"Points" listed under avatar

[FlyersFan]

There is a 'points' listed under the avatar near reputation etc etc.
I understand how the reputation number happens.
I don't understand the 'points' number.
It's probably explained here somewhere but I can't find it.

Someone please explain what 'points' are .. where they come from ... 

Thanks.

[UltraBudgie]

Also disymbol is a very sad svg



poor little thing.  "but they told me i'd be scalable!"

[Encia22]

There is a 'points' listed under the avatar near reputation etc etc... 

It's connected with your participation; the more you post the higher it goes.

[theshadowknows]

Also disymbol is a very sad svg



poor little thing.  "but they told me i'd be scalable!"

I didn't make it to be scalable lol. It's only purpose is the mini profile. 

As far as points are concerned, some of you may remember the ATS points shop. That's the same idea I was going for. However, the shop plugin is a bit old and its a work in progress. Point amounts per action are as follows:
 

[FlyersFan]

I didn't make it to be scalable lol. It's only purpose is the mini profile. 

As far as points are concerned, some of you may remember the ATS points shop. That's the same idea I was going for. However, the shop plugin is a bit old and its a work in progress. Point amounts per action are as follows:
 

Okay ... that's helpful.  Thanks. 
Can you 'buy' anything with the points?
Or is it just sort of a badge of honor kind of thing?

[Maxmars]

Or is it just sort of a badge of honor kind of thing?

In my opinion, a badge without honor is not really a badge.

But then, I think that it is not intended to be valued that way.
(A badge speaks to observers only.)
I think these are just spurious metrics.
The value of them is up to the 'observer' to characterize.

[FlyersFan]

In my opinion, a badge without honor is not really a badge.

True.  Just because someone has a lot of points doesn't mean they were earned honorably.   
I'm seeing some obnoxious posters with lots of points.   
The number doesn't show quality .. only quantity.

[Maxmars]

True.  Just because someone has a lot of points doesn't mean they were earned honorably.   
I'm seeing some obnoxious posters with lots of points.   
The number doesn't show quality .. only quantity.

Frankly, this was one of my pet peeves at another website many of us are familiar with... That web site featured two different options to express a form of positive feedback towards a fellow poster.  The two options were stars for posts and flags for threads.

It seemed that flagging a thread was a presumptive indication that the member offering it appreciated the thread OP, the topic, or commentary offered by the author...  but the stars were "post" specific, which might mean a great number of things.. not necessarily that it was any good. 

Stars could mean too many things... they might mean:

1 - The poster expressed themselves effectively, making a good point, raising a valid concern; or
2 - The poster was funny, amusing, and/or witty; or
3 - The poster provided a much-needed aspect of the topic, new or pertinent information, a clear explanation of a troublesome concept; or
4 - The poster is a members' 'friend' whom the member is inclined to support in nearly anything they post; or
5 - The member "agrees" with the posters' stated position... etc. etc. etc.

That many possibilities renders the meaning of a star into a great cloud of indeterminate things... diminishing any specific "honor" value.

Flags follow suit, not necessarily meaning any particular thing, with the very same range of possibilities... again, diffusing the "meaning" of flagging in general.

As the user base grew, the original intent of the flag/star became muddled and lost. 

The eventual inclination was to regard it as a "popularity" index, rather than any important value of contribution...
It became the reality that just because a post has many stars or a thread has many flags, it was still debatable whether any of it was important to the topic or especially noteworthy in content...

And so the "honor" aspect shifted from general 'value' to distinct 'popularity'... a classic opening for "D-ego" poison, and the potential that the stars and flags would become fodder for a fat head, and an inflated sense of self-worth in a few folks.

That 'other' website has a fair number of people who came to believe that they were 'special' because of that social aspect... rather than the actual value of their contributions...

It bothered me because I'm the kind of jerk who wants to avoid 'personal baggage' where it is not actually pertinent to the topic.
(Hence my general disaffection with politically-motivated diatribes that are just pop-talk fodder, memes, and drive-by snark posts.)

It's probably just a "me" thing... I probably care about crap that others just don't.

And still... I confess to missing the ability to star a post here and there (though the "+rate" thing is more than an adequate adaptation.)
But not as much as I miss the ability to "flag" a thread... as some of the threads we have here really do deserve a 'standout' indicator of some kind... but that's just my opinion.

The point system, as it is, reflects 'participation and contribution' which each member might be inclined to consider as a measure of their own efforts to address the many subjects we cover here...

Sorry for the long-winded answer... but thanks for being patent enough to entertain it... if you've read this far along.

[Chiefsmom]

I honestly try not to pay attention to most of the "ratings", same as that old site.
Sure, It's nice when you get "lots" of good ones.

But I don't start a lot of threads, and then it is only about stuff I care about.  I have quite a few on the old site, that apparently very few others cared about.  LOL
I also tend to forget about the rate button.  But I star threads I find interesting even if I don't agree.

[UltraBudgie]

points and reputation is fungame when mechanics are bare like now with chart posted above for point, okay that makes sense.  toxic when it gets to hiddenhand stuff mystery bluecheck promotion, secretgame.  that nofun, but when is open and frankly useless is just thing we can play like ooh cool i broke 100 yay. noprob.

also going click and rate on post is good like backslap buddy and is also great way to send little hidden "reason for rating" messages to posters, like little secret funny oneliners, insidejoke.  oops but perhaps i should keep that secret?