Suggestion on karma

[Iphinome]

Please remove the karma button from the politics and religion forum since it doesn't really add to the discussion of ebooks its really the wrong place for karma.

[doreenjoy]

I agree.

[Seabound]

Originally Posted by Iphinome

Please remove the karma button from the politics and religion forum since it doesn't really add to the discussion of ebooks its really the wrong place for karma.

I would go further and suggest removing karma from all of MR altogether. I find it to be a big joke.

.

[thrawn_aj]

I disagree. If it's relevant on the MR site at all, it's relevant in all sections.

[ardeegee]

Pointless. If it was taken away and you wanted to give someone karma for something they said in the politics and religion area, all you'd have to do is find another post by that person in a different area and give the karma through that one.

[happy_terd]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

Pointless. If it was taken away and you wanted to give someone karma for something they said in the politics and religion area, all you'd have to do is find another post by that person in a different area and give the karma through that one.

Exactly what I was thinking.

[doreenjoy]

I never realized people made such a big deal about Karma.

[DaleDe]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I never realized people made such a big deal about Karma.

Are you kidding? There are people that set around giving each other Karma in the lounge just to pump it up. To me that degrades the whole system of showing a thank you for someone who helps you but what do I know .

Dale

[ATDrake]

I think if we're going to have Karma be a source of contention and drama, let's have it be a more interesting source of contention and drama.



Why not make it so that everyone clicking on the Karma button can see exactly how much Karma that particular post got, from whom, and any comments they made?



Since its original purpose seems to have been subverted, I'm sure it would be much more entertaining that way.

[thrawn_aj]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

I think if we're going to have Karma be a source of contention and drama, let's have it be a more interesting source of contention and drama.



Why not make it so that everyone clicking on the Karma button can see exactly how much Karma that particular post got, from whom, and any comments they made?

Seconded!!!

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Since its original purpose seems to have been subverted, I'm sure it would be much more entertaining that way.

Just out of curiosity, what was its original purpose? - the 'thank you' that DaleDe mentioned or something else? I estimate my use of the function since I joined to be about 1/2 thank yous (personal), 1/4 kudos (general) and 1/4 shameless side-picking in the R/P forum . I don't believe I've given k to the same person more than 3 times (ever).

[Iphinome]

Originally Posted by thrawn_aj

Seconded!!!



Just out of curiosity, what was its original purpose? - the 'thank you' that DaleDe mentioned or something else? I estimate my use of the function since I joined to be about 1/2 thank yous (personal), 1/4 kudos (general) and 1/4 shameless side-picking in the R/P forum . I don't believe I've given k to the same person more than 3 times (ever).

only 1/4 shameless side picking? You're tame. I've watched the karma explode there including my own doubling.

[dsvick]

Originally Posted by ATDrake

Why not make it so that everyone clicking on the Karma button can see exactly how much Karma that particular post got, from whom, and any comments they made?

No way, if only because the next thing people would want would be a way to filter forums so that only the good posts showed. Or there would be fights over who could create the highest karmic post.

[ATDrake]

Originally Posted by thrawn_aj

Just out of curiosity, what was its original purpose? - the 'thank you' that DaleDe mentioned or something else?

Probably the thanks as mentioned, either as a "thank you for helping me solve this problem" or "thank you for contributing this nice resource to the site" kind of thing.

I know that my personal Karma seems to break down into 75% having posted free book notices, 15% having posted some overly long wall o'text "answer" which apparently turned out to be not entirely useless to the recipient, 5% having linked some informative external site, and 5% having made a remark the giver found funny/seemingly random uncommented reasons I can't even begin to fathom.

Which reminds me, I need to go give Karma to someone in the Sony forum who went above and beyond to help a guy get his stuff back after Sony CS deleted his entire Reader Library install.

Originally Posted by dsvick

Or there would be fights over who could create the highest karmic post.

That was kind of the idea, yes*.

It would possibly give an added bonus to reading certain posts if you could also read what people were specifically moved to comment that they thought about the post/poster itself (as opposed to just regular replies).

Of course, that might make people shy or inhibited about commenting when they give Karma, so maybe there would be a spate of "No comment" mystery Karma that people would then wonder why they received, and how to go about recreating the conditions that awarded it if they were ambitious that way.

Either way:

* We have poor broadcast TV reception in my area. I have to make my own entertainment.

[thrawn_aj]

Originally Posted by Iphinome

only 1/4 shameless side picking? You're tame. I've watched the karma explode there including my own doubling.

Oh, I agree there as far as my own k is concerned. I was just talking about the k that I gave out.

My own seed k appears to have been collected during the infamous DRM wars when my arm had to be replaced by a robotic one . Arguments are good for the soul - its not good to keep things repressed . Karma helps provide catharsis to a nice argument (or nurse your wounds with the sweet balm of k ) - hence my position against its abolition. It's a harmless little self-indulgence. For a more nuanced and logical argument, I leave you with the sage words of one of the foremost philosophers of our time -

[kindlekitten]

I find the more outrageous I am, the more karma I get