I think you are looking at the reputation system all wrong and breaking it down to to simple of a function. While earning reputation points is the only way to access certain parts of the forum it underlined meaning is much more than that. The basic function of the system is to allow access to the BST as a starting point to make sure that you are a member here because you want to be part of the community, not just here to sell stuff. Does that mean that I could not simply join, stick around for 30 days, make 50 good posts and hopefully earn 50 point so that I could sell things? Sure I can, but more people are not going to take the effort that would take and will leave here to go someplace else. And thats fine becasue unlike other forums, they can leave and never return, we don't want people here like that. Quality over quanity has always been what the A5OG has strived for in its history.

Here is where the reputation system gets deeper. If anyone is helping others and answering questions in hopes of getting rep points, then they have the wrong motives. I don't answer a question or take the time to write a helpful post expecting to get repped. Thats not what is about, its about helping one another and the rep system is a way to thank people.

Not only is it a way to help people, but a way to show you disapproval as well in something that say or do on the forum. Like others have said, its a starting point for the forum to police itself and allow member to hand out positive and negative reputation. Abuse of the system should be reported so that the Staff can research and determine whether anything is going on that should not be.

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