This was originally written by Paul in another forum, but it's worthwhile posting here.
Karma is causing a bit of confusion so I'll explain how it works on the new forum first.
By default every new member starts off with a CamelReputation rating of 0. This number directly influences the amount of karma you can give to another member.
How to give Karma:
Under the member details on every post is a little 'scales' icon
. If you wish to say 'thank you' or even 'no thanks', you click the scales and select 'Approve' or 'Disapprove'. If it is a positive Karma then a comment may be left but is not necessary. If it is a negative Karma then you
have to add a comment otherwise it will not take effect.
How to see who has given me Karma:
Under the link that you click to read your private messages is another link that takes you to recent Karma comments, if any. Clicking the link will take you to your Control Panel, where you can see who has left you karma.
You need to scroll way down the page to see the Karma Received section. You can also view your Karma comments at any time by visiting your control panel directly:
http://www.photocamel.com/forum/usercp.php
I liked it the old way!
Although the old method of giving and receiving Karma was nice and straightforward, there are some compelling reasons as to why this new method is more useful.
In the old method, having a high or a low Karma made no direct difference to how you could use your increasing (or decreasing) reputation for the benefit of others in the community. The concept of reputation is what makes this method more rewarding. For example:
- If you have a high post count you have more reputation than someone who has posted less
- If you have been a member for a long time you have more reputation than someone who is new
- If you receive Karma from others your own reputation rating increases
- Members may be promoted into other usergroups if they reach a certain threshold. This could include being given more storage space for attachments for example
Of course, all of these factors can go the other way if there is a 'bad apple' amongst us, but that is not something we've really seen on this site. We're the friendly Photo Community
.
How can I see what CamelKarma and CamelReputation I currently have?
This is displayed in the user details panel on the left of every post. It's shown in two ways. First as a row of lights under the name, and also as a actual values that shows directly how much Karma you are able to offer to others (CamelReputation) and how many Karmas you've received (CamelKarma).