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    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

leaving bad karma and karma doesn't go up.

It's just like the tagging feature (which is a GREAT search tool). That got taken away because a few butts can't act like adults. Why not temp-ban the abusers instead of punishing everyone?
 
Dave,
All I was doing was offering my perspective on one piece of this issue. My guess is that Rich felt that, at least for the time being, the easiest solution to the problems with the negative karma was to disable it. I don't know if that is a temporary measure, or if he plans to re-institute it at some point. By the same token, if it comes back, there may, or may not, be some sort of changes made to the system. Time will tell (or maybe Rich will, lol).

I don't necessarily view removal of the negative karma system as punishment for all, either...that seems to be a bit of a stretch. I liked having it, and used it periodically; but I shrugged off the shutdown pretty easily.

As for Scott's analogy
You can't be fired but can only get raises
firing and raises are determined by the company/institution or management.
Negative karma was more like a peer approaching you and saying That was a pretty stupid/offensive/whatever thing to say, or, depending on the message left, hauling off and smacking you across the face. Sometimes constructive criticism is a good thing...but that depends on the recipient's willingness to consider it, as well as the way it is presented.
Oh, and lots of people don't get raises...neither of my employers have offered raises for the past 2 years, and have already said that none are anticipated in 2010.
 
I definitely see where you're coming from, Harald, especially the part about trusting people to not change the link to point to whatever post they like. If people can abuse something, they most certainly will.
 
I wish the ignore function would work, even when posts are quoted. Dangit.
I didn't even notice that was gone...I stopped using it on the forums back when I was a WS mod - figured I couldn't really do my job if I couldn't see people's posts.
When looking for it a few minutes ago, I (thankfully) found this option: Hide User Customizations. :censored:, Dave, those are some fugly colors you're using on your profile.
 
When looking for it a few minutes ago, I (thankfully) found this option: Hide User Customizations. :censored:, Dave, those are some fugly colors you're using on your profile.

Oh no, its there, just, say when Dave quotes he who shall not be named, I see the posts. Otherwise, i dont see the posts made by said person. Get what im saying?

OTHERWISE. THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME ABOUT THIS FUNCTION!!!!

I am going to hide all that Colorful BS crap NOW! HAHA

Edit**
.... I dont have that option. :(
 
So let me see if I understand correctly... The bad Karma option was removed because people were retaliatory and abused it?

However retaliatory posts in the BOI are ok?

I may be wrong in thinking how screwed up this appears but before I really make that comment ( :shootfoot ) I thought I would make sure I understand correctly...:confused:
 
So let me see if I understand correctly... The bad Karma option was removed because people were retaliatory and abused it?

However retaliatory posts in the BOI are ok?

I may be wrong in thinking how screwed up this appears but before I really make that comment ( :shootfoot ) I thought I would make sure I understand correctly...:confused:

I think that blatant retaliation posts usually get warned to stay on topic, points and if they do not stop, bannings.. etc.
 
I think that blatant retaliation posts usually get warned to stay on topic, points and if they do not stop, bannings.. etc.

What I mean is..

I was in a Topic about DAN @ DTS a year ago (That I joined, I didn't create it). I posted about my experience, Dan and I fought and all the information was layed out. Nothing more to say however Dan starts a new bad guy post about me being a buyer. Nothing new was said that wasn't already said in the post we were just in but Dan retaliated by starting this new bad guy post. Ok, so Dan looked like an idiot and back fired on him but the post was allowed to stay! ??? It was 100% retaliatory with no new info! I'm not here to fight over this nor am I saying the MODS were wrong, seriously! I point this out as an example.

Point is...
 
What I mean is..

I was in a Topic about DAN @ DTS a year ago (That I joined, I didn't create it). I posted about my experience, Dan and I fought and all the information was layed out. Nothing more to say however Dan starts a new bad guy post about me being a buyer. Nothing new was said that wasn't already said in the post we were just in but Dan retaliated by starting this new bad guy post. Ok, so Dan looked like an idiot and back fired on him but the post was allowed to stay! ??? It was 100% retaliatory with no new info! I'm not here to fight over this nor am I saying the MODS were wrong, seriously! I point this out as an example.

Point is...

Apples and oranges. The BOI is just naturally going to be a bit rough and tumble with the topic matter there, by design. We do not take sides nor attempt to be judges in the matter of good guy and bad guy threads on the BOI. Although certainly a new thread made by a person claiming the OP is also a bad guy may certainly appear to be solely as a retaliatory gesture, it isn't good legal precedent for us to ATTEMPT to make that determination.

However, someone abusing the karma system with what appears to be blatant retaliatory negative points (which can be pretty self evident when the post being used to apply the negative points to is obviously NOT an "especially bad post" at all. In such a case, it is normally blatantly obvious that the instigator of the negative points just used ANY post by the target to take a slap at him or her. It is fairly easy and straightforward for us to make a studied determination that such a negative karma rating is nothing more than simple retaliation. This was supposed to be, by design, a fun toy for members to play with here. If the toy is being used to hurt or attempt to hurt others, then it doesn't make any sense keeping it in the toybox. The BOI was never designed nor intended to be a fun toy for anyone. It was designed and intended to be a TOOL, rather than a toy, to be used to the best of the abilities of those who choose to use it. And certainly anyone can smack their own thumb with the hammer that is the BOI just as they can use it to smack the head of someone who may actually deserve it. We've certainly seen countless instances of both situations there over the years, and need to tolerate it, because that is part and parcel with how the BOI needs to be in order to work.
 
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