ANSWERS: 19
  • The points really do not matter..but I feel like sort of a hypocrite because they do matter somewhat to me. They are proof of how much work I have invested in here. But I am not sure why I am happy to have made it to #17--that was never my intent!..I think individual points are trivial...I don't care if I get DR'd or don't make a lot of points on a question or answer...But I do care about the total number of points that I have --it is almost a 'right-of-passage' to show that I have put my time in:)
  • I actually like the points. It's not for the points per se, but they are a sign that someone actually read my questions and answers and appreciated them. How would I know, otherwise? I don't care too much about my overall level though. I think the points should stay. Without them, our questions and answers would fall into a sort of void and you'd never have a clue if anyone is even reading your contributions. An alternative could be stars, like you see on other sites. These wouldn't assign points but would let you know other members level of appreciation towards your contribution. Just a thought.
  • O.K. HJ. Believe it or not, there are people in this world who aren't all wrapped up in titles, awards, honors, prizes, competition and winning. There are people in this world who like to enjoy every day without stress..neither causing it nor having it thrust upon them. Do you think it is dishonest to be that way? Is it such a foreign concept to you to believe that people might simply enjoy things for what they are without ulterior motives? I have said many times I'm not here for points..I don't follow leaderboards, nor do I care whether or not I'm a expert in anything..competition is for those to whom such things have meaning..to me, those trappings are without merit and meaningless..again, that is how I feel. Others who enjoy those things are welcome to them. I am not one of them! :)
  • I like the points, they let me know that people agree with me ( or don't ), they give me something to aim for. They are not everything, I'd still be here if there were no points, but would I be here as much ? I doubt it.
  • They typically aren't being honest. Humans like being rewarded and studies of school age children prove that we all like to be ranked and know where we stand in relationship to one another. Would I still AB? No. I like the point system.
  • I want to stay a Guru, I don't want to be a Swami. I owuld be happy getting knocked back down to level 70 again.
  • Yes, I do believe them, not everyone has to get rewarded with useless points, for the questions and answers, they give, to feel better about their selves. I dont care about the points, I love to ask and answer questions, get to know people and have fun, the points dont say anything about who I am as a person. I would still talk to the same great friends I always do.
  • I think the point system is more symbolic more than anything. I get mad when I put together a good answer and it gets DR. I know I get nothing for the points, but it is the principle of the matter. I also get mad if somebody does a bad job of answering my question and I DR him for it and then others go behind and give sympathy points. If I felt the answer was bad, others should not give points to the person. I asked the question so I know what I am looking for. To answer your question points are important for the principle of the matter,but it should be utilized better than the way it is.
  • If they removed the points, I would probably reduce my activity for a while while adjusting, to get used to the idea that there's no levels or points anymore. I believe I would continue to use AB, but probably in a slightly different way. Or not, it's hard to tell, but I don't doubt that I would stay
  • I like the points. I do. They make me feel like I'm doing something right. Maybe some people truly don't care about them. I think they're being honest, yeah. Points aren't everything. But they're nice. Would I still be here? I would. Irritated, but I would.
  • I'd stick around if they erased all of my points, but I might be a little annoyed.
  • The points show that people appreciate some of my answers, and yes they are important to me. However, I'd still be on AB answering questions if we did not get points. I'd leave some of the empty headed questions go, however, and answer those which I feel may be of help to someone. I answer those kind now and take some pride and joy knowing that I may be helping someone or contributing to their knowledge.
  • I'm not convinced of the value of points. Right now, points are cumulative--the more questions you answer, the more points you accumulate and rise in level over time. It used to be that you rated an answer Useful or Not Useful. Your points were a ratio of useful/not-useful answers. For example, a new person could answer, say, 5 questions, and get 8 useful ratings and 2 not-useful ratings. That person would have an 80% rating straight away and be near the top of the leaderboard. Someone else could have answered hundreds of questions poorly and have a 50% rating. I think the latter is more useful that the way they do it now. Though, as an "old timer" on AB, I understand their motivation for changing the rating system.
  • I don't think that the majority of the people who say they don't care about the points mean they dislike them or they would refuse them. I think they feel like they just aren't that important to them personally compared to other things that are meaningful on AB. They are not offended, it's just that many would rather get good comments and talk with people about things. Sure, points are nice, as they show some appreciation for someone's personal efforts. I usually say I'm not doing it for the points because I'm not. I didn't even realize people got them or doing things here. I was all into answering and asking a few things, meeting people. Then I realized that with more points came the ability to reward others with more points. Sure, I've gotten way beyond that now, but I still like to see points accumulate for answers that I worked hard on or thought I did a good job being accurate or funny. It's a way to know that someone else thought I did okay. But I don't do any of these things for the points. It's like if you try to cook a nice dinner for friends, or give someone a gift. You'd do it anyway, not just to hear them say "Great Job, thank you!" Those are wonderful to hear but you'd do it because you care. Compliments are terrific but there is more to life than that. We can't just work and do just to hear praise from others.
  • I would still AB if I got no points. The point system is very interesting, but it seems to have strayed from its original purpose. The original purpose, of course, is to give points to the most correct answer, and subtract points from the incorrect answer. The way it is now, people give points to people they like, opinions they like, or whatever the heck they want to. Here's a prime example, one that is 15 months old http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/159348 The question is effectively "Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?" The highest rated answer is, in fact, incorrect. The second highest rated answer is totally incorrect. The third highest rating, you guessed it: wrong. The answer that is tied for last is the only one that is actually correct. Now, if I downrated the wrong answers, and up rated the right answer, the guy who I down-rated would call me a troll. This isn't an isolated incident, either. It's rampant on the non-opinionated questions. Look at all the homework questions - at least the ones that aren't "WATS ANSWAR PLOX". The ones that get the highest points are the ones that say "Do your homework yourself!!" I've been downrated for giving the correct answer - and not just the answer but how to get the answer - because I "shouldn't be helping people asking for homework questions." I know, it's ridiculous. But then, when I downrate the guy who answered "Do your own homework!" he throws a fit and gets on this high horse. So whatever, I go along with that unspoken rule that downrating is always bad, so I just up-rate all the answers that are not totally wrong. So yes, the point system is totally meaningless to me. I arrange by date, not points, when I view a thread. But that doesn't ruin my AB experience in any sense. It's just how things work.
  • Yes...I don't care about the points because they aren't always given/taken away for the right reasons. I give points to friends who have been blind-sided by a Mysterious D/R Monster who gave them no explanation AND I can see no reason for the D/R. Sometimes, it's obvious why they were D/R'd and I will not add points, but most of the time, it isn't warranted. Then there is also the point limitation for good ABers questions/answers. So, when the points actually mean something...I will care more.
  • It's nice when people show their appreciation when you give a good answer or ask a good question. However, I actually enjoy the Q&A, the conversation, and making friends. I would still come here if there were no points.
  • That's a really good question. For me, COMMENTS are the fun part, but I do think points make the whole thing more fun. My pleasure in AB is a combination of those two things, so if the points were taken away my motivation to participate would be somewhat diminished, but probably not enough to make me stop participating. I always hope one of my Friends is going to say howdy.
  • I'm going to be honest and say no. First because I am a competitive person and it provides a challenge for me. Second I also love to achieve goals. I also think this is fun.

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