Bashed from 40 back down to 7 points
 

Originally posted by ScottC, referring to a "point clique":
Yes, please.

In a few days away from the internet, I return to find that based solely on my last post to this thread ("12 to 40 points"), I've taken some huge hits.

:)

Reinforcements, anyone?

Green jewel threshholds
 

Thanks, Jon NYC. Your single word of approval added 11 points to my score, and brought me out of "danger." :)

I wonder how much ScottC's or Premex's approbation is worth? Reputation points, that is, not a bribe!

And does anyone know the point threshholds for the dreaded Gray Jewel (is there any level below that?), and for one, two, three, and four Green Jewels?

I am "worth" 42 points at the moment ;)

Gee, if people lost reputation for each mis-spelling, I'd be in real trouble :o . Dinging for that is bad form. Over on the QF forum we see the "u" added all the time. So much so that it hardly gets noted any more.

I have found that more than half the people who have given me a positive had been "the grey brigade" and hence no points :confused: .

New Movie About FlyerTalk?
 

Discussing the Reputation squares on FlyerTalk sounds like the title of the 1985 movie which describes the ever-precious Jewel of the Mile...

"Online status" light
 

Originally posted by ScottC:
I don't want to be too obsequious, and maybe I should just send you my very first FlyerTalk "private message," but why is your little green light in the bottom left corner ("online status") turned off?

Did you sign in and out quickly, or are you "invisible," or does that mean you're in a different forum? Or maybe you just went to sleep! :o



Canarsie, YGR! I'm a glutton for PUNishment. :D

I could use a ding or two. I've gotten two bad dings off of one post from a few weeks ago. The bad part was that I didn't even think I was being confrontational.

Meanwhile, how do you find out who's got a bad reputation?

;)

Thanks Scott
 

You da man. You helped me last year with my sister's laptop and now, dings. What more can I ask for?

Well, I tried, but it looks like Scott has done some bodywork on the dings.

I think the light gray box means less than zero. Is there a level below that? I would expect the jewel box threshholds would be posted somewhere.

Of course, the most reliable way is to form one's own opinion based on one's own observations. :eek:

There is a Red Jewel, but I've never seen it on anyone here. (Either the system is set up to make it difficult to go that low, or anyone that low has had the good sense to turn their reputation off. ;))

Also note how confusingly similar the Gray Jewel (neutral/"balanced"?) and Black Jewel (disabled/off) look.

Absolutely, after grey comes red :)

Just to fan the "levels" discussion a wee bit, I can tell you I have 26 points but just the one green jewel over there. I think there's more to it than just the number of points. I have all of one positive comment, so perhaps it's a function of both number of positive comments as well as the number of points? 26 is not that much lower than 42.

BTW, it went from 10 to 26 with the one positive comment. Not sure how that works either. Perhaps it figures in my own post count, but won't give extra points for the post count if I have zero positive comments? If that's true, maybe from now on it will only go one point at a time?

Perhaps some of you have been watching and already know this. I'm not terribly concerned about the feature, just curious how it calculates since it was being discussed.

According to the FAQ, you need 20 points to be able to influence someone elses reputation. If we all start with 10 points, its only a few people that can actually push anyone up over the 20 min.

I have been at 18 points since about day 2 of the new improved FT. I have had plenty of positive hits, but all from people with less than 20 (ie light grey boxes). If someone can help me over the 20 min (I only need 2 more) I can start to have some positive influence on other's reps as they post.

Sounds like you are trolling for points :D Trolling is not allowed on FT ;)

And just when I thought this 'reputation' nonsense had got as silly as was possible .......

That's never stopped anyone...

My original thead was closed
 

Posting for my thread that was redirected to this thread. Thanks everyone for your advise and dings! ^

"Begging for points destroys the system."
 

The boldface title above is one of the several anonymous "disapproval" notes I've received, anonymous, of course, as have been each of the others (mostly blank). It is a valid point, and I wish that the poster had the courage to provide a signature. A disinclination to do so actually supports the view that positive reputation "counter-measures" do sometimes have to be taken.

Just for the record, for those who have not read my other 2000+ posts, I am most emphatically not a vindictive person. Whatever my other character flaws may be, seeking revenge is not one of them. Obsequious? Maybe. Honest? Yes. Even outspoken? Perhaps. Subtle sense of humor? Not as good as Pynchonesque. But vengeful for something written on a frequent flyer bulletin board? Perish the thought.

So anyone who wants to disagree with me, whether on a post for all to analyze and consider opposing views (I've had my share of OMNI debates with GUWonder and Doppy, but certainly respect them as individuals, prolific posters, and fellow Flyer Talkers) or by a negative reputation comment or private message, need not feel hesitant or ashamed to sign his FT "name."

Such FT names are also anonymous, by the way, except for those who have chosen to reveal their full identities, such as ozstamps, Premex, gleff, et al. As a former federal prosecutor who has sent people away for lengthy periods of incarceration, you may understand why I don't want to make it easier for them to find me, though everyone on Saipan knows who I am, so perhaps I am being overly cautious. I think we all have more to fear from Continental Airlines and their anti-back-to-back ticketing software!

Also, for the record, I've never used a private message to "beg." All I've done is what's posted here on this thread, to fairly minimal positive effect. If someone is being hammered down as part of an apparent concerted attack, I don't think it's out of order to point that out and call for reinforcements. [Thanks to those who have come to my "rescue." :) ]

For those who do want to help out a friend, I think it's vital to know that one's own reputation must be over 20 to positively affect someone else's. This is important, if that is one of your motivations. I hate to think how many gray boxes I've bestowed! And now I'm timed out by the 24 hour rule.

Originally posted by NM:
This is a very valid observation. I hope someone can help our friend from Australia.

It also points out a misconception I'd been laboring under.

The boxes or jewels next to the public listing of one's name are not the same as the boxes next to comments received!

In other words, a single-green reputation status member will bestow light-gray status comments if his reputation is under 20. A multi-jewel player will bestow only a single green or red comment, though this will have more weight for power users.

How does one earn a light-gray or red status? By falling below a certain threshhold. [Maybe they have theirs turned off, showing black, so we don't officially know how low those cut-offs are.]

Similarly, what are the point cut-offs to two, three, and four green jewels? So far those who know haven't been forthcoming, but if I get there, I'll be sure to let everyone know.

As to the accusation about "destroying" the system, isn't that somewhat akin to the airlines accusing Flyer Talkers of doing that to their programs?

I say, if you follow the rules, it's not doing anyone any harm. People like ScottC and Premex wouldn't have all the jewels they do if they didn't have good reputations, even if there may be a bit of popularity contest and perhaps even some gaming thrown in there. (No accusations being made here!)

Incidentially, my original "mutual adulation" comment was a bit tounge-in-cheek, not suitable for explication on a family-oriented website by such a fine, upstanding Christian as myself. :eek:

Some people do have too much time on their hands, and I need to get back to more productive things like finding clients (defensive civil litigation) or at least organizing my office, buying computers, etc.

Come visit me on Saipan some day!

Green "jewels" - 1 additional every 100 reputation points
 

As best I can tell, we have one green jewel with a reputation from 1 to 99 points, two green jewels for 100 to 199 points, and so on.

Just out of curiosity, if we all started with 10 points, and we can't give reputation points til we get to 20 points, how the heck was the log jam broken????? Think about it, this is a real chicken and egg conundrum. If no one had 20 points, then how did anyone award points so that others could get from 10 to 20 and begin awarding their own points?

Because the initial setting was different. It was (and still is) based on posts/years on FT and current point count.

In the beginning everyone could hand out points, now it's set to >30 points.

Raising the bar to award points?
 

30? It's no longer 20?

Well, I'm in zone to prove or disprove that theory, as soon as my 24 hours elapses.

I received points today from someone who said he just made it over the 20 mark, so apparently 20 still counts.

^

Well... just wait until Monday.

If you have read the latest TalkMail, you will understand.

All those Red dings will be identified.

William

I will provide an excerpt:

What about a red ding left more than 5 reputation bling/dings ago?
 

Currently, we can only see the last 5 reputation bling/dings left for us. If someone dinged us 6 or more times back, is there anyway for us to know who it is come Monday?

My question, too
 

Ditto.

Are you sure about this?
 

Um, isn't that gonna' create a LOT of rancor, vengefulness and animosity? I personally haven't given too many negative dings (and am 100% comfortable with those folks knowing what I think of their persistent trolling) but I really, really wonder if this isn't gonna' bring some major problems-- referring to the retroactive identification only, here.

Do as you see fit Randy, I love a good bloodbath as much as the next guy, but I think this is gonna' get real ugly when some of the reputation-dings are revealed.

I think you might want to reconsider...

It may also be that points bestowed before one breaks 20 begin to count "retroactively" once their originator breaks 20. Can anyone confirm or deny whether it works that way? If it does, that'd provide a good reason to continue to give reputation points even when one knows one is under 20.

I'm sorry it had to come to the point of identifying everyone (there is something to be said for anonymous feedback, as with comment/survey cards and the like) but if it was a necessary step, so be it.

Sure glad I didn't send a retaliatory ding to the person I think red dinged me.

And I'm really looking forward to seeing the anonymous ones identified.

JonNYC, there's no need to fear that there will be a "bloodbath," at least not as long as there is still a TOS. And we're all adults here; let's not over-react. There is almost always a perfectly good explanation for these things, so rather than react emotionally in the moment, follow up with them and inquire about details.

I'll confess I gave out three dings anonymously to three members to whom my dinging will come as no surprise. Now, of course, I regret them, since I just simply don't feel it's healthy to get pulled into these sorts of things. But I'll just have to live with it (as though it's like such a grave matter :D ). I certainly won't stop from dinging if I feel it's warranted, which would be rarely, but posts do occur which qualify for a ding.

Indeed. I couldn't agree more. But do you, ultimately, think that the dingee feels that way? In other words, I issued about 3 or 4 dings-- to people I consider to be negative impactors on FT. In fact, I'm certain about it. But I somehow doubt the dingees will agree that the dingor was being objective and constructive. Thus the circular firing-squad effect...

But, hopefully you are right and I'm not giving FTers enough credit for their maturity and restraint.

I don't know; time will tell.

I received just a couple childish negatives. Others who have indicated that their feedback has been obviously designed to hurt may feel more strongly, and who's to say they are not entitled to feel betrayed or wronged?

I certainly would understand if my negatives came back to haunt me, but as I said, I think most of us are adults here, and can take it.

And, it is indeed JAFIBB (to some extent).

I too have given anonymous points, both positive and negative. So what? With one exception, I don't think anyone will be surprised that I am someone who would 'ding' them. There is no shame in using the system as it exists, unless you use someone elses name to do it. Let's face it. Anonymous or otherwise, negative rep. points are by definition, negative. Those who receive negative comments will either learn from them, or not. Be angry, or not. 'Ding' you back, or not.
As for the one who might be surprised, it will be because he thinks someone else dinged him, and he owes that person an apology. [Asking myself the tough question]Am I ashamed of any of my negative comments?[/tough question] Answer, ... no.

I completely disagree.

In my opinion, outing the cowards will have a very salubrious effect. It will show who can be trusted, and who cannot.

No one who was honest and above-board need be concerned.

Counsellor is correct.

I dinged people without signing my name, but there was no requirement to do so. All of the dings I received were unsigned. I don't think that either I or those who dinged me did anything wrong.

We need not be embarrassed.

I included no comments with my dings. Most of the dings I received had no comments. Those few dings that I got which were accompanied by comments were brief, to the point, and not abusive. Those who sent them did nothing wrong and I will certainly not be angry with them.

The only ones who need fear the sunlight are those who used this to send flames and those who signed their dings with others' names.

I believe they are a tiny minority and will not be at all upset for them to face the consequences of their actions.

Nobody has had anything to say about/to me. I'm not sure it that is good or bad! However, I have never liked the anonymous factor. If you have something negative to say have the guts to put your name to it! (I HAVE reported a suspect FTer and, after investigation, I was correct in my assumption that he was promoting his own product.) I think that all hell will break loose and it will signal the end of the reputation points for most forums.