Re: Downvoting -- No XP

[cjf]

one could gain sainthood just by logging in and downvoting anything one sees.

So?

Someone wastes x amount of their time, doesn't learn anything, and the only effect it has is that nodes that they immediately see (which may be on the frontpage and if that's the case are more than likely highly overvalued anyways) will have their rep reduced by one. Doesn't seem like a big problem to me.

I really think one should not receive any XP when downvoting.

I disagree. Then virtually nobody would downvote, which would create problems of its own. If you're going to remove XP bonuses for downvoting, it should be done for upvoting as well, but that's another debate (and not a very important one IMHO).

Update: To quote Mark Twain:

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect.

While I'm still pretty sure removing the xp bonus for downvoting wouldn't improve the moderation system at all, are there other additions (or removals of current features) that would?

[moodster]

I totally agree with you.

So, someone makes saint without actually contributing to the site and the community. I'd say that's his problem, not ours. Because if you persist in just logging in and downvoting for as long as it takes (gaining XP by voting takes a lot longer than by getting others to upvote you, by the way), you seriously have a problem.

Downvoting has an important function in this community. I personally downvote a lot of nodes (especially when I'm in a bad mood but that's another story) and I'd hate to see that control mechanism go.

Cheers,
--Moodster

[amarceluk]

As a newbie, I will try not to say anything stupid here...

I think cjf hits it on the nose here:

Someone wastes x amount of their time, doesn't learn anything...

Wouldn't it take a heck of a long time to become a Saint just by voting? I would think that anyone negative enough to want to become a Saint by downvoting would lose interest and go away long before racking up such a huge number of XP. That'd be an awful lot of time to waste for no concrete benefit.

I'm not saying there are no benefits to Sainthood; what I'm saying is that the benefits I perceive, as a newbie observing Monastery dynamics, have to do with your experience and advice being especially desired and attended to and respected. If someone's just interested in voting, and not posting nodes, those benefits would presumably not mean anything to them, so there'd be no advantage for them.

This is just a long-winded way of agreeing, and offering my novice's perspective on Sainthood.

Update

Sigh...I should've known to be careful about posting in a node about downvoting! Oh well. Note to self: Think with care, post with care, vote with care.

[cjf]

the benefits I perceive, as a newbie observing Monastery dynamics, have to do with your experience and advice being especially desired and attended to and respected

I hope this isn't the case. The last thing I want is for my advice to be respected. I'd much rather have every little error pointed out than have someone not reply because of a meaningless number.

As for a faster/easier way to become a saint, consult the XP-Whoring HOWTO ;-)

[amarceluk]

Okay, maybe I'm a little too awed by status. I'm sure I'll get over it as I hang around here more and observe the foibles of the Saints :-)

Of course, I'm still going to do my darnedest to respect everybody, regardless of XP.