Not getting feedback points in return for answers

[DECxchange]

Hello,
I've joined this forum recently. Many of you old timers may have noticed that I've been answering some of the questions. Lately, I have not been getting feedback points. I'm about ready to call it quits if I don't start getting a higher rate of feedback for my answers. This is a nice forum, the free advice to people in need, but I would think the least questioners can do is immediately provide points!

Thanks
;)
DECxchange

[Robert Gezelter · Accepted solution]

DECxchange,

Some people rate the feedback, some do not. Every so often, Jan (or one of us other "old timers") places a post in one of the threads that took a lot of people's time and did not rate the answers.

Yes, it would be courteous if all questioners did award points, but that is not always the case.

Your participation is welcome. An active community benefits all.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Steven Schweda]

> I would think the least questioners can do
> is immediately provide points!

I guess that you'd be wrong, then. The least
that people can do is nothing.

If these points were so valuable, perhaps you
could use them to buy yourself a life.

[John Gillings]

DECxchange,

Free advice is worth every cent. Free "points" are probably worth even less!

I tend to agree with you that it costs nothing for the questioner to leave you feedback and it's discourteous not to respond in some way. On the other hand life is too short to be bothered by other people's discourtesy.

(If it makes you feel any better, maybe you should keep a "black list" of people who haven't awarded points in the past, and not answer their questions in future?)

[Jan van den Ende]

DECxchange,

I notice you are a registered member for only just over one month.

For many questions, that may be just too short to already have found out WHICH answer did provide WHAT part of the answer.

Several people only give points (for all answers at once) when they Close a thread.

I can hardly disagree with that, although it is not MY usual habit.

However, I found out that it is not extremely rare to sometimes get points with over a year of delay.

All in all, I just see the points as a funny extra to the pleasure of gaining and spreading knowledge about our beloved VMS.

(but I must admit, since I entered top-10 I added it to my professional CV, and it certainly is no negative influence!).

For completeness, I will append my template for posters with a low awarding rate.

No copyright, you are free to use it (and take some of the effort out of my hands :-)

If some unanswered threads are very old, I use to add a remark on that right after the ---/quote--

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Richard Whalen]

I don't expect immediate points, but I think that it if the replies helped the person with the question to arrive at a solution to his problem, then he should give out points based on the usefulness when the solution has been determined. Unfortunately, as you have discovered, there are some people who don't give out points. It may be that these people have come here with a problem, get it solved, and don't expect to ever return.

It can take a long time to move up in the "ranks", especially if you don't have a lot of time to contribute answers.

[Art Wiens]

To quote Drew Carey "the questions are all made up, and the points don't matter"!

Life would be great if one was always rewarded for doing something "good", but it's not always a "huge loss" if your not.

Perhaps one thing you might consider is using your real name or at least signing your message with a first name? Making it a bit more personal might help your quest for points. Maybe not.

Don't take it too hard ... the points _are_ imaginary.

Cheers,
Art

[DECxchange]

Believe me, my name is pretty much as common as my handle! But thanks for the kind words. It looks like I'm not the only one where my "life" consists primarily of just thinking about VMS!

Art, Greg
Greg, Art

[Steven Schweda]

> Dec 3, 2007 04:13:22 GMT 0 pts

I'd feel hurt, except that I actually have a
life. Best of luck in your quest for
self-esteem, though.

[Ian Miller.]

Over in the general itrc forum
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/categoryhome.do?categoryId=296

the lack of feedback is a regular topic and there are no definitive answers.

It is best not to give any significance to points and to supply answers for free.

[Hein van den Heuvel]

DECxchange,

One of the bigger problem with points, IMHO, is that most assigments are based on the answer the requestor wants to hear, not for the extent to which is answerred the problem, or the actual effectiveness.

Steven's reply is a case in point.
It is a perfect answer and deserves a 10+, but it is not what you wanted to hear.

Steven: "I guess that you'd be wrong, then. The least that people can do is nothing."

Think about it... that is is the exact and possibly only reason folks do not give out points. Perfect answer Steven!

Regards,
Hein.

Points Schmoints! (That's the title of a Bridge book).

[Steven Schweda]

> Perfect answer Steven!

Well, a valid answer, anyway.

I find that people who _really_ don't know
what they're doing often can't tell a good
answer from a bad answer, so points awarded
often have little or no correlation with the
actual value of an answer. (Especially in
the forums frequented by the most severely
clue-deprived. "How do I write a shell
script which does anything-at-all?") Which
is an excellent reason not to worry about
these stupid points.

No doubt, a panel of expert judges should be
established to judge responses and award
points in a more reliable, rational way.
Luckily, I doubt that anyone competent would
take the job.

And, in closing, let us remember the words of
the Pointless Man: "A point in every
direction is the same as no point at all."

P.S. See my new hat? I'm _so_ excited.

[Robert Brooks_1]

Points Schmoints! (That's the title of a Bridge book).

--

Ah, yes -- Marty Bergen!

Great for matchpoint strategy!

(always nice to see a bridge reference in unexpected places!)

-- Rob

[Jim Geier_1]

I think the points game is a barrier to getting good answers and keeping good discussions alive. All too often, someone chimes in and subtlety hijacks a thread seemingly just to get points. There are people with higher points ratings who apparently think they have to chime in on every thread with little good information. Or someone who seemingly wants points will answer with things like "I've never done this, I've never read the documentation, and I don't have a system like that, but I think this is what you should do." That kills a thread. I see the points and the associated hats as a bad things, and wish these forums never had the points and hats system -- it is a childish game.

[Jan van den Ende]

@Robert

>>>
(always nice to see a bridge reference in unexpected places!)
<<<

I know Hein plays as well (we actually discussed that last thursday), so now we only need a 4th.

(Or 4 more to hold a team match)

fwiw

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[DECxchange]

Steve, you're a funny guy! So why, then, when you award points, does HP say, Thank you, ... you have mad this a better community, or whatever, I forget the exact wording. HP encourages the awarding of points, don't they?

Oh well, I guess there's no taling to you guys. It's funny that thost of you in the upper echelons of points on this forum are the ones saying you don't need them! Uh, what's the word for that?

It's also funny how you doods with the most points are the FIRST to answer any, and every, VMS question! Wow! And you're telling me to get a life, eh?

Here, Steve, I got one for you. GET A REAL JOB!

[DECxchange]

Thank you all for your help.

[Steven Schweda]

> HP encourages the awarding of points, don't
> they?

I'm not HP.

> [...] thost of you in the upper echelons of
> points on this forum are the ones saying
> you don't need them! Uh, what's the word
> for that?

Coincidence? Indifference to points is
different from immunity to points.

> It's also funny how you doods with the most

"doods"? Yikes.

> points are the FIRST to answer any, and
> every, VMS question!

Is it remarkable that the people who know
things attempt to be helpful?

> Wow! And you're telling me to get a life,
> eh?

Yes, sir. But if you'd prefer to fret about
forum points, there's apparently nothing I
can do about it.

> Thank you all for your help.

You're most welcome.

[Jon Pinkley]

Just to see how meaningless points assigned are, see the following thread as an example.

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1182856

Note that the answer that solved the problem got no points assigned, yet a red herring answer received full points.

So before you get to the point of no return, consider that most forum users will be more impressed by good answers than by headwear.

You have a good chance of being at the top of the new user list in a few weeks.

Good luck,

Jon

[DECxchange]

You're right, this forum is all a big waste of time.

[DECxchange]

BTW, since you guys don't want any points anyway, you should just keep wasting your time posting to my thread, since I CAN'T give out points since I closed the thread! So enjoy yourself, Steve.

[Art Wiens]

I completely disagree! I've been here for awhile and a high percentage of issues usually come to some sort of successful conclusion - at least in the VMS forum they do. I can appreciate your desire to be recognized and rewarded, most people want that kind of thing, but I've also found that if you really help somebody, the "points" you get back come in the form of a thanks reply. Those are the ones you want to be striving for.

Of course it doesn't always happen, but that's people, whether it's on the street or in a forum.

Take it easy, we're all on the VMS side here ;-)

Cheers,
Art

[Steven Schweda]

> You're right, this forum is all a big
> waste of time.

Some threads are more valuable than others.

> [...] I CAN'T give out points since I
> closed the thread! [...]

The "Reopen Thread" button offers a solution
to that problem.

[DECxchange]

Steve says,

The "Reopen Thread" button offers a solution
to that problem

That's nice to know, but why bother. Another waste of time.

Art Says,
I completely disagree!

-- That's OK, we can disagree. But we don't have to resort to insults or put downs like Steve does. Oh by the way, Steve, congrats on your Pharaoh status. I'm sure that really helps your self esteem.

Art says,
Take it easy, we're all on the VMS side
here ;-)

-- Here is one point I can agree on. Well, at least we can all agree that VMS is the greatest Operating System ever devised!

Well, enough retorts. I'm sure Steve will have to get the last word in.

[Dave Gudewicz]

I think this reflects what's going on in our society in general. Personally, I could do w/o the points/hats, but we seem to "need" these pats on the head more today than in times past.

Got kids? How about when they get involved in sports. Seems like EVERYONE gets a trophy (aka points) regardless. 10 and 0 record - trophy. 0 and 10 - trophy. Used to not be that way. Is it better today?