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I am seeing the same pattern over and over:

The higher reputation the user has, the higher score his/her answer gets.

As if someone thinks “ah, this person has high rep, therefore, the answer must be excellent!”

Some medium rep users make answers not for the sake of good solution, but instead posting mediocre solutions just chasing the score points.

I am sure we would get better answers and the answers would get proper scores if the reputation become invisible, only giving more authority/access.

UPD. With this question, my only goal is better answers, no accusation whatsoever.

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  • 1
    That sounds a bit inflammatory. I haven't noticed a pattern of high reputation users just chasing points. It seems to me that some of the highest reputation users actually hold back or delay their answers. But setting that aside, what would be the point of having reputation scores if no one could see the scores?
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:02
  • @lericr what exactly do you mean by “inflammatory” ?
    – Anton
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:12
  • I think "users make answers not for the sake of good solution, but instead posting lousy solutions just chasing the score points" sounds inflammatory. Both the "lousy" and the "chasing score points"
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:14
  • @lericr well don’t know why this irritates you personally . Haven’t noticed you making so-so answers to get the points )) But, setting that aside, the point of invisible reputation would be similar to wealth: your bank account is invisible to me and it’s the right thing. So, having more “invisible rep” would bring the user more authority and access level etc.
    – Anton
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:16
  • 1
    And I didn't take your comment as being directed at me specifically. It just sounds generally like an accusatory statement. But I'll just assume positive intent and set that aside.
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:25
  • Yeah that’s the way
    – Anton
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:26
  • I'm not even sure we can do that. The whole reputation thing is kind of inherent to SE. People trying to learn something new have some way of distinguishing good answers from bad. The assumption is that answers from high rep user will on average be better answers. Yes, it's an assumption that won't always be correct, but that's the foundation of SE, at least as far as I understand SE.
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 19:27
  • Per your update, if the goal is better answers, what's your hypothesis for why hiding reputation scores would lead to better answers? Also, what purpose would reputation scores serve at all? Why wouldn't we just eliminate them altogether if it actually worked to produce better answers?
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 20:18
  • And why should we assume that people with medium reputation are gaming the system with mediocre answers instead of just assuming that mediocre answers are actually representative of the knowledge of medium reputation users? I mean, the reputation thing could be working as intended.
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 20:21
  • Side note, but maybe not unrelated... how are scores actually distributed? I've been assuming that my reputation score is squarely in the medium category.
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 28 at 20:25
  • 1
    I can totally see the appeal of a forum that is just like Mathematica SE but without the reputation score. But coming to SE and suggesting that the SE community ditch reputation scores is like going to church and asking them to ditch praying. I find praying to be creepy, but I still think it would be presumptuous to go to church and ask them to stop.
    – lericr
    Commented Nov 29 at 5:40
  • 2
    (1) Should there be anonymous answers (and questions)? (2) Why do people with high reputation get upvoted even for worthless answers? (3) The problem with reputation: does high reputation attract too many upvotes?
    – Domen
    Commented Nov 29 at 13:53
  • 2
    (4) Rich get richer phenomenon on CV (5) The Stack Exchange reputation system: What's working? What's not? and so on ...
    – Domen
    Commented Nov 29 at 13:54
  • 1
    @Anton I am not sure I understand what you mean. I have no problem with honest communication. This is usually constructive if based on mutual openness. Honesty is not what I am referring to and there are many other users who have experienced the same adverse effects from a small pool of frankly abusive users.
    – ubpdqn
    Commented Dec 7 at 7:23
  • 1
    @Anton I think your question was not aggressive and just to be clear you are not one of users I am referring to. I am recovering from major surgery and perhaps a little too sensitive.
    – ubpdqn
    Commented Dec 7 at 8:10

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