2 x "helpful" is not enough

AND --

Especially if the helpers are EZ Jim and Ralph.
Every response they post is always helpful.

🙂

I totally agree; occasionally I feel as though I'm a real "pickle" because I have to choose two out of 3 - 6 helpful suggestions.

It's a great idea, but it was tried before, when people could click on "like" or "dislike" bars in replies (the terms like and dislike may not be exact, but you get the idea). Up to 20 points could be awarded by anyone, not just the original poster. They system was gamed by many and the current system was adopted. Even this system is gamed by people who use different aliases and answer their own questions and award their alternate alias points.

I agree it would be nice to have more stars to award and sometimes it's really difficult to choose, but for the time being, this is the best Apple can come up with and it works pretty well.

Miriam,

you are serious??

+Even this system is gamed by people who use different aliases and answer their own questions and award their alternate alias points.+

I thought the ToU says one account only???

Oh, I am deadly serious, there was a case a couple of months ago of a person with several aliases who kept posting marshmallow questions and then awarding points to another poster who answered them consistently. Eventually, they were reported to the Hosts who determined the different aliases belonged to the same person and s/he was banned.

The ToU can be flouted. You and I agree to abide by them, but others are not as honest.

I thought for a minute you were talking about me (And EZ Jim) 😉



9:25 PM Saturday; October 30, 2010

But, of course, I was..... 😁

The current system seems to have the best balance, i.e. the total helpful points equals the solved points. Any difference and you could have the solved poster receiving less than a helpful poster, or the solved poster getting a lot of points out of proportion. And as previously mentioned, I can easily see how an imbalance like this would be ripe for gaming.

I have no doubt she was talking about Ralph (UK) and NOT Ralph (US)...:-)

And just think how many more may try it now! 😉

ali b

They run a very good chance of being banned for life if they try to put one over.

I thought the ToU says one account only???

This is not addressed in the Terms of Use. At this time, there is no limit to the number of accounts a member may have or use. Many members have multiple accounts and it's very rare that they're used nefariously.

I think we may have drifted from the intent of the original poster, but
this is an interesting point. To respond to Tuttle and Miriam -- the TOU states:

+Do not ‘game’ the system.+
+You agree to not create multiple IDs or otherwise manipulate the points system.+

I think "multiple ID's" could mean aliases.

At any rate, should someone decide to try to game the system, the regular helpers
here are very quick to pick that up, and report it in lightening speed.

However, getting back to Redarm's point --
A great majority of the posters here are asking questions, or trying to give helpful responses.
It's a great place.

Redarm -- You could (and did, in this case) state that you got many helpful responses.
That makes everyone feel good about your being helped. Everyone wins, really.
🙂

+Do not ‘game’ the system.+
+You agree to not create multiple IDs or otherwise manipulate the points system.+

I thought one ID = one account?

One ID = one account, yes, and

• using multiple accounts to manipulate the points system at Apple Discussions is against the rules, but

• there are many reasons an Apple customer might have multiple accounts (Apple IDs), and

• having multiple accounts (Apple IDs) that aren't used to game the points system at Apple Discussions isn't against the rules.