I'm having serious doubts as to whether this Karma business will achieve the objectives of more interaction and participation in Biker Match. In fact, it may have the opposite effect. As has already been pointed out, more poor quality pictures are likely to be posted not to mention members becoming disgruntled because they feel they are not being sufficiently rewarded, events signed up for to gain brownie points rather to socialise with other BM members, and a fall in the quality of posts and hence debate posts will be made to boost individuals' Karma rather than because they have anything to say. It may also put people with a low Karma off from posting since they feel embarrassed about the reading that accompanies their post. It may even create some form of elitism.

I am trying not to be influenced by this and will continue to post when I have something I want to say, attend events because I want to meet other BM members and post the photographs that I consider to be suitable. 

Do you have a better solution?  :-) The system is constantly being tweaked. If I see someone flying ahead with too much Karma, I look at why and I make adjustments to the calculations to prevent it happening in future.   Event attendence will only be counted if you are tagged in a pic.   Event photos you upload will be deleted if they're junk or invalid pics (Which will take double the Karma off you than would be added if you uploaded a good pic).   Every single profile pic is checked by myself (Several hundred per day!) and I delete the crap.  Moderators are also in the process of cracking down on poor "Best" pics.   However, I do take your point about forum posts... hence the 'value' of a forum post isn't too high.  What I can do (again, as I say the system is always being tweaked to make it fair) is only count posts that are greater than X characters in length (say 150 characters or more?)                                                                                                                                                                             

only count posts that are greater than X characters in length (say 150 characters or more?)

A lower benchmark perhaps? I can ramble for England, but most folk manage to say in a few words what it takes me a couple of paragraphs to say!

OK, so you might not want to encourage more "pointless" posts, such as just a smiley or a countdown etc, but a post of a couple of words can make a point with as much validity as a rambling post like a Wannabe special... Easier to read too
                                                                                                                                                                             

i've updated the karma system now so that chatroom, forum and private messages only count if they are greater than X characters.   This will prevent pointless posting in the forums.   However... the Karma system is really hogging the server processing time now.  I may have to make it recalculate every hour, rather than "on the fly"                                                                                                                                                                             

even a few words can mean alot sometimes, or sometimes it can be a few paragraphs, either way are we not still interacting with other bikers, which is what the site is all about , or am i wrong thinking that, the subjects that are discussed can turn into real good debates ,like the swerve test one, everyone had there different views.

*points & laughs @ Matt* You've created a monster! 

Hourly should be more than adequate.

You're not wrong at all Ian - all that's being said here is that maybe a post that just says "" (e.g. on a lot of the joke threads) shouldn't go towards karma count as much as a post that actually says something contributing to a discussion. Fairy Nuff IMO.

I've made the decision as the webby that I don't want posts like...    "+1" and...    "LOL"   to be counted.  There's more junk messages like that, than good/valid posts of the same length.   Either contribute a good, substantial post or it's not counted for Karma.  It's the only way to protect the forum from junk.   Starting a new topic with a good content is worth a lot more than just a post also.... so please make an effort to start new topics/debates (Especially news items which are worth double-karma)                                                                                                                                                                             

I'm lost!                                                                                                                                                                              

you're not the only one!!                                                                                                                                                                             

Aw no worries... I think the phrase is "As you were" BC & Max 

The short version is: If you want some good karma, contribute more than a "LOL" post (or similar) to a forum discussion.
                                                                                                                                                                             

This morning my Karma was at 13%, I've just started another thread and now my Karma is 12%?? I'm slowly working my way towards negative-karma                                                                                                                                                                              

lol bb... your post must have been SO bad :-)   You'll never loose karma for posting... but if the "Top" Karma person posts 2 posts then his Karma will go up more than yours, and yours is shown as a percentage of the top person's Karma (guys and girls basically have a league.  Your karma is a % of the person at the top of your gender's league)                                                                                                                                                                             

???...i am sick of karma..aint even gonna look anymore lmao                                                                                                                                                                             

To answer Matt's question, I don't have any solutions to the issues I raised although I agree that monosyllabic posts should not be rewarded. I am somewhat dismayed by the increasing complexity of something which should be just a bit of fun. However, I have made some erudite posts (no that's not uprights in epoxy) in the hope that my Karma isn't reduced to zero! I just hope those with a low Karma aren't deterred from posting or think their eligibility for meeting someone isn't compromised.

i think it was your comments yesterday that prompted matt to re access the karma , i was at 99 % mainly because of my contributions and pm's on the site, i have not been to any bm meets yet as not long joined, but have a good circle of friends on here now, and have been riding for 20 years, and also have been brought up with my father being involved in drag racing and side car racing, so if anyone gets cheesed off when short answers or comments posted i just look at it as still contributing to what is after all a socail chat bikers site.