPPROVAL REPUTATION NAZIS who, whilst still crawling around in the gutter, now have a way of criticizing members posts.


Since I raised my concern I have been given a red point (don’t know how they can give red points and must be worse than the blue ones) by an anonymous DISAPPROVAL REPUTATION NAZI.


Whilst I have no worries with anyone criticizing me I object VERY STRONGLY to the current way of doing it without me being able to know my accuser. So strongly do I feel about it that at this stage I have no longer the desire to post to the board. Now I may be wrong in taking a stand, but if so, than it is only the third time I made a mistake on a matter of principles.


Thus to quote Al “ Come on in the water is fine” statement, I now no longer find the water fine so I am going to sit on the edge of the pool and only look in (like the majority of members on this board) and cease posting until the gutless DRN’s can no longer remain anonymous.


As a lurker I will still read the posts, both the informative and funny ones, (just keep me laughing guys) and will come back into the water if it changes.


Peter (a former jigbuilder)

[craigb]

Peter,

While I can understand you being PO'd about anonymous negative rep points,
(and from all the posts of yours I've seen, I haven't seen one that deserved a negative), have you raised this problem with ?

I'm sure that if he thinks you've got a legimate grievance he'll try and do something about it. I know nothing about the vBulletin software that runs this board and maybe it's not possible to include the user's name who made the negative post.

I do agree with you though, that if somebody believes that a post deserves a negative then they should have the courage to identify themselves and provide a reason.

I hope you reconsider your decision to lurk.

Craig

[ozwinner]

Peter if you reconsider I will ( if I could , maybe I need to contact Mr ) give you ALL my rep points. Honest.

Al

[GeoffS]

Come on Sturdee - your posts are an important part of this forum. Don't take your bat and ball and go home - just peering over the fence isn't good enough - in this medium we can't see you!!
Personally I am not keen on the rep point system. If someone posts a truly offensive or maybe just a 'bad advise' post can be advised and he will do the right thing.
Take note of the current thread that refers to overseas woodworking forums and how boring they are. It is people like you that make this one so good. Good advice with a bit of cheekiness added.
Please stick around and ignore the idiots - scrub that - the humour impaired.

[Wood Borer]

Sturdee,

Why bow to the gutless wonders? Whilst you and I enjoy different aspects of woodwork, sometimes our views cross paths but at least we both openly discuss it.

Remember when we almost had a dovetail competion, Ozwinner and Kenmil were going to be referees! Out of a difference of views, something positive came out of it.

Some people will write a response to you saying if you can't stand the heat ... etc but they will be stirring and mouthing off, just like we all do from time to time. I agree with them if someone is too sensitive but when it hits the bone I think we should listen.

I haven't any problems with the reputation points, it is good to get them but I will continue to express my opinion even if it risks losing points. Honesty and principles are more important to me than reputation points.

- Wood Borer

[bitingmidge]

Shirley, you can't be serious!! :eek: It's one thing to give up posting, it's altogetherly another to give up building jigs. You might have to start some real projects soon! And what is to become of the half finished-finishing shed, is it finished? Had it's chips? Gone, to become a potting shed for Mrs Sturdees Geraniums?

See the great thing about talking to a lurker is that they can't talk back, and I can say anything without fear of retribution!!! (Unless of course they joined the ranks of the DNR :eek: 's - which in the case of Sturdee I think is improbable.)

I think (now there's a first!), we should all take a deep breath...go back and readSilentC's Sage Advice (Bloody Hell I can't believe I'm taking advice from a Chook!!), then read WoodBorer again (hear hear to both of 'em!):

I haven't any problems with the reputation points, it is good to get them but I will continue to express my opinion even if it risks losing points. Honesty and principles are more important to me than reputation points.

Then carry on regardless.

I particularly like carrying on!! Up 'em for the rent!!


P

[Wayne Davy]

Sturdee,

Do let em get to you mate!!! I have got some negatives for, what I thought, were very informative posts that lots of other appreciated. I don't understand either.

At first, I was a bit put out by them and then I said to myself
"Self, f%^k um!!"

Now, I don't care about the negatives. If I am sure that the post was good - thats all that matters.

So, STOP LURKING and COME BACK POSTING (it's a bit creepy knowing you are here but not here - now I'm getting confused. :eek: )

[AlexS]

Was going to leave this one alone, as I think the rep points is all a bit of fun, but I'm wondering if there may be some sort of software glitch. Someone gave me a positive comment (thanks) with a blueberry next to it.

Whatever, Jigman, don't lurk, your input is much too valuable.

(Hmmm, why would I give a nickname to someone I only know by another nickname?)

[Shane Watson]

Argh bugger em sturdee, lifes too short mate if your going to let this get you down.
If it upsets ya that much I'll throw ya all of ozwinner's rep points!

Oh, and I can do it too!

Mwahahahaha!

Cheers.

PS & I know your reading this now...hehehe...

[Bob Willson]

No no, the points.The points. Without my reputation points I am nothing. I am less than nothing. I am a minus nothing.

Hold on a minute. 120000000000000 minus nothing eauals 120000000000000000.

Stop!!!

I am something. I am a total of ................... something. Am I worth something or ................ nothing ?

[gatiep]

Sturdee,
When Neil announced this points thing I realised that he had good intentions but my first reaction was: " How long before someone will stuff it up by abusing the aninomity"
I thought about it and decided that I would treat it as a fun thing to which some people will subscribe, personally I couldn't be bothered and I take no notice of it. There are people who go out of their way to upset the harmony on this board. If you go through with your decision you are playing right in their hands.............ignore them!
My personal view is: "If someone hasn't got the guts to take me on should they not like or agree with my post....then I really don't give a rat's *rse about what they think" Like you I post what I believe to be the truth, my personal opinion, personal experience or what I am sure is fact. Therefore, if a person comes forward and proves me wrong, I'll be quite happy to appologise and retract my statement, but if the negative is done anonymously I just treat it with the contempt it deserves.
I sincerely hope that what Neil has meant as a good fun thing is not going to blow out again like some other issues we've seen on this board.
Perhaps the following does not only apply to children but also to some posters on this board:
"Play nicely!"

Regards
Joe

[RETIRED]

Ok Folks, We had a funny feeling that this could happen.

We have no way ( as far as I can see) of making people that give or take reputation visible if they wish to remain anonymous.

I have a question for all of you: Do you want them suspended until Neil gets home on Tues or Wed next week?

That is all I can do for the present.

If you feel uncomfortable doing it here, PM me.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Keep them going .... turn them off ... who cares.

If you are really that put off by the reputation thing don't bother to check your rating in your user cp. It seems with the arrival of winter everybody feels the need to have a little gripe about something. It is getting to a stage that not a day goes by without somebody having a problem with one thing or another. If the biggest problem with your day is getting a blue square, lucky you. There is no reason that people give off a blue, I don't think it really is because somebody has picked up a major problem with a post, if there is something that a person feels so strongly about they are still going to report a post to a moderator rather than relying on the blue square.

I am not having a go at Sturdee directly with this post, its more of an outsiders view of what has been happening on the boards for the past few weeks.

[cliff cook]

G`day guys
I must admit that i don`t know what your talking about but i look at it this way, i joined this board to learn and mabee have my say as well. If someone disagrees with me and wishes to say so then fair enough ,if they don`t and want to do the thing with the dots then it is a case of mind over matter.
I don`t mind
And they don`t matter.

[journeyman Mick]

This issue doesn't worry me on a personal level, however it may be to the detriment of new or casual users of this BB. I look at it this way: regular users of this BB will have sussed out what to expect of the more prolific posters, who's a stirrer, who's a joker, who's a sage. I think that most posters are a varying combinations of these (and the level of each of these qualities varies depending on the post as well). So regular BB users will tend to know that while x will crack a lot of jokes he offers good advice and that while y might be somewhat controversial in how he answers questions he is being genuine, just coming from a different perspective, etc etc. My worry is that people appear to have been given bad rep points for no reason and that a new user might disregard perfectly good advice given by a knowledgeable BB member because of an undeserved bad rep.

Mick