Mods - why is it that you can't vote someone a helpful user more than once? EVER. I can understand not voting for someone twice on the same thread. But years can pass, and perhaps that same person will be helpful again - but you can't vote again :-(

Are we only to be encouraged to be helpful to new users and leave the old faithfulls in a gutter of helplessness?

Good point Sneaks, not encouraging loyalty at all is it? hmmmmmmmm:-(

This is a valid point. I suppose it, and correct me if I am wrong moderator, is to stop the gratuitous conferral of stars to non-deserving forumites. As we all know, stars are awarded for hard work, and although the system is flawed, it does help ensure this.

perhaps there should be a certain time between stars. so you receive star 1 and can't receive star 2 until a month later? It seems a little unfair for example Wal that you have been very helpful to me, but i can never vote for you, as I have already voted once. This therefore will probably impact your motivation in being helpful

Yes, fair point. I've tried voting for a few people more than once, and it's a bit crap that you can't acknowledge that they've gone out their way to help you. On reflection, I do think that the system needs to change.

Good point, I have the same opinion here. it is time for change;-)

I totally agree - if someone goes out of their way to help you more than once why should you not be able to effectively thank them more than once? There are people here who seem to post on almost every thread and obviously have put time and thought into their answer - but you can't give them a star if they've also helped you a few months back?

While I take people's point about being able to vote for someone more than once, this would also create a problem - if people received lots more votes, then they'd quicly escalate through the stars, we'd have a forum where everyone had 4 stars, a campaign would start so that people could collect up to 10 stars, then there'd be the usual begging/wheedling/bribery campaigns for people to get more stars. All sounds a bit tedious really...

maybe we should just scrap the stars and have a number of votes system?

Hmm, having thought about it, I like Sneak's idea. We could have a points reputation thing going on, where the OP could recommend the value of a particular post and in doing so award reputation points to that poster. That way, it acknowledges the value of the contributions a particular poster makes to the forum. The recommendation of a particular post, like with the stars system could be completely anonymous, so we wouldn't have poster's saying "I gave you some advice and you didn't recommend it, tra la la".

I think we should scrap stars altogther. It makes people competitive in what should be a nice, supportive forum. Heaven help us if we move to votes, then people will start running their own political campaigns...(down)

Hi Sue2604, I'd like to think that the whole stars system or any other system that may or may not be implemented in future does not create any kind of competitiveness of underground bartering system. For me and, though I can't speak for others, most people it's just a bit of frivolity. I wouldn't mind, in all honestly, if it was scrapped if the site is revised at a future point. It's just something to joke around with - occasionally at the expense of forum etiquette (I admit). However, though I only use this forum due to time constraints, a rating system of sorts is widely implemented in many other forums across the net and I'm not aware of it leading to widespread rivalry and competitiveness, even in forums of a similar nature to this - such as The Student Room. Having said that, I've heard that The Student Room has got quite few snobs and elitists on it - horses for courses!:-)

I think scrapping stars is an alright idea, but it is nice to have something to have a laugh about and be competitive - not in a serious way mind - maybe we could have some other sort of fun competition we can be silly about. What else could we run running jokes around? What about a monthly fashion show? I appreciate that for new-comers requests for stars, however much in revelry could seem a bit ruthlless. To be truely competitive one would need to give advice and support to predominantly new posters, but as far as I can tell, no-one does this, so I don't think there is much real, serious competitiveness at the mo. I give people help when I think I can offer them something, when they seem to need it most and when I have the energy. The star thing is a joke, a laugh etc.

I came on here expecting an off-topic discussion about the Sci-Fi series Stargate or the spin off Stargate Atlantic! :(

Cant say I have taken much notice of the stars, except a certain person's cravings for them has brought them to my attention :p  I dont even know how to send one, but I am actually going to send one, my first one, and I expect my last one to Walmiskipeasucker, for being such a gentleman when I was being a rat-bag - thanks hun xx