Kitz ADSL Broadband Information
adsl spacer  
Support this site
Home Broadband ISPs Tech Routers Wiki Forum
 
     
   Compare ISP   Rate your ISP
   Glossary   Glossary
 
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Author Topic: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished  (Read 4592 times)

NewtronStar

  • Kitizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 4898
TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« on: June 26, 2012, 09:35:55 PM »

Was on my old ISP forum TT and noticed the Rep for members has Vanished what going on ?
Logged

Bayardo

  • Member
  • **
  • Posts: 79
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2012, 10:01:24 PM »

She's been back for a while. Been on hols/off sick???
Logged

Blackeagle

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 257
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2012, 10:53:56 AM »

The reputation system has been suspended pending a final decision on whether to keep it or not.

The reason for this is the abuse of the rep system by certain forum members which made a mockery of the whole thing  :(

Its unfortunate that there is always a small minority that spoil things for the rest.
Logged
ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI -- TalkTalk Broadband since 2006

kitz

  • Administrator
  • Senior Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 33879
  • Trinity: Most guys do.
    • http://www.kitz.co.uk
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2012, 02:13:04 PM »

>> The reason for this is the abuse of the rep system by certain forum members.

Sadly, there will be a few that do abuse it and spoil for others. :(
Personally though I dont like the rep and karma systems. Credits can accidentally be given to the wrong person, and often people who make detailed replies may not be given rep they deserve.   
One of my biggest problems with the rep system is the way it can seem to stop the flow of a thread.  Theres many a forum Ive visited and as you try to scan through the thread, you constantly see "Please rate my post" type signatures.  Some of the signatures asking people to rate posts are longer than the answers they provide, and by the time youve seen a thread with about a dozen rate my post requests in by various people it gets monotonous. 
Logged
Please do not PM me with queries for broadband help as I may not be able to respond.
-----
How to get your router line stats :: ADSL Exchange Checker

renluop

  • Kitizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 3326
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #4 on: July 08, 2012, 03:24:51 PM »

I do not like rating because it can be rigged; much better IMHO is a "Thank you" option as in the MSE forum.
To some extent that may reduce abusers' effectiveness.
Logged

Black Sheep

  • Helpful
  • Addicted Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 5717
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2012, 03:38:26 PM »

Why even bother to have a 'rep' ?? Are people so egotistical (nay, sad), that they need folk to 'like' their postings ?? These are folk they don't even know as well, apart from virtually.

They only 'rep' I need or want, is from my family, friends and work colleagues.
Logged

Blackeagle

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 257
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #6 on: July 08, 2012, 04:03:47 PM »


Sadly, there will be a few that do abuse it and spoil for others. :(
Personally though I dont like the rep and karma systems. Credits can accidentally be given to the wrong person, and often people who make detailed replies may not be given rep they deserve.   
One of my biggest problems with the rep system is the way it can seem to stop the flow of a thread.  Theres many a forum Ive visited and as you try to scan through the thread, you constantly see "Please rate my post" type signatures.  Some of the signatures asking people to rate posts are longer than the answers they provide, and by the time youve seen a thread with about a dozen rate my post requests in by various people it gets monotonous.

Totally agree.  Whilst it was nice to have lots of green pips under my username, the fact that I know my posts have helped others is worth vastly more to me.  I don't think there are actually many members on there with a 'please rate my post' type signature but I am well aware of the amount of PM's sent requesting rep and of a little 'clan' of members who constantly repped each other.

I first joined TTMF when there were less than 500 members.  It was totally by accident really as well !!  Tiscali had bought out Freedom2Surf who were my BB supplier and I looked for an alternative as I had no wish to be with Tiscali.  Talktalk seemed to be the best priced option so I opted for them.  After switchover though, my line was running at 13meg although it wouldn't hold sync for more than about 20 minutes at a time.  Having a smattering of knowledge about ADSL, I jumped on the 'net looking for an answer. I found TTMF and joined.  The admin at the time (Matt), identified my issue as a test profile on the linecard in the MSAN and it was resolved within 30 mins. I've stayed around ever since.  Got asked if I would like to be an 'experienced member' and said yes, and this later evolved into 'community moderator'.

In essence its a great forum.  The support by TT staff is fantastic and most issues get resolved within a few days.  The community section is also great with lots of help and advice on multiple subjects.

Sadly though, every two or three years certain elements seem to appear that wish to disrupt things and cause upset.  It's unfortunate that this happens but it seems to be a slowly repeating pattern.  The offenders will either stop, due to heavy moderation of their posts, or be banned due to continued infringement of the forum rules.  Meanwhile the happy feeling on there is gone for now.

Logically, I can offer no explanation why a forum has a 'mood'.  It does however, and the mood over there is not good at present  :(

EDIT for BS

The rep system was originally designed to give other members an indication of whether a poster would be offering good advice etc.  It was thought that if a member had high rep then clearly the majority of their posts were giving accurate information and that their advice could be 'trusted'.  This did work initially, but the aforesaid abuse of the system meant that members whose sole occupation appears(ed) to be to subvert the forum had high rep also.  This in turn led to new members being either unsure of whether to trust advice (particularly in the community section) or just ignoring the community section as a whole, and only posting in the support section which means extra work for the already stretched staff.

Whether the suspension of the system and possible ultimate removal of it is a positive move remains to be seen.  I do know that instead of people complaining about posts by giving negative rep, they are now using the PM system, or reporting more stuff, as my inbox clearly shows !!
Logged
ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI -- TalkTalk Broadband since 2006

Black Sheep

  • Helpful
  • Addicted Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 5717
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2012, 04:19:34 PM »

Hi Blackeagle.

Good post, and I fully understand the reasoning behind the 'rep' system, I just think it was destined to fail from the outset.

I'm not a big believer in any hierarchal awards system, that makes any one person appear to be better than someobody else, when there's only the written word to go by. Even on Kitz, we have 'number of posts' and monickers such as 'regular member' etc etc. Does the ammount of posts really matter ?? Somebody could have a gazillion postings and have global moderator as their title, but their input might only be about the weather, or what their having for lunch ?? (BTW .... this isn't aimed at anybody at all). IMO, it could put certain individuals off giving their own alternative views about a topic, if they feel they're 'going up' against some apparent 'big name' on the forum.

I know this to be true, as I have felt exactly the same on other forums. This again, is only my opinion. :)
Logged

GigabitEthernet

  • Kitizen
  • ****
  • Posts: 2243
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #8 on: July 08, 2012, 04:30:28 PM »

The worst place for "reps" is the BT forum and the Plusnet forum. On the Plusnet forum, one gets "Bright Sparks" who are supposed to be knowledgeable, but what ends up happening is them becoming arrogant and putting down other members. I know this because I have experienced this a a couple of times.
Logged

Black Sheep

  • Helpful
  • Addicted Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 5717
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #9 on: July 08, 2012, 04:35:59 PM »

My point exactly.  :)
Logged

Blackeagle

  • Reg Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 257
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #10 on: July 08, 2012, 05:17:07 PM »

Although the TTMF records the number of posts under a username, I don't think that this in itself is any indication at all of quality of posts.  However, taken in conjunction with the rep system this would tend to indicate members that could be trusted to provide accurate info.  I don't think it was meant to indicate in any way that someone was better than someone else, merely that their info was by and large more likely to be accurate than someone with a similar no of posts but with less rep.  Its accademic now as the system doesn't currently exist.
Logged
ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI -- TalkTalk Broadband since 2006

kitz

  • Administrator
  • Senior Kitizen
  • *
  • Posts: 33879
  • Trinity: Most guys do.
    • http://www.kitz.co.uk
Re: TalkTalk Forums members Rep vanished
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2012, 06:12:12 PM »

Good Posts with some good points raised (pardon the pun) ;)
Over the years Ive seen many an upset over the points rewards system, and how the reward points are allocated.  Im not bothered about post counts, as I think just about all forum software counts posts and most people are savvy enough to realise that post count can be attained with a mix of good informative posts, or just chat. 

Bright spark is an interesting one (yeah I was classed as one once), but unless the system has changed I thought it was supposed to be off content and nomination - not post count, and it expired after so long.   I think I can safely say my own personal attitude didnt change after nomination.   Ive not been there in years so cant say what its like now.   
Re the BT forums,  that is exactly one of those I was thinking of with all the signatures, along with a large US computing forum.

Although I seldom (if ever) visit the TT Forums, its a shame that the good feeling out of there is beginning to slide, because it did become known as a good resource if you had problems with your TT connection and the staff were usually willing to help as best as they can, I hope the mood soon lifts and things get back to normal asap.   
Logged
Please do not PM me with queries for broadband help as I may not be able to respond.
-----
How to get your router line stats :: ADSL Exchange Checker
 

anything