Forum Reputation

[Jeff]

A Forum Reputation feature has been added to provide a way to encourage positive and productive communication by giving forum members the opportunity to easily give post content positive or negative feedback along with giving or taking "Forum Reputation Points" to or from other members based on the content of their posts. The post count gives an indication of how much time a member has spent on the forums here; the user reputation feature will hopefully give an indication of how much interesting, useful, and helpful content a member has contributed.

The ability to alter another member's “Forum Reputation” should NEVER BE USED FOR NEGATIVE PURPOSES. Disagreeing with another member is not a reason to give negative feedback. But if you do find a poster to be posting posts which are offensive, wildly off topic, or without any content, the reputation feature can be a subtle way to anonymously let that poster know that their behavior is not appreciated by other members of the community.

This is your opportunity to play a role in setting the tone of the community, letting helpful and interesting posters know that you appreciate their contributions, and helping troublesome members realize that their course needs to be altered.

How it works:

While in testing for the next two weeks, click the inconspicuous (and somewhat indistinct ) icon which appears on the top right of each post and leave a quick anonymous* comment to constructively criticize or praise the content of the post itself.
*Note: forum admin/moderator(s) will be able to lookup the feedback author – if anyone abuses this feature to, for example, vote down people they do not like, rather than on the content of the post in question, they may be permanently banned from the forum.

The more Reputation Points you have, the more you can give or take away from others. The length of time you have been registered also plays a part in how much your feedback will impact another member's number.

Prior to ever giving negative feedback you should ensure you have taken the time to re-read the post you are tempted to rate negatively a couple of times BEFORE doing so. This will help to ensure you are rating constructively rather than based on pure emotion in the heat of the moment.

Positive feedback is a wonderful thing to receive and should help to encourage all of us to put a little more thought into our forum posts and discourge posters from posting "empty messages." With that said, everyone is encouraged to positively rate those posts they feel are the most interesting and helpful contributions to the forum as a way of providing recognition to all of those that provide quality content and helpful advice day after day.

Hopefully this will be a useful addition and will continue as a permanent feature after this two week trial run.

4-16-2006 Edit: In general, I feel the reputation system is a positive addition, though not perfect. The trial period has been extended from 2-weeks to 1-month.

[kach22i]

.........and you can only see that new icon if you are logged in.

Sorry that you have to go through all of this effort Jeff.

Mee too, I'm sorry we have to go thru this, when the poll says the majority don't want it - but it seems the minority holds sway regardless!

Why hold a poll, and then totally ignore what the majority say they want and impose something only a minority want?

They way I see it's this Jeff.

I believe the negative comments etc are aimed directly at me!

I believe that the minority is getting it's way, which is totally undemocratic!

It is somewhat akin to the way we are bringing democracy to the midle east, at the point of a gun!

What that does is create "insurgents!" out of former citizens!

Thats how I see it - but I'll play along!

I'll be the insurgent you all seem to want to push me to become!

I'm outta here for good - the only time you will see me here ever again, will be wearing ta towell around my head, shouting ali ali ackbar!

Nah - seriously chum - it's been fun - but if ya want me to 'piss off' just say the word - you don't need to "tip toe 'round the tulips" with this reputation crap if it's me you want gone!

I'm outta here as a matter of principal.

Two things have proven the "double standards" that apply here to me!

The political comments thread and this result result from the poll!

You and your minority are welcome to the place! I want no further part in it because what we the users wan't doesnt matter! It's an insult to our intelligence to first ask us, then do the opposite anyway, when you don't get the answer a loud and insistent minority want!

If your going to pander to a vocal minority...there is no point participating here because it's not a type of community I would want any part of, on principal!

It's been fun - but like my opposition to the war - I'm consistent in supporting my principals and usually, much later on - everone else eventually figures out I was right - as is the case NOW with Iraqnam!

I'd sooner not be anywhere that I am 'ranked' by a silent minority. If I have an issue with anyone - you better believe you will know about it first hand!
Iwon't stoop to kneecapping / knobbling anyone 'anonymously' - with the tools you are providing, it's basically downunder something cuturally not acceptable!

Ihave never and never would 'complain' about anyone to Jeff the 'mooderator', having been a 'mooderator' before myself!

I choose to leave rather than participate in something I do not believe in, as "morally justifyable"!!

You had your poll - I voted No, and now I stick by those same principals Jeff!

It appears to me at least by this draconian impost that you appear to lack same.

At least my departure will please the vocal minority!

There are other boating forums on the internet!

People who wish to read what I write or ask me a question need only google search trouty or Flywest and they will no doubt find me or email me as many already do!

Farewell to those who's company I've enjoyed immensely here and sincere thanks to all those who have unselfishly assisted me with advice and taught me much about boats and boat design on this website!!

I will sincerely miss the cameraderie of a great many here, from all walks of life!

I will not however miss the vocal minority, of whiners who sem to hold sway here!!.

Cheers!

[marshmat]

I wish you'd stick around, Trouty. I doubt you're the target here- most of us enjoy your wit and banter. The reputation thing's only on a 2-week trial anyway; if we all hate it, I suspect Jeff will scrap it. Stick around, my friend, and keep going exactly as you have for the last few years.

[longliner45]

yea; what he said(marshmat)

[RHough]

How the heck did I end up with a reputation of 60? I'm a loud mouthed idiot that antagonizes people that I think are too full of themselves and hype ideas that defy physics.

Now, newbies will look at my drivel and see the 60+ reputation and assume that I know what I'm talking about!

Now since my "rep" is so high, it has a larger effect on those posts that I offer feedback on ...

Please make it go away!

[Willallison]

with some trepidation about venturing off-topic....
Trouty - the poll wasn't about this reputation icon bizzo - it was about something completely different that I proposed. I didn't propose it to target you. Though I think you'll have to admit - you do have a habit of rambling on a bit!

Jeff, I'll support anything you want to try-I love this forum and have learned much while being here. Anything that could reduce personal attacks and trash posts while rewarding those who are posting really usefull or serious, thought provoking ideas related to boat /sailboat design, construction or operation has got to be worth a try. Good Luck!

[Jeff]

Please make it go away!

You asked for it, with all the helpful suggestions and feedback these past few days. But I think you're right and the admin account may have too much weight by default so I've made some adjustments, as requested.

I choose to leave rather than participate in something I do not believe in, as "morally justifyable"!!

You had your poll - I voted No, and now I stick by those same principals Jeff!

That is certainly your choice so I will bid you farewell and thank you for your many positive contributions to the forum over the years despite our strong disagreement in recent weeks over chasing other forum members away. As Will says, the poll was regarding a two-tierd forum where members would have to be approved before being allowed to post in the main forums. As that involves a lot of moderation and as the majority who took part in the poll voted no, I thought I would give this alternate idea a test run.

[Wellydeckhand]

Will the drastic measure retaine diversity of the boat design people or it is tend to pruning and forum selection based?

[Jeff]

I don't see this as a drastic measure compared to any of the other options on the table, and doing nothing seemed to be leading to a loss in diversity of the forum in the last few months too, and not in a good way.

[safewalrus]

Not sure where 'trouty' gets the idea from that he's the only one being shot at here!

I know someone else, some of the, dare I say it 'people from Crete - Cretins' (thats probably offensive too!) want to get rid of! The guy with THE mustache!

Sorry guys I ain't going until I'm pushed, I've toned down but not through choice but through pressure of life elsewhere in the world - I ain't got the time to mess around with fools and charlitans let alone the good parts of this forum (most of it!) But as I said above that's the way I am and will REMAIN if you don't like it you have an on / off button like everybody else! I may not be a super designer/architect or what ever but i do have some small experience of the the sea (37 Years - Master, Mate, AB, Cook (?) etc on vesels from aircraft carriers, frigates, tankers (various sizes), tugs, supply vessels, OBO's, coasters, dive support, trawlers (not a lot) crabbers and other fishing boats, dredgers, patrol vessels, Ferries, sailing vessels of various types (no square rig I'm sorry to say) so if I think your about to make a fool of yourself or kill somebody "I can swear like a sailor!" and damn well will

thats my bit for the week

[Guillermo]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

....but i do have some small experience of the the sea (37 Years - Master, Mate, AB, Cook (?) etc on vesels from aircraft carriers, frigates, tankers (various sizes), tugs, supply vessels, OBO's, coasters, dive support, trawlers (not a lot) crabbers and other fishing boats, dredgers, patrol vessels, Ferries, sailing vessels of various types (no square rig I'm sorry to say)...

All of us have our bit of experience here, Mike. But this gives us no right to insult or disrespect other people.
Let's share our big or small knowledge, and not our bad temper.

[safewalrus]

Sorry Guillermo

As I'm sure you are by now aware with me what you see is what you get - whilst I know this can rub you up the wrong way your man enough to handle it! some ain't! If somebody is acting like an idiot I'll tell them, and I don't do it the nice way! you tell a fool he's a fool gently and he doesn't believe you! In the real world these days I work in construction - if a guy don't shape up he ships out! In other words if he isn't good enough I sack him and I don't do it gently (how the hell can you sack someone gently?)

Mike (the Walrus

[Guillermo]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

....If somebody is acting like an idiot I'll tell them, and I don't do it the nice way!...

But, Mike, what do you (and all of us) win with that? What positive thing does that attitude bring to these forums? Getting everybody angry with everybody? Is that what all of us expect?
You yourself said in other thread that it is not possible to change people, so, even if we think someone is stupid, are we going to change him/her by being rude? No, most people will react and then be rude on their side towards the offending person. So there we go in an spiral of real stupidity, that contributes nothing to the final reason of these forums.
On my side, I'm not here to come into 'tavern' discussions, but to learn (a lot) and contribute with my bit of knowledge when I can. If I want tavern discussions I go to the tavern, not here.
I've tried to follow this pattern myself, although I recognise that a couple of times I felt obliged to respond, because things were coming to a limit I felt something had to be done. I've found that some of the 'profesional' offenders here try to make themselves bigger by pissing others off the forums. And I'm not available to that, because I appreciate very much what we have here (thanks, Jeff), as I learn much more than I contribute. And for sure I learn nothing from permanent insults, posts without content, bad temper and tavern like discussions.
And now is good to see that Jeff has come into action and put some basic rules to avoid these forums keeping in the undesirable mood they were last times. That's going to bring back again things into a reasonable level of conversation and all of us will benefit from that and keep on learning a lot.
All the best.