I don't know, fbgdavidson.

The stated purpose of Reputation was to show one's reputation when it came to trades on Coupon Connection. It was meant to identify people who were cheating the system (and the membership) by giving them Red Ratings (not to be confused with Red Rum) and for newcommers to have some kind of assuarance that when dealing with people with Green Ratings their transactions would go well.

It then became "The Ratings Game" to see who could become most popular/unpopular on FlyerTalk.

I've played the game, giving positive points to people's whose posts I found enlightening and, on occasion, entertaining. I have not given out any dings, not because I'm a saint, but because I have not found a post so egregious that I took enough offense to it ( can you tell I don't visit OMNI? ). If I disagree with a poster, I won't ding them. I'll explain my differences in a reply. If we can't come to terms, then I "agree to disagree" and move on. I won't ding people out of spite.

So I imagine "The Ratings Game" will continue, just on a more "level" playing field. People will "bling" folks whose threads they like. People who choose to continue to ding will probably note why they dinged, lest they get "called-out" in ORP or private email. It won't be the anonymous slamming that evidently has occurred prior to today. That should pretty much end now with accountability now enforced.

I imagine within a week or two, the great roar will become a dull roar and then eventually a background hum...