Use of the Reputation System - An Appeal

[jbradfor]

I'm #2 under "Recommended Members"? [i realize you and imron are not included, as you are admins.] That in itself is proof that the recommendation system isn't working. I don't mean that as any false modesty or as a plea for compliments ("We love you jbradfor, you're the best!!!"), but I don't believe I provide more benefit to these forums than the other people listed, and there are several people not listed that should be (e.g. feihong comes to mind). [i would like to think I provide some benefit, but certainly not more than others.]

[OneEye]

I think "哪裡，哪裡" would have sufficed.

[roddy]

The forums have spoken, and they have said otherwise.

I suppose at another level of sophistication I should have a list of posters who've been recommended most this week, or some (reputation / post count) measure or something. It's a bit of a blunt instrument, yes.

Edit: And bear in mind - you post a lot, and you're consistently helpful and friendly. You might not feel you provide a lot of info, but even asking questions is useful - anyone who writes up a decent question will get a + from me. Feihong is obviously wonderful, but I suspect a lot of his substantial posts are niche interest stuff like comics and games, which might not get viewed so much. And he might not be on that top 10 list, but he's not far off it.

Speaking of the reputation system, is it possible to get the reputation buttons and tallies on the mobile version of the site?

Done, but - they're on the tool-bar thing that pops out when you click a post (where a quote button also hides, shhhh), and I've only included a button to increase reputation - I thought the chances of accidental clicks on the mobile skin are more likely, so left out the decrease button. Also, it'll look very cramped to you and I Imron, as we get the delete and edit buttons, it doesn't look so bad for the muggles.

Couple of points - it really wouldn't take many people paying a bit of attention to sort things out, I think. A mere five points would get a post onto the monthly list, only seven for the yearly one, and there are no posts with a higher rating than 11. If everyone who's read this and thought 'hmmm, I'll try and do that' does it, we should be sorted.

The other point I appear to have forgotten. Oh yes:

If you want people to read your favorite posts, maybe you could have a " Roddy's Picks" section.

But that's not what I want, I'd like people to be reading everyone's favourite posts. I'm just trying to align our views of favourite . . .

[Silent]

Just do away with the reputation system and your problems will be solved.

I do see the appeal of a reputation system. Nevertheless I tend to vote it out. In my experience it just doesn't work in reality. Votes are distributed mostly emotional, not rational. Consequently in promotes jokes and quarrels, not content.

[abcdefg]

"Helpful"/"Unhelpful" is how I'd rather the buttons be labeled and used.

I agree with that approach.

[Scoobyqueen]

Roddy already mentioned this. I think questions are sometimes more challenging to put together (insofar you first do your own research etc), than to critisise what others have already written and suggested. The questions on these forums are what represent the categories people will look for when scrolling later when asking themselves a similar question. How about thinking of a way to reward a good question that will help people learn the language rather than those who simply critisise it or put (in some cases) a ridiculing/belittling comment that may be funny?

It is a lot easier to add what appears to be an intelligent comment rather than actually stand up and say "hey I have got a problem here, I dont know the answer to this question, let me ask the experts." (it can be a bit like asking for help to park a car if you are man so therefore many people don't do it or they think they already know it all.)

[character]

"Helpful"/"Unhelpful" is how I'd rather the buttons be labeled and used.

Agreed. It makes it clear what you want the buttons to represent, and doesn't make the system any more complex. Optionally reset the totals of joke posts.

[roddy]

At this point I think I'll wait a week and see how things are looking then. Changing the button to read 'helpful' may well be worth trying.

[Meng Lelan]

Why wait? Do it now.

[langxia]

It is the facebook generation it seems, hitting the like button all the time. Did you never add someone on facebook and an hour later he liked all the pictures in a photo album with 200 pics ?

I personaly give very few upvotes and very few downgrades. The helpful/ not helpful will be a totally different approach though I think. I also like the idea of a roddys pick (maybe you could take in one of the other moderators as this would make it broader, maybe one week you pick one next week he picks one or every week there will be 2 picks)

Ah btw when I look at the popular posts sometimes the same post is in it twice.

[rob07]

Interesting that the top rated post is currently a post advising a young man in his early twenties to get up before 8.30 on Saturday morning. Yes, that is an important time of the week when you are married with young children, but when you are young and single and have no children it is not a very good time to meet potential future mothers of your children. And if you are up at 8.30 on Saturday mornings, you do risk not being at your best at more promising times to meet potential future mothers of your children.

I am not a young man in his early twenties myself.

[roddy]

One week later - partial success, I think, in that joke posts are getting less attention (the only one in the popular post list currently is one of mine. Oops). But nothing else over the last week has got more than 4 points, which is still less than I'd like, so I've added the 'helpful' wording. See you next week!

[roddy]

Ah btw when I look at the popular posts sometimes the same post is in it twice.

It will be two different posts in the same topic - you should notice different poster names. Unless they were both made by the same person.

[Meng Lelan]

I want the Great Joke wording too.

[imron]

Roddy, it seems in a recent upgrade, the 'Helpful' wording disappeared from next to the upvote/downvote buttons. Perhaps it might be worth putting it back?

[Flying Pigeon]

What about a rating system similar to YouTube's? A system where you can see how many people liked a post and how many didn't. A member's "reputation" can be based on a combination of "like" and "dislike" or "helpful" and "unhelpful". I think it gives a more realistic idea of what members think of the post. Something where I can look at a post and see three people liked it and two didn't; I can look at a profile and see that a user has said X number of helpful things and X number of not so helpful things. In other words, let a vote stand, let it remain. I got the feeling when this system was introduced (was it in 2010?) that some users were freaking out because they're posts were voted down and their friends were upset and were going to vote "up" the post. Seemed pretty juvenile to me. I think it was a post called "The Chinese Stare". I'll do a search and try to find the link.

Update: Here is the link: http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/26942-the-chinese-stare-does-it-exist/page__st__20#comment-220791

Post #28. That's what I'm talking about.