The 'Thanks' button and the 'Karma' (aka Reputation) Systems

If possible, should "thanks" contribute to Karma?

  • Yes

    Votes: 14 56.0%
  • No

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • No preference

    Votes: 9 36.0%

  • Total voters
    25
  • Poll closed .
A

Atul Khandekar

Just curious..

What is the difference between 'karma' and 'karma power'?
In simple terms, Karma Power is the number of points you award others when you give them Karma. These points get added to that person's Karma (reputation score). So your Karma is the points you have accumulated. You can check this through your UserCP. As you post more and recieve more Karma, your Karma power also goes up (there is a formula that calculates your karma power).
 
I know this has been a long ongoing thing, but I see it this way. "Thanks" is part of life in a quality career. It is something we should be doing every day, as a constant reminder that our team is not made up of one, but many, who are all working together to achieve a goal.
"Karma" - does not relate well to me, or in the same way as a "Thank you". I don't see the "quality" connection, it is more of a "persona" thing.
 

Coury Ferguson

Moderator here to help
Trusted Information Resource
I know this has been a long ongoing thing, but I see it this way. "Thanks" is part of life in a quality career. It is something we should be doing every day, as a constant reminder that our team is not made up of one, but many, who are all working together to achieve a goal.
"Karma" - does not relate well to me, or in the same way as a "Thank you". I don't see the "quality" connection, it is more of a "persona" thing.

Valid points.
 
D

D.Scott

My main objection to connecting the Thanks button to Karma is simply -

People use the Thanks button to say "Thanks", not "I think your answer is good (or useful)".

Look at a typical thread started by a newbie asking a question. In many threads (almost all threads started by by posters outside the US) you will find a "Thanks" on virtually every post in the thread. You will see a post with no response other than "Welcome to the Cove" to which the OP has politely said "Thanks".

If we use the Thanks Button to determine, in any way, the professional credibility or knowledge of the people here we are kidding ourselves. I also think the number of times a person has been thanked and the number of times a person has thanked someone is completely irrelevant.

A word about Karma while I am on the soap box. There is a complex formula behind the Karma calculation and I am sure it has been well thought out and serves some purpose unknown to us mortals. I have turned off my Karma because I passionately disagree with the concept of "Karma Power". For those who haven't been listening, "Karma Power" is the value added when an individual gives you Karma. My problem with the system is simply a "sour grapes" argument that my opinion of your post and the value applied for me saying so should be the same as the next guy's.

Why should John Doe's (there is no John Doe here to my knowledge) Karma carry more weight than mine or anyone else's? We are setting up the false impression that the higher the Karma Power and the more Karma you have, the more knowledgeable and credible you are.

As for my opinion, I think "Thanks" and "Karma" are a distraction from the concept of The Cove. They become narcissistic flags to wave so everybody can see how wonderful you are. The idea of The Cove is to meet here as equals in the quality profession, share ideas, help each other, and make friends we can relate to. Every poster should be treated equally whether they be new or a founding member. I see no room for ego inflating in this forum. Next thing you know we will be nominating posts for "Oscars" for a "Post of the Month" award.

BTW, I voted NO on the poll.

Dave
 

Jim Wynne

Leader
Admin
My main objection to connecting the Thanks button to Karma is simply -

People use the Thanks button to say "Thanks", not "I think your answer is good (or useful)".

Look at a typical thread started by a newbie asking a question. In many threads (almost all threads started by by posters outside the US) you will find a "Thanks" on virtually every post in the thread. You will see a post with no response other than "Welcome to the Cove" to which the OP has politely said "Thanks".

If we use the Thanks Button to determine, in any way, the professional credibility or knowledge of the people here we are kidding ourselves. I also think the number of times a person has been thanked and the number of times a person has thanked someone is completely irrelevant.

A word about Karma while I am on the soap box. There is a complex formula behind the Karma calculation and I am sure it has been well thought out and serves some purpose unknown to us mortals. I have turned off my Karma because I passionately disagree with the concept of "Karma Power". For those who haven't been listening, "Karma Power" is the value added when an individual gives you Karma. My problem with the system is simply a "sour grapes" argument that my opinion of your post and the value applied for me saying so should be the same as the next guy's.

Why should John Doe's (there is no John Doe here to my knowledge) Karma carry more weight than mine or anyone else's? We are setting up the false impression that the higher the Karma Power and the more Karma you have, the more knowledgeable and credible you are.

As for my opinion, I think "Thanks" and "Karma" are a distraction from the concept of The Cove. They become narcissistic flags to wave so everybody can see how wonderful you are. The idea of The Cove is to meet here as equals in the quality profession, share ideas, help each other, and make friends we can relate to. Every poster should be treated equally whether they be new or a founding member. I see no room for ego inflating in this forum. Next thing you know we will be nominating posts for "Oscars" for a "Post of the Month" award.

BTW, I voted NO on the poll.

Dave

Well said. I nominate this for Post of the Month honors. :biglaugh:
 
I agree with the fact that people simply thank others for replying, and as was pointed out, it is prevalent among newbies, but I still cannot connect "Karma" with competence. I will thank someone who I think has posted a valuable answer or post, just like 'real life'. I have difficulty associating "Karma" with "competence", or even "usefulness". Maybe it is just my Western upbringing. It sounds like a rating system is more what you are after, or a poll showing "best post answer". (See LinkedIn "Best Answer" system for how this works.) I freely admit it boils down to my interpretation of what "Karma" is to me, and I think this reflects the feelings of many members as well.
 

Marc

Fully vaccinated are you?
Leader
I do not connect the validity or value of any post by Karma or Thanks. I see them only as someone expressing appreciation for an attempt at helping. Nothing more, nothing less. I do not now, nor have I ever, associated either 'Thanks' or Karma with the professional credibility or knowledge of a poster. I really don't think many people do.

There is no way in this forum to assess the credibility of any poster other than to make a personal judgment by looking at that users posts in general and in contrast to answers others give. Even then, it's a 'best guess'. If anyone is using Karma or Thanks to assess the validity of someones posts, my opinion is they are using a false guide.

I put in the 'Thanks' mod because I believe people like to know that others do appreciate their help. I could disable both 'Thanks' and Karma. From a world view, we could also eliminate any recognition of someone trying to help someone else if we look at it from a 'sour grapes' view. If someone helps me out, why send a card, or buy them a dinner, or even say thanks? And if someone does tell me thanks, what does that have to do with my professional credibility or knowledge?

As to the Karma formula, is it so bad to give a person credit for the length of time they have been visiting and related factors? Are the clubs like the Lions Club wrong to give out recognition certificates or other acknowledgment to those who have been in the club for years helping people out? Should clubs like that give equal weight to someone who joined last year vs. someone who has been involved for 20 years or more? Can we put in a 'sour grapes' argument in regard to such recognition? Sure we can. Just because someone has been around for 20 years helping out they're no better than the guy who just joined, is he? I think the 'Better Than' argument is irrelevant. I don't think that 'better than' is part of it.

Taken to the extreme, we could easily extrapolate that to the world. No one should thank anyone for anything, because if they do it is nothing more than a 'flag they can wave' in others faces, and it is a contest. There should be no recognition of appreciation for anything.

My view of both Karma and Thanks is simply that they are indicators of people expressing appreciation, unrelated to professional credibility or knowledge. They are no more than 'Thank You' notes people send when they appreciate something someone did for them. In my opinion, reading anything more into Karma and Thanks is silly. If we cannot share ideas, help each other, and make friends AND tell others Thank You! now and again, I cannot even conceive of what it would be like - Here or anywhere. It's not a contest. If you do a kindness for someone and they say Thank You, does that make it a contest and therefore bad in some way?

As a last comment, I have not seen anyone 'waving a flag' or in any way 'advertising' their Karma or number of Thanks. I do think some (many) people are proud of their Karma and/or Thanks. Some people (my self included) do like recognition from time to time for things they do. In my eyes, that doesn't mean we're in a contest. When I see someone with a high Thanks count, for example, I do see it as an indicator that many people appreciate a person. I do not think that is bad. We do share ideas, help each other, and make friends here. I don't believe that Thanks or Karma in any way impedes what we do here. I personally believe that Karma and Thanks are also incentives for people to come back and to help and interact more. People do tend to help more when they feel their efforts are appreciated, and I do not think that is a bad thing.
 
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