# Question about mt rules



## donald1 (Nov 17, 2013)

I've seen green squares with pluses representing how reliable someone's posts are (or at least i think that's what that's about very rare but red too 
My question is how bad do you have to mess up to get red?? Or is that negative...


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## Takai (Nov 17, 2013)

Does this answer your question?



> *Section 12** What is the Reputation System, How It Works, Policies, Etc. *
> 
> *What is reputation?
> The reputation system is very similar to the Karma system seen on other popular websites and forums (Slashdot.org, for example). Its purpose is to hopefully give users an idea of how respected, knowledgeable, helpful, gracious, etc., a person is. It is a system in which you rate your peers. It is a system that, hopefully, will make you think twice about your posts. Try to help others by giving reputation to the people you believe know what they are talking about and are the most helpful! Try to earn more reputation by helping others and giving the most detailed answers, while avoiding being disrespectful to others.
> ...


*
*


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## Dirty Dog (Nov 18, 2013)

donald1 said:


> I've seen green squares with pluses representing how reliable someone's posts are (or at least i think that's what that's about very rare but red too
> My question is how bad do you have to mess up to get red?? Or is that negative...



You are correct. The more green, the more people in general feel that the poster provides valuable and accurate posts. Red means their reputation has a negative value. 

The link Takai provided is the official policy.


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## jks9199 (Nov 18, 2013)

However, some folks have simply chosen not to play in the rep system; they show gray, no matter how well (or poorly) people think of them.

Rep is nothing more than a LOOSE guide to the general view of a particular poster.  Heavy green or red probably says something, but some folks have just deeply placed their foot in their mouth quickly and it can take a long time to offset a bad first impression.  Don't give it too much weight; it's there for fun.  Read and assess each post and poster for yourself.


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