Forum Feedback What is the main purpose of the helpfulness points system?

[DarkAngel]

Apart from the flaunt value of the rating points, which basically show that you are a very helpful fellow, none at the moment.

However,in future, we do plan to bring back the "Member of the Month" award and your "helpfulness" would surely help

This is what is mentioned in the FAQ section as reason for helpfulness points being introduced. It is good that buying advice have been separated from the remaining and termed as the buying help section. But why a separate rating system when there is already the rep system in place?

When you rep someone doesn't it mean the post was a good one and you found it useful? Also isn't most of the threads in Hardware/Software Zone/ Internet Zone etc... are opened as the OP needs help from other members to resolve their H/W or S/W problems? So why doesn't these come under helpfulness.

So if there is one who solves people's hardware issues in the hardware zone he is actually helping ppl out, but his helpfulness points wont increase as the section doesn't have one. So does that mean he is not that helpful?

Either there should a rep system or helpfulness points system. Or these two systems should be extended for all the sections of TE(except the lounge of course). I don't find a logic for having separate systems for separate zones.

What do you guys think?

 

[Crazy_Eddy]

The Rep system doesnt have the level of detail that the Help system will have, i.e. it wont publicly display which post received reps.

 

[DarkAngel]

The Rep system doesnt have the level of detail that the Help system will have, i.e. it wont publicly display which post received reps.

In that case why not replace rep system by help points? Why have separate points system for separate zones?

 

[hatter]

I believe the change is for good and both Reps and Help points can live side by side. Reps, the way they had been designed, were to show other members how knowledgeable a member with particular reps is. but over the years, inefficiencies crept in Reps system.

For example I have lots of reps but there are people who are more knowledgeable than me on this forum but have less reps just because they are/were not too active in troubleshooting basic questions like "which one? VX550 or VX450"?

For example, I can answer the PSU question and say corsair is better because of this or that (stuff that I mostly read over the years and some learned from experience). Yet, I am sure that guys like Harshal, Banik or Bikey know more about PSUs than me. But they will rarely come and post because the OP's query has already been closed. What will happen is that I will get reps, even though in reality it's the help point that I should be given.

With new system, TE is just differentiating between helping others and being knowledgeable. Of course, both are good qualities, but over a period of time (under ideal conditions) both will produce two group of members: One who are knowledgeable, somewhat aloof, making the forum exciting by putting in new things, ideas and challenging old conventions and not interested in teaching noobs; and two, the folks who help people troubleshoot their problems, win the forum some brownie points and draw in the new members.

Of course, there will be some star members who will be good at both. You can be one of them

 

[DarkAngel]

@Hatter: Very good explanation

I fall more into the helping category. Trying to improve myself in the knowledge category. Hope the new system works for TE's advantage.

Mods i got a fair explanation. Plz close the thread if needed.