Give points if you are helped!!!

[Brian Markus]

The majority of users in this forum do this for fun, and most do it for free. The only thing that most of us get out of this is a feeling satisfaction knowing that we were able to help someone. The points reinforce the fact that we are doing good, and will boost our egos enough to keep doing this for free. I urge all consultants, or anyone using this forum, to give the little bit of reward to the participants that can be given for the resource you are using. (ASSIGN POINTS) Eventually people will stop participating if you don???t. I personally don???t want to see that happen. I think this is a great forum!

-Brian.

[Steven E. Protter]

I agree, this has been discussed quite recently.

I would suggest posting this link into your responses, if you feel strongly, especially for people asking their first question.

I for one did not know about points assignments for several weeks after posting my first question.
http://66.34.90.71/ITRCForumsEtiquette/

The point assignment rate according to Merijn is 55%. Thats not bad, but it can be better.

It should be.

SEP

[twang]

Totally agree with Brian, I think the questioner should assign point to each response, at least 0 point to the response if it is really helpless. But this seems impossible.

[Sanjiv Sharma_1]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for opening this link.

I find there are plenty of posts in which the users get there questioned answered and their problem resolved. These users even reply that there problem got resolved by applying one of the solutions. But they FORGET to assign points to even the correct answers.

The users should know that if they don't assign points than may be in future they will get very little help for their queires.

I request to all the users to ASSIGN POINTS even 0 points if the answer doesn't resolve their question.

I hope all the users will read this and assign points for their answers.
Pls. note I have assigned points to all my posts.

Thanks.

[Khalid A. Al-Tayaran]

Hi,

Long discussed topic....
anyway keep this around (by Patrick Wallek):




http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x022718276953d61190040090279cd0f9,00.html

[Laurent Laperrousaz]

I agree with Brian's message but remember that assigning points is not as easy as it should be:
With some browsers and even with the new forum design, it is still impossible (ie OPERA ).

If the task was simpler and very accessible the result would be better!

Keep your egos high folks ;-)

Laurent

[Tim Tran_1]

I agree with Brian. The IT Resource Center forums are the most active forums that I have ever been in, by a long shot, and the main reason is the points system. Even simple solution can save someone days of mucking around which when equate to consultants fee, is alot of bucks. I personally benefit from this forum and sometimes wish I can assign even more than 10 points for really outstanding answers that solved me days of hair-tearing. Points are just a simple thankyou and is a good feedback to the quality of your answer as well. I think alot of people are just ignorant about the points system, even though the points notice appears right at the end of their posting! If they purposely not bothering to assign points then they are just plain ungrateful and rude.

[Karthik S S]

Hi Brian,

I have given some suggestions along with other members to tackle this .. check,

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x548f3f9a15add711abdc0090277a778c,00.html

Regards,
Karthik S S

[Ollie R]

Hi All,

In the past few days, my first action when a new message comes in is to look at the profile of the originator to see what their points profile is like. I've decided I'd prefer to help people who have the decency to show their appreciation. It's a shame that it has to happen this way, but that seems to be the way it goes.

I totally understand that it's impossible to implement some kind of enforcement policy, but maybe a friendly reminder message could be given to people who have an allocating points average of less than, say, 50%. Not being a web developer, I don't know how easy or difficult that would be, but maybe it's worth considering?

Or maybe an icon could appear alongside their names in the message list. Instead of a hat, they could be given a sponge!!! 8O)

Any other ideas for a suitable icon?

Ollie.

[Mike Fisher_5]

Brian

You're right about it being fun
Also it's saved my skin on occasion
I value the time & thought that this community has put into helping me

It's quite a civilized corner of the world
Flames are rare here which is a major achievement in itself
I put it down to the character of the early joiners & the forum managers
They've set the tone

So...

Thank YOU & the other "old timers"
[I notice that you've been a forummer for a fair while]

Mike "half full" Fisher

Ooops - Have I just diverted this into a congrats thread?

[John Meissner]

Brian - I completely agree... it's rather disheartening to help a lot of people and only have some of them give points... this of course is the way things go... some do ... some don't... I honestly think that point assignment should be manditory. That's right... if someone asks a question... they should not be allowed to ask another unless they've assigned all points (even if a zero) to any of their previous posts. This would solve that problem. Yes ... they come here for help... and that's what we give them... but by not assigning points they're not being grateful for the help they've received.

Just my .02

[Brian Markus]

I had mentioned once that HP should give a printed certificate to users that get to a certain point level. It would be free advertising for HP. I know if I got one I???d hang it in my office. Or maybe give credits in the HP store for a certain amount of points. Or, like their ???HP CERTIFIED??? they could license a logo that we can add to our business cards/letterhead/websites. Any of these items I feel should be in tiers so that the gods of the forum get more status/credit. I truly believe that the point system alone might not be enough to keep the true talent coming back for more every day. This forum really adds value to the entire company, and it costs very little out of pocket for them. I also feel they should do some data mining. They could build some really slick frequently asked questions and answers from the posts. It can be rather cumbersome sometimes to find the information you???re looking for. Also, it would give value back to the forum users. They could add items weekly and give us kind of a ???weekly tech update??? and we could learn from the problems that were solved if we didn???t participate in the threads ourselves. This could be really good for HP in that they could tailor the information sent, and re-enforce education on certain subjects that are asked a million times. Another thing, I personally try to read the posts often, but I???m pretty busy. I often will read a problem that I don???t know the answer for. I then move on to the next thread. A weekly update/news letter would sharpen my skills, because I can???t always find the original threads, and I still want to know the answer. I???d even go on a limb, and say that some people would probably pay fee for something like this. (I want my cut if they do) :) They could make it a charge for users that just want to receive it and not participate, and free for users that post. (Again more value for the participating users in addition to points) Well, I???ll step off my soapbox now. I wonder if HP still listening to us?

-Brian

[Tim D Fulford]

I gave up on participating in the forum for 6 months+ for exactly the reasons you explained. I was getting frustrated at the lack of recognition by individuals.

I even toyed with the idea of assigning 0 points to any one who had a low hit rate. This is, in-general futile, as people who ask questions & assign no points generally do not reply to posts.

The other thing I thought of doing was not answering posts if the hit rate was low. Thsi too is futile protest as you are silent & the only person you are serving is yourself!!

Unfortunately you just have to live with it, In many ways getting points for answering a question is enhanced as it is so infrequent.

Many regards

Tim

[Ollie R]

I still like the idea of a sponge icon......

[John Meissner]

Brian... I sure hope you're wrong about the true tallent leaving the fourum... I can't beging to tell you the vaule this fourum has had for me. I've had many problems solved without calling HP Support. (which is a great thing). and most of my answers I receive come very quickly. Usually within the hour.

I think that for the most part... most of the royalty and above will always use this forum regardless of points or added bonuses... although I'd love to see some kind of added incentive from HP... afterall... we're doing their job in a sence... sort of. but the best thing about this... is that it's free and you have almost endless resources and an unbelievable number of collective years experience. I love this place...
Long live the fourm!

[Mike Fisher_5]

Brian

FAQ:
I like the FAQ idea -
so long as you don't need a system handle etc to gain access
A super-Merijin resource

I can see...
It would take a lot of hours to maintain
Would have to be combed for accuracy
Disclaimers... all that
Benefits would be very great

SPONGE:
I think it's the reverse of what's wanted
Carrots not sticks

[Steven E. Protter]

Merijn, still on vacation or conference shows a 55% point assignment rate. Its worse in Microsoft or Linux.

Visit this congrats thread. Trying to bring up the Linux thread assignment rate with extra points for perfect point givers.

Yes, I'm bad.

SEP

[Steven E. Protter]

Merijn, still on vacation or conference shows a 55% point assignment rate. Its worse in Microsoft or Linux.

Visit this congrats thread. Trying to bring up the Linux thread assignment rate with extra points for perfect point givers.

Yes, I'm bad.

This time with the link.

Zero point these two posts please.
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0xb620aaf9f7b2d711abdc0090277a778c,00.html

SEP

[John Bolene]

I used to be a point monger, but I have had to learn the following facts.

you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink

there are givers and takers in this world

some folks are never appreciative

some folks just don't understand

yada and etc.

[Ken Penland_1]

The thrill of competition and gaining "levels" is a big motivator for me, and the thought of getting hats(eventually) brings me back to the forums every day to see if there is someone I can assist. But I find myself reading less and less messages because it seems lately points are hard to come by....when I finally do find a message where I know the answer and provide a solution, if I dont get points for it I start to wonder why I bothered! I spend more of my time now out at Perlmonks, because I am assured to get points for a good post out there because the people that give me points have a chance to get points themselves. The adding of an icon like a sponge is an ok idea, but I dont think that is the way to go because it may be a pain to implement, specially if they have a hat already, spacing may be an issue or something. The easiest solution is right next to the name of the poster, it gives their current percentage of replies/awarded. The only catch to that would be for first time posters, you wouldnt want them to have a big fat 0 percentage, so you could do something like put "first time poster" next to their name or something.

[Martin Johnson]

I like the sponge idea!

I do find it frustrating when I post a reply that I know will solve the problem and I get no points for it. This hurts other forum members as they have no way of knowing that this reply was the correct solution. In that sense, not assigning point is a disservice to all forum members.

Marty

[John Collier · Accepted solution]

Brian,

As usual, SEP has understated the issue when he says that this has been discussed before. Below are just a few of the threads that I have found and responded to on this issue:

http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x1f5228c64656d71190080090279cd0f9,00.html
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x96b70bce6f33d6118fff0090279cd0f9,00.html
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x3d056049dbb6d611abdb0090277a778c,00.html
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x356efd3f91d3d5118ff40090279cd0f9,00.html
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x67c268da2286d711abdc0090277a778c,00.html

Forgive me if I don???t restate all of the things that I have put in previous threads. I provided the links for you to let you know that you are not alone in your frustration and to also let you know what some others (including myself) have said on this in the past.

One thing about this thread does encourage me more so than some of the others. I see many more of the newly hatted and even a few of the un-hatted members coming to your thread. This is something that we need much more of..

I have strong thoughts and feelings on this issue as well. I hope you will take some of your spare time to review my thoughts and those of others in the above threads. You may be surprised at just how deeply this point issue really effects the forums and the people that frequent it.


Thanks for listening,
John

[Jim Mallett]

I kind of like the idea Ken brought up (maybe others have before), about having the "% points assigned" posted next to their name.
It would be nice if HP did something for members reaching specific point levels, but on the other hand it would probably cause just as many issues because it could be manipulated. HP has to admit though, they have quite an asset on their hands here. Think of all the phone/on-site time saved because of this community.
For every one post I put up, I'll have 30 or so that I resolve by searching. I don't get to award points for those but I'd like to say "Thanks" to all that participate, point or no-points you all make this a better place.

Jim

[Steven E. Protter]

Jim your story should be posted to the Forum Success' thread.

SEP