Disabling Beer Karma

Didn't realize disabling the karma boosted the performance, seems to me to be a worthwhile trade off.

 

Thank you, Todd, for keeping us in the loop, and for considering our opinion in your reevaluation.
Nothing promotes contribution/ participation like feedback.
Again,
Thank you for your contributions to my enjoyment in drinking the second most important liquid in the history of civilization.

 

Feedback has been overwhelmingly in favor of bringing it back.

 

By now I'm sure they understand how much most of us want BK back. Question is whether they are close enough to the release of BA 4.0, where it has been anticipated we would see a reworked BK, that it is better for them to concentrate their efforts on that vs hassling with the old BK in the meantime. If they are months away from the reworked BK, then I would urge bringing the old BK back in the meantime - but if only a few weeks, then may not be worth the hassle.

 

Then the purpose of this thread is to solicit what folks liked and disliked, as you shape the replacement - I presume? If so, then we need to get on with that discussion versus baying at the moon.

I'm thinking the new BK should include everything it did before, but put more weight on those things which contribute most to advocacy; helping others, becoming proficient in styles, full reviews of beers, adding places and beers, uploading pictures, etc. Less weight should be given for incidental things such as likes, scoring but not reviewing, or posting.

 

In that sense, I agree 100%. I believe BK should move in the direction it was stated it would move in the past (that place/beer pictures would go rewarded, and BK for hitting 50,000 of any milestone).

However, there should be a healthier dose of BK given to full beer reviews. I find it completely disheartening that folks who rate a beer (even those who just assign average ratings to get the BK) get the same reward for input into the site as someone who spends considerably more time typing up a review so the numbers are tangible and justified. The reason, and benefit, to BA's beer reviews and ratings is to see if consumers want to buy into a beer for its qualities such as flavor profile, aroma, or feel, or if they just want to try a highly rated beer. Ratings only give folks a sense of how "good" something is, but what is "good" within that style? Review it. Give it tangible qualities. A Pliny the Elder is a lot different from a Hopslam or Heady Topper, and yet they're all rated 4.40+. The ratings do little to substantiate a beer's qualities. At the risk of sounding like a broken record: review it! Or at least reward those who take the time to substantiate (or refute) a beer's ratings.

 

In the new BK, not sure how trading should figure in, admittedly not having traded yet myself. I can see where you would be helping others try beers they don't have access to but still not sure this is advocacy as much as it is tweaking access. Certainly you could help those trying to get all 50 states or all styles. I believe trading figured strongly in scoring, but if there were a good way to measure how folks are promoting beer knowledge and helping others more generally, then that should count more than trading - which certainly has a self-serving aspect as well.

 

Not that I've been active here long enough to earn a ton of points, but I really enjoy the system too.

I liked being able to see who has been more active at a quick glance. Makes sifting through reviews faster and I know whos reviews are based on more experience.

Plus, I like the idea of giving people a way to "Level Up" in general. I weirdly crave that sort of progress as I think a lot of people. It's a good motivator. If i'm only a few XP away from the next level I'm going to go out of my way to get it somehow. Reveiwing a few more beers, trying a few new places, etc.

I think it's a good thing.

 

Another vote to bring it back

 

Without BK I likely will not add/rate/review beers or places. BK was an essential element that made BA better than other beer sites. Now there's not much separating this site with others. Big mistake IMO and hope it comes back very quickly.

 

They've stated in no uncertain terms that they won't just re-enable it as it was. They are reportedly rewriting/replacing it, and are looking for input about what we feel was good and what was bad. The sooner they have this info the sooner we can hopefully have a replacement, though it certainly has to be prioritized against other work. What did you like/dislike about it?

 

When and if it comes back new and improved I would like to make a suggestion that I mentioned once when talking about karma was off limits. Karma is based on contributions such as posts , like , reviews and or adding beers and places .I think that all the great members who volunteer and work the beer advocate fest should recieve karma as an extra thank you. I know we are treated well at the events but our contributions in the way of vplunteering helps many try beers they may not other wise have the chance to and it helps support both the forum and our host by way of revenue. Just something to think about for the future.

 

I do hope they bring it back. Having only joined the site recently after many years principally viewing content as a visitor, beer karma certainly incentivized participation and contribution. No more beer karma, coupled with the disabling of the app (thus having to constantly log-in on your phone's browser), may lead borderline participants to simply act as visitors again.

 

Personally... I used to dig the Karma ... But once they were tied to "likes", I basically stopped caring.

If you spend enough time on this site, you can easily see who is actually contributing to conversations and see who adds depth to conversations... You can see and delineate who is into beer and who is just a forum *****.

I would nix Karma tied to "likes" and just bring it back for actual site contributions like new beers/places added, beer reviews, photos of beers and establishments, perhaps even vetted updates.... Etc.

Having Karma equivalency between "likes" and something that adds value like a place photo or beer photo always seemed off to me.

Just my $.02.

 

Hahahaha....I remember that one. Seems like we had a rash of "interesting" threads for a while with the fake foil bandit, that kid living in his parent's house (had the you tubes review videos) that welched on a bunch of trades due to getting cut off by said parents, the flop house, the Poobah resume guy..... seems like we haven't had a fun / controversial thread like those in a while!

 

I've only read the 1st page, and much of what has been said covers my affirmative view on BK.
I really think there was so much positive in the BK system.
+ An encouragement to contribute to the community
+ A quick snapshot of how much contribution a member has made to the community.
+ Also a bit of fun. Hey, I'm going to put "Beer Poobah" on my next cover letter.

 

Would also like to BK for adding Events , and i like the idea of >BK for written reviews, i feel they are very important to the site. Would like more BK on Places (stores,eateries,brewpubs,breweries), it seems not as many are written on these as beer. Also keep actual BK Unknown (pts), just contribute to the site and Karma will find you.