What is Talkupation and How do I Use it?

**dansgalaxy** · 12-25-2007, 11:08 AM

i still thinks its a bit unfair most high members have earned the right and deserve the power i think because they are helpful etc.

my god why amd i posting on christmas... im a geek

i wish this FLIPPIN' TV CARd SoFtWARE nwould pick up my bloody sky box ARGUE!!!!!!

sorry mini rant right there...

**jamestl2** · 12-25-2007, 12:45 PM

Does anyone else think that, due to the increase in number of times we have to spread TP around, it might encourage more abuse?

Others may find themselves giving TP for more posts that may not deserve it (just so they can hit the same person again).

Quote:

Originally Posted by dansgalaxy

my god why amd i posting on christmas... im a geek

Same here

(Unfortunately I'm sick right now

, so....)

**dansgalaxy** · 12-25-2007, 01:05 PM

aww

i completely i agree i mean i know people which can really go out thier way and do absolutly loads for you and it SO annouying when you cant give them TP and they really deserve it!

P.S RIGHT NOW IM PEEVED!! STUPID FRICKING TV CARD!! i have my sky box connected and it was running advanced scan and it wont pick it up! took like a hour to run the bloody scan it its not showing GRR stupid cards this is the second tv card i have had the first one ther stupid gay software wouldnt even install and now this one i cant even tune it and the only instructions is basically install the software stick disk in cliick next blah thats it!!! grrrr

cndvhdfivuh drnfbvjtdmnfio

GRRRR why does nothing work!! GRR argh

*breath*

i was really looking forward to this and it dont work
*Add 3 yr old tantrum here*

Dan

**whym** · 12-25-2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design

Mine's not too high! I bought my TP on the open market fair and square.

While I don't want to sound harsh, it's that sort of laid back attitude to TP that has generally contributed to the misuse of the system. (I sound like I'm taking things too seriously....) But still - TP is there to show reputation. There are many members with only a couple of hundred posts but with several bars of TP. This isn't necessarily because the advice they gave was beneficial or because they are very reputable, but because they "were a laugh" or simply they joked around a lot and entertained people. That doesn't necessarily make them a person that new members should listen to, if their advice conflicts with someone else.

TP after all is a guide of reputability. The rules were changed to encourage it being used properly for this reason, as opposed to being used just as a reward for an entertaining post. In real life, it usually takes a lot of time to gain a strong reputation and to gauge what someone is really like.

Dan

**ADAM Web Design** · 12-25-2007, 01:41 PM

Danny, you need to start inhaling as opposed to just exhaling, bro. You're losing oxygen to the brain there.

I don't really know if "spreading the wealth" would make a difference one way or the other as far as abuse is concerned. If anything, it might make me more inclined to give negative TP to obvious spammers just so I'm sure I can give positive TP to those that deserve it, and that might qualify as abuse (I don't think it does, but others may see it that way).

Daniel: I wouldn't count that as abuse. Granted, I'm one of the people who receives TP for comments that are goofy and out in left field, but I don't see anything wrong with that. If it made someone happy or brightened their day a bit, let 'em reward when and how they can. A happy worker is a productive worker and all that sort of thing. And if something's funny...well...it's funny.

Besides, a number of us are able to use humor to make a deeper point (e.g. "Digital Pointless", PageRank Protritanopia, etc.) Some of Hirst's sarcastic comments, for example, are pretty **** funny. Why shouldn't that count for something?

Now...if someone's just being goofy for the sake of being goofy, then yeah, maybe I can see that...but abuse to me is something like "I'm going to sign up for 10 accounts so that I can give myself positive TP to 1 from the other 9" or something like that. It's not rewarding someone for making their day.

**whym** · 12-25-2007, 01:55 PM

Don't you see that as the forum gets larger and more members have more posts, that the system becomes unsustainable? A large number of users are giving out ever larger amounts of TP, even if they don't want to. You could give TP of 50 points (your rep altering power) to one member for an exceptional response and then the same 50 points to a member for a funny joke.

As your points increase, so does your rep altering power. You aren't able to select HOW much you give out so both a joker and a really reputable member get the same points added to their scores. As more members get higher rep altering power, they push other members up further. It's a circle that leads to members giving out absurd amounts, even if the response wasn't that good. The receiver in turn can then give out larger amounts themselves. Before we know it, a lot of the members on the forum will all have the 9 (or so) bars of TP and you won't be able to tell who's really reputable from who's just above average.

Hence, the system has been slowed down by the recent changes to stop if from getting out of control

**ADAM Web Design** · 12-25-2007, 01:59 PM

Then if that's the case, I'd suggest a mod to the way TP is distributed, and allow users to select from 1-->Max TP based on how helpful they thought it was. It's not perfect, but at least then it's controllable and people can rate it how they want.

**whym** · 12-25-2007, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design

Then if that's the case, I'd suggest a mod to the way TP is distributed, and allow users to select from 1-->Max TP based on how helpful they thought it was. It's not perfect, but at least then it's controllable and people can rate it how they want.

I think in general, I would agree with that. Reducing the TP power slightly does help to maintain the forum and let it grow sustainably though, I believe.

**jamestl2** · 12-25-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADAM Web Design

Then if that's the case, I'd suggest a mod to the way TP is distributed, and allow users to select from 1-->Max TP based on how helpful they thought it was. It's not perfect, but at least then it's controllable and people can rate it how they want.

Done

:
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=146438&

**dansgalaxy** · 12-25-2007, 05:01 PM

Thank you!!

I really like this forum and i find most moderators and memebers REALLY nice and generally cool people, and the kind of people i would hope i could one day shake their hands and go thanks a bunch mate you helped me when i was learning LOOK AT ME NOW!

But while i can understand why this has been done i have to say i dont like it and i probably look like im stropping a bit but i really do think this is unfair for some members, and i think a plugin like the one suggested should at least have been TRIED publicly first, i dont know about the rest of the members here but i like forums and websites (and i REALLY do try to do this on my own forum and sites) where the webmaster, admins and moderators understand that while the site is the owners and admins play thing member should be considerd and their views heard.

Please let me be a bit frank and no one take offence, but i can see why someone like adam does sometimes take the pee with his TP. and it could be said it is getting out of hand and undermining it, but surly that plugin would have solved this, i mean i think we are all mature enough (and those not mature enough there is a simple button called BAN which can be used) to give appropriate amounts of TP

i hate it when i have to give (my now reasonably large) amount of TP to someone who doesnt quite deserve it but i still want to say thanks to.

PLEASE can the admins take this into consideration, install the plugin, temporarily return the rates or at least go half way and up them and let us as users be a little responsible for it im sure we can prove our selves, if its explained why it should be done and all that..

and i have gone far too long and i have to rip out a tv card so be back soon!

Merry Xmas!

**jamestl2** · 12-26-2007, 12:11 AM

I'll admit I've gained a bunch of TP for being humorous as well (Just read through the Webmaster-Talk on a New Server Thread for a prime example). I generally find myself agreeing with Adam on the humor issue, as many use humor to make that "deeper point".

@Whym - Would you categorize myself as one of those that "have loads of TP, but not many posts" people? (Don't worry, I won't take it personally

). I mean, as I also stated in the TP extension thread, I do think that post count doesn't make a huge difference, as some members with high post counts can be extremely unhelpful (aka Vasity).

@Dansgalaxy - I'm not a "big fan" of the new changes to the TP system either, but we could always try the admins new TP system out for a month or two (actually, we might not have much choice in the matter), but if the feedback is that bad for it, the admins might decide to revert back to the old one.

One final crazy thought here (it would probably require a fair amount of coding) but maybe it's possible to revamp the system entirely. We could have two seperate bars of TP. Maybe include a "Humor" TP bar, and a "Helpful" TP bar or something (Like I said this idea's kind of "out there").

**whym** · 12-26-2007, 11:49 AM

@james, sounds extremely complicated and not natural for VB at all - would take a lot of effort.

@everyone, I'll mention this new plugin with other staff and see what happens. To be honest, I still feel that the system needed to be cut down a bit and reducing EVERYONE'S power has done this.

Dan

**jamestl2** · 12-26-2007, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whym

@james, sounds extremely complicated and not natural for VB at all - would take a lot of effort.

Yeah, like I said, it was a crazy idea, basically

Quote:

Originally Posted by whym

@everyone, I'll mention this new plugin with other staff and see what happens. To be honest, I still feel that the system needed to be cut down a bit and reducing EVERYONE'S power has done this.

Do you mean more lower than what our power has already been dropped to? Or what else would you cut down?