Which Karma display is best?

[FTL_Ian]

I'm curious. 

[Pat McCotter]

It doesn't have any relevance for me. I don't even look at the numbers.

[Friday]

The old way.  The new way makes me do math.   

[d_goddard]

The new way. It's one thing to see that FTL_Ian has a "+1", it's another thing entirely to see that +1 is the result of 501 applauds and 500 bitchslaps

[Kat Kanning]

I kinda like the old way better, too.  Just thought people might be interested in seeing the totals.

Should I change "smite" to "bitchslap"?

[d_goddard]

Should I change "smite" to "bitchslap"?

No. That's just the kind of rudeness Ian seems to encourage on his FTL BBS

[srqrebel]

I'm new to this forum (forums in general, for that matter!).  Can someone please explain this karma thing?  I think I get the general idea, but I'm not sure.  Do you have to be a long-term member to give it?

How about displaying it as a math figure with the total?  Of course, I have no idea how easy it would be to set up that way.

[KBCraig]

I'm new to this forum (forums in general, for that matter!).  Can someone please explain the whole karma thing?

This being a libertarian/anarchist crowd, everyone has their own idea of how to use it.

I think the original idea is to show how someone contributes to the overall feeling of the forum. Do they make a positive contribution, or are they an energy drain?

In practice, it's often used as a popularity rating, either for the poster, or for their opinions. And sometimes, it's used as a vindictive tool by some --errr-- "vindictive tools".

Kevin

[Braddogg]

And sometimes, it's used as a vindictive tool by some --errr-- "vindictive tools".

Karma for that joke! 

[Friday]

Do you have to be a long-term member to give it?

I think you need to make ten posts before you receive the ability to give positive and negative karma.  Once you make your tenth post, you'll see buttons to "Applaud" and "Smite" on the left side of the screen next to each post. 

[srqrebel]

Thank you Kevin and Friday, both of your responses were quite helpful.

[Braddogg]

Should I change "smite" to "bitchslap"?

No. That's just the kind of rudeness Ian seems to encourage on his FTL BBS

Yeah.  I'd rather be "smited" than "bitchslapped."  If I'm going to be offended, I want to be too dead to suffer it   

[tracysaboe]

I think it should have the total as well as the +/- too if that's possible,

TRacy

[Pat McCotter]

I think it should have the total as well as the +/- too if that's possible,

TRacy

This ain't new math, Tracy.

[d_goddard]

Tracy is volunteering to do a little PHP programming -- good!