META: What is the point?

Submitted by Emarcy on

What is the point of Mgopoints?

     -status:  identify posters

          -quality vs trolls vs meh

     -currency:  medium of exchange

          -exchange of what = value

          -value = perceived value

               -value = status (importance varies by user)

               -value = powers (voting, threading, posting during disaster)

                    -voting = recognition of voice

                    -voting = enter the economy

 

Are we creating an economy or a community discussion?

 

we care

     way more

          than we should

but its

     college football man

          you know?

MGoBoard

M-Wolverine

August 13th, 2010 at 1:52 PM ^

If there are enough people willing to "take one for the team", to make a really bad post stand out. And this will probably happen less, not more. And I think you'll get a lot more posts saying just about that...."I agree, because yadda yadda yadda"...with the yadda yadda yadda just about being literal, because there won't be that much difference in what they are saying. Because the whole idea is the previous poster already stated the "yadda yadda yadda". Happened to me in the Custer post on the main page. The 3 points I thought of, were already there. And if you look at the first 3 or four posts there, it's "seconded", "Thirded"...which would have just as easily been reflected with the post getting +10, or something, with a lot less clutter and noise. And I don't see how it prevents people from making their own topic on things already said. I must be missing something, because I don't see the relationship at all.

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 42190

maizenbluedevil

August 14th, 2010 at 5:19 AM ^

Totally agree with everything you said.

If people post their agreement rather than adding a +1, even if they say more than "I agree" the posts are inevitably going to get redundant (after all there's only so much to say on any given topic) and the signal to noise ratio on the board will get worse, and the quality dilluted.  That - in the end - is the main concern about this.  

Joined: 09/12/2008

MGoPoints: 6906

jmblue

August 13th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^

I understand what you're saying about downvoting.  I just don't see the reason for having positive votes cost points.  A lot of times I've thought someone made a great point, and didn't have much to add other than "I agree."  Giving them an upvote gives positive feedback without cluttering the board with useless replies.  And in general, I don't see the harm in giving positive feedback. 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102971

M-Wolverine

August 13th, 2010 at 1:47 PM ^

Because if a neg is meant to illustrate a poor post, and lower points illustrate an unproven or bad poster, by voting, you're negging yourself, and making it look like you're a worse poster. So, it's illustrating generosity as a negative. Or helping out the board, as taking one for the team.

Joined: 10/04/2009

MGoPoints: 42190

KBLOW

August 13th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^

Perhaps I missed this suggestion already, but if you're going to have to spend points to neg or pos someone, maybe we should be allowed to do it multiple times ...EDIT: on the same post.   Yes, those with the most points would have more "power" to vote than others but it would develop an interesting police force to say the least.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 22708

octal9

August 13th, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^

Someone mentioned a similar functionality to a different site - I don't know which site, but it took the user's point total into account when that user voted. I happen to think this would be a good idea - something like  (warning, pseudocode follows) this:

cost = ceiling(user.pointTotal * 0.001);
user.pointTotal -= cost;
cost = ceiling(cost * 0.5);

This reads: take 0.1% of voter's point total and round up to the nearest whole value (ie, minimum of 1). Subtract  this from the user's point total. Then, divide this by 2 and again, round up (ensures a minimum of 1), and subtract it from the voter's point total.

Lets say for example. Magnus decides to neg you. The cost to you (at the time of this post) is 28157 * .001 = 28.157, rounded up to 29. The cost to him is 28.157 / 2 = 14.0785, rounded up to 15. Similarly a neg from you would be worth -4 to the poster and -2 for you.

There's all sorts of tunings that can be done and systems that can be used; unfortunately there's not going to be a single solution that makes everyone happy.

Joined: 11/11/2008

MGoPoints: 5777

TheLastHarbaugh

August 13th, 2010 at 12:54 PM ^

If "no one cares about points," as many people love to proclaim, then why would it matter? I will continue to pos and neg freely.

I have to spend my mgopoints on something. Lord knows I'm still 8,000 points away from the dust buster.

Joined: 08/06/2008

MGoPoints: 10711

Skunkeye

August 14th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^

Voting should be free.  Otherwise we are separating everybody into the haves and have nots and saying infrequent posters have less right to vote then somebody that is a prolific poster but says nothing of value.  Even a total d-bag will be hard to neg-bang to oblivion if they are a prolific poster.  Do you really want this place to be over-run with prolific posting d-bags?  All we are going to get is a not more comments of little or no value.

Joined: 08/24/2009

MGoPoints: 505