Reputation, when you get it then what?

[Brother Darien]

Okay, here's my problem: Lately, I've been on a smart Streak and am starting to acquire reputation (Thankfully all good).

But here is my Dilemma, when I post something really smart or nice and people give me good rep what should I do? should I give them rep back as a sign of my thankfulness?
or should I just send a pm saying thanks?

I'm really in the dark here, I don't want to be someone who you say I did good I'll give you rep, but I do want to show I'm thankful. I like alot of the people on this board but I'm sorry to say as I don't have alot of time I don't see many threads, only the ones I know I can be of use or will interest me do I go in, so I don't have much of a chance to find posts that are above average and should get rep. I mean most people on here usually post nice stuff ( at least from what I've seen) and I'd like to show that I respect that, but I don't want to go around repping everyone who didn't say something wrong.

any suggestions?

And what kind of post do you give rep to? and what do you consider a worthy post?

[SlickWilly]

You dont have to do anything....but It would be nice if you gave them some rep.

*Willey looks at Brother Darien with puppy-dog eyes*

[Pierced53]

No-no-no.
Don't give someone rep because they give you rep. If you recieve rep, whether it be good or bad, you should know you deserve it. People should only give you rep if you deserve it in their opinion - no need to say thanks for that. Once you have a high reputation rating here at LO, if may show that you a respected member of the forum, one whom can be trusted, and someone one may come to when seeking help. That, my friend, is a good thing.

[BLADERUNNER]

Yup having a rep is quite nice to have.

[kireguy]

Lucky, no one gives me rep . I would give a PM as thanks/ perhaps apology, but don't give them rep for giving you rep. That isn't allowed, it says in the rules that you cant give a person rep for them giving you some. Now this thread has got me pondering the word rep (when you wonder how it originated, who made it like that, etc.).

[Sir Theobold the Lame]

rep is short for reputation surely?....

you shouldn't give people rep for giving you rep or it will become a self-perpetuating rep-a-thon and so undermine the whole point of the system. But by giving people good rep for intelligent points or funny coments etc. it will help foster an atmosphere of goodwill within the LO community (or Family as i like to see it) which will lead to more use of the rep system by all and sundry.

[Brother Darien]

Okay, thanks all, and yes rep was short for reputation
But I think I'll still send thank you's and if necessary apoligies

[The Fifth Horseman]

If people give me rep, I feel obliged to check their most recents posts. If I see one that is rep-worthy in my opinion, then I return the favor.

[Cheredanine]

If someone gives me rep, I go over the post and see what I did right or wrong, and hopefully become a better poster because of it.

If I see someone give good advice, and give it well or deal with difficult situations well I give them rep.

Th higher someones rep, the more serious I take them on a given thread

[DavidVC04]

Brother Dean asked what kind of posts do we give rep to, so here's what I typically do.

Positive Rep
1. Posts of moderate or greater length that have worthwhile content: the person really took some time to write what he or she wrote; most people dash off a few lines haphazardly.
2. Posts that are insightful.
3. The English teacher in me loves his grammar. I rep sometimes just because someone bothered to hit the shift key when starting a sentence or inserted a period at the end of one. I find that simply grand.
4. I occasionally rep a good army list because that takes ingenuity.
5. I rep really funny posts sometimes.
6. I rep people who help others without being facetious.
7. I rep a mod or admin for being helpful or making a judicious post, but not too often because who wants to come across as a brown noser?
8. I rep a new member if he or she makes an unusually non-noobish post, welcomes help, doesn't blather, and so on.
9. In general discussions, I rep when someone makes intelligent posts without being presumptuous, accusatory, reactionary, and the like.

Negative Rep
I haven't given any. If something's that rude it probably needs to be reported or will be stopped by the mods anyway.