asked
[meta] what are reputation points?
Hi, I was prompted yesterday, something like "you have been awarded reputation points for this question" (Do not know for which question). So is this different from an answer accepted? Who is the awarding authority for these points? Is there some criteria for those points? Thanks in advance.
I am wandering, if this is not a question of worth answering as may be I could be missing a very basic information about the site? :) But I cannot find the related information in the FAQs etc. So someone could please lead me to that information? thanks.
Basically, as you post questions and answers on the site here, you get voted on your questions and answers by your peers. The more you post answers that are accurate, the more votes you get and the more often you get accepted as the right answer. It's basically a way of keeping score as if this were a game, but over time, in theory, the people with the better answers should rise to the top. The explanation of Karma [link text][1]in the FAQ is directly related to reputation. The software that was used listed karma points instead of reputation points, but it's the same thing. [1]:
http://ask.sqlservercentral.com/faq/
As well as the karmic points for answering questions, there's also the opportunity to "award points" provided under answers. I assume that someone clicking on that is responsible for some of my karmic upticks of late - the ones where, rather than saying > "<<user>> voted up your > answer", say > "<<user>> awarded an extra 10 reputation points to You". Quite how ***that*** system works doesn't appear to be described in the FAQ.
Marvellous - finding the answer to that question in a comment in response to a question in a comment on an answer to a different question... ...my head hurts. Mind you - I am right. It isn't described in the FAQ.
There was an update applied back in Nov that I think opened up a few new things. I don't think any of those things have been documented in FAQ yet, as the "Award Points" and such. Does awarding points, actually retract karma points from the person doing the awarding?
Yes, rewarding extra points comes out of your own pool. So you can earn points and then distribute them.
Oh...So If I summarize it (If I understand correctly) The OP or some other high ranked user can award the points which would be deducted from the OP's/user's own karma points. This makes me think that since this information is not available in the FAQ's, the user could be suffering by giving his points without knowing the details. This sounds more critical as karma points are hard to gain and you get more liberties as you get more karma points. There are quite a few questions piling up in my mind like What is the maximum number of points can be awarded? After awarding points, can I get them back (Can rollback)? I was about to ask that what is the purpose of this option but then I remember @kev 's comment to an answer which stated something like " +1. I wish I could give you more" So I guess there is the answer for you @Kev :)
I tried to award points to someone and I was amazed that I could give all my Karmas to the answerer? In other words I can transfer to a new user?
This is where the update was mentioned:
http://ask.sqlservercentral.com/questions/81762/meta-acceptance-rate
+1. But I am not able to mark two answers as accepted at a time. So do not know what to do :(
