The etiquette of rep

[Whateverist]

I'd be interested to hear how others feel about/ deal with the bestowal of rep. (I feel another pointless poll coming on.)

I never know what to think of this. For the most part I don't think about it at all. But when someone new shows up and impresses me straight away, I often try to swoop in there and grab their cherry. So the thrill of deflowering a noob will sometimes put me in the mood to rep. Or if I am really intrigued by a post I sometimes think to rep. But my usual response to a post I like is a post in which I say why.

Don't know about you but I sometimes worry about who I might have forgotten to rep. I sure hope no one whose posts I enjoy feels slighted if I haven't thought to rep them. I'm sure they're in good company since I'm so unsystematic about it.

Is there a button somewhere that would tell me who I've already repped?

Okay, time to concoct a poll to sort out how you all feel about rep. There is no way to do this with mutually exclusive categories. Please choose all that apply to you.


Edited to fix speling and dropped letterz in the poll. Oh crap!

[Minimalist]

Is there a button somewhere that would tell me who I've already repped?

Happens to me all the time. Fortunately, if you have already repped someone it tells you that. It's a minor inconvenience.

[c172]

I tend to get, on average, a like a day, but after 300(?) posts, I only have 5 reps. I do check pretty often. I'm kind of ashamed of that, because there's arguably no reason to care. But I guess it's just another way to feel like I am continuing to fit in well.

I guess rep is just saying "you're a cool dude/dudette", and not attached to any particular post, but your whole body of work here. But at times, it does seem redundant. And I don't want life to be a popularity contest and nothing else.

As for me, I like posts, but I don't think I've repped anybody. It's almost like I don't trust myself with bestowing rep. And I have no clue how to quantify that.

Interesting thread.

[Darkstar]

Usually I end up repping people who really impress me. (1.) I should theoretically be repping people I consider to be good posters,(1.) but sometimes I find that I haven't repped consistently good posters simply because they haven't knocked my socks off (2.). I am wondering if I should reconsider that.

In that case I would have a lot of reps to give out...

As for getting, I am a borderline rep whore(7.), but I never encourage people to give me reps because it feels like cheating, and I don't want to have a, uh, reputation, for being like that. I wouldn't want reps unless I really deserved them; the number is meaningless if I'm not getting them for good reason.

(And this isn't because I want to look popular, but rather as a form of assurance that I actually matter to people. Not that failing to rep me means I think you hate me!)

[Angrboda]

I don't rep noobs. Period. I go through occasionally and make a list of people to rep, and spend some time composing the comments, then rep a bunch all in one pass. Unfortunately, sometimes I miss people that way (CD and Kayenneh being unfortunate 'victims' of my method.)

It would be nice if there were better tools for managing giving rep to people, but if there are, I'm unfamiliar with them. One change I would like to see, though, is the addition of a separate field besides the comment for "favorite post" (or posts) of the member, autofilled if repping from a special, post context, rep button ("Give rep and* cite this post.")

Now that I've repped quite a few people, my fuzzy brain has trouble remembering who I have and have not repped.

[Angrboda]

I tend to get, on average, a like a day, but after 300(?) posts, I only have 5 reps. I do check pretty often. I'm kind of ashamed of that, because there's arguably no reason to care.

I feel ya, bro'.

[Kayenneh]

I love getting rep, I love giving rep. Rep is fabulous!

[Silver]

I tend to not give reputation to members who are new to the forum because it is unclear whether they will remain and become a part of the community.

To my knowledge, I believe I have also never given a reputation to a theist.

I tend to give reputation to those who impress me with a particular post, though I rarely mention the reason for the reputation while commenting.

Once in a while I will check to see if I have already given the individual a reputation, because it is easy to forget who I have gifted with the wonderful reputation, and I have been surprised at how I have not given them a reputation before that point in time.

[Doubting Thomas]

I tend to wait a while to see if a newbie will stick around for one, and becomes rep-worthy for two. I haven't repped many theists on here but I did rep Jacob(smooth) after reading a few of his posts. At least I think I did.

[Angrboda]

I tend to wait a while to see if a newbie will stick around for one, and becomes rep-worthy for two. I haven't repped many theists on here but I did rep Jacob(smooth) after reading a few of his posts. At least I think I did.

I'm interested in repping consistently good posters. Too many times, a promising start is followed by a disappointing sequelae for me to feel comfortable repping noobs.