# Should Negative Rep be signed or not?



## ElRay (Aug 13, 2011)

Is there a site policy regarding the signing of Neg-Rep? 

I know we used to (and 99.9% of the time I still do, on the rare occasions I neg-rep anybody), but there was a lot of bitching about it a few months ago and today I see a whiney PM from a newbie accusing me of giving him unsigned neg rep.

Ray


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 13, 2011)

It's pretty much official policy that neg rep should not be signed. If you do sign it, understand that you'll probably just start a petty, childish flame war, which is what happens 99.99% of the time. 

Report that PM.


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## Daemoniac (Aug 13, 2011)

It's a habit of mine to sign it, always has been, but I'm not fussed if I get some back, and am certainly not going to go off the rails and start whining about it if I do.


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## matt397 (Aug 13, 2011)

I think the pos rep is a great way to tell a person that you are of like minds and you appreciate there opinion. I think the neg rep side is the cowards way out of actually confronting someone and having an intelligent argument Or its a great way for users to insult other users anonymously. 
One of the most comical neg I've received was someone calling me a fucktard.


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## Explorer (Aug 13, 2011)

I use positive rep to acknowledge to someone and to encourage them to keep posting similarly high-quality posts... or if something makes me laugh. I also do so when someone posts something which makes me think and reconsider something.

Using negative reputation to tell someone they're wrong is never as effective as asking them questions in a thread. "You said this... and I think that's off for these reasons." 

The aspect of rep I'm most amused by when I receive positive rep for a post... and one neg rep. Usually it's about piracy, taking responsibility for one's actions, or other things for which I suspect the person doesn't have a defensible position. 







The one circumstance where I notice neg rep is when some poster's rep polarity flips from green to red, normally a sure sign someone signed up just to start shit.


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## Explorer (Aug 13, 2011)

*laugh*

Someone who always posts apologetics for his viewpoint just gave me neg rep rather than being able to give a single example supporting his constant attacks on one group. Again, I say...






It's easier to neg rep than to come up with a coherent line of thinking for many.... *laugh*


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## Isan (Aug 13, 2011)

< disable rep


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Aug 13, 2011)

I sign my negrep just out of habit. I figure they should at least know who it's from. It's never turned into a negrep war..honestly who'd retaliate over something so pointless?


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## MaxOfMetal (Aug 13, 2011)

DrakkarTyrannis said:


> honestly who'd retaliate over something so pointless?


 
Unfortunately a huge chunk of our user base. Trust me, I don't have enough fingers or toes to count how many little bitch fests I've had to quell over rep.

It's not even the kids too, some of the worst has been from men in thier 30s and 40s. 

I'm putting this thread to rest as I've expressed the viewpoint which most mods ascribe to. Not to mention it was started mostly by aslsmm and ElRay having a tif over what this thread is about, rep.


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