9
9
0
The RallyPoint community used to prioritize helping each other. Sure, people wanted to trail-blaze but giving helpful information, even if they couldn't answer the question, was more important. It was uncommon to see so many threads cluttered with garbage - political propaganda, personal attacks, and life stories that don't directly align with the initial question or link. Now, many prefer to type "Thanks for sharing" for 100 influence points while knowing nothing about the topic instad of a simple "upvote" and continuing on with your day.
I've warned almost a dozen members against this, especially the “thanks for sharing” trailblazers, and blocked a few after they wouldn't stop. One blocked me earlier today after I said “Please quit with these wasteful responses. It adds nothing to the conversation and simply clutters the thread for responses that actually do.”. It's not that I don't think they can add value to the platform. It's that I know they can based on a few times they've actually said something worth reading and simply because they're a member of our RallyPoint and military community. But they won't. Such activity hurts the user experience for those looking to RP as a reputable source for information.
Think about how many RP members have complained about the mudslide of political crap geared toward bashing opposing beliefs instead of mature debates focused on increased understanding.
The RP board and site admins enable us to regulate ourselves. It's our community. Our home. Many people come here for different reasons - e.g. personal advice, career advice, comradery, loneliness, make friends, find others we've served with, share stories to help others. I personally use it for all of those and invite Vets here for those same reasons.
Every time we create or comment on a thread with useless information, we make it harder for someone to find useful information. The trail I'll blaze - making more use of the downvote and block buttons IAW http://support.rallypoint.com/customer/en/portal/articles/1401594-down-voting .
Admins, as it hasn't been updated since Jun 15, 2016, amend as you see fit.
I've warned almost a dozen members against this, especially the “thanks for sharing” trailblazers, and blocked a few after they wouldn't stop. One blocked me earlier today after I said “Please quit with these wasteful responses. It adds nothing to the conversation and simply clutters the thread for responses that actually do.”. It's not that I don't think they can add value to the platform. It's that I know they can based on a few times they've actually said something worth reading and simply because they're a member of our RallyPoint and military community. But they won't. Such activity hurts the user experience for those looking to RP as a reputable source for information.
Think about how many RP members have complained about the mudslide of political crap geared toward bashing opposing beliefs instead of mature debates focused on increased understanding.
The RP board and site admins enable us to regulate ourselves. It's our community. Our home. Many people come here for different reasons - e.g. personal advice, career advice, comradery, loneliness, make friends, find others we've served with, share stories to help others. I personally use it for all of those and invite Vets here for those same reasons.
Every time we create or comment on a thread with useless information, we make it harder for someone to find useful information. The trail I'll blaze - making more use of the downvote and block buttons IAW http://support.rallypoint.com/customer/en/portal/articles/1401594-down-voting .
Admins, as it hasn't been updated since Jun 15, 2016, amend as you see fit.
DOWN Voting
Posted from support.rallypoint.com
Influence
Influence Points
RallyPoint
Forums
Resources
Posted 7 y ago
Responses: 4
6
6
0
I agree, COL Mikel J. Burroughs has addressed this recently. uSGT (Join to see) RP members who post those; “thanks for sharing”, “great post”, and similar entries with zero content merely to attain Trail Blazer points are needy people with an excess amount of time on their hands and probably no other contact with the outside world.
Face up to it! SGT (Join to see) Now say it after me: “Rally Point has members and ‘Trail Blazers’ who are ‘needy people’!”
Face up to it! SGT (Join to see) Now say it after me: “Rally Point has members and ‘Trail Blazers’ who are ‘needy people’!”
(6)
(0)
CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025
SGT (Join to see) At this time of evening? Given another time frame, I would check the Colonel’s voluminous posts w/in a slightly earlier time slot. Sorry.
(0)
(0)
2
2
0
Proffessor Judith Curry Resigns Over Climate Science "CRAZINESS" - Exclusive Interview
‘CRAZINESS’ in climate field leads dissenter Dr. Judith Curry to resign: ‘I have resigned my tenured faculty position at Georgia Tech’ ‘High Priestess of Glo...
I may have been guilty of this to some degree. I see you have not blocked me since I usually bring some insight from my point of view. I also post a Canadian infighting and pushback on the climate change groupthink that Canadians and American progressives that focus on man being responsible and not studying the issue more with the possibility that we are in between ice ages. 3 Canadian Provinces are taking the Canadian Federal Govt. to court to stop the increasing by year carbon taxes. There is pushback to Kyoto and it's not just our POTUS.
https://youtu.be/M6NLDWyRcQk
https://youtu.be/M6NLDWyRcQk
(2)
(0)
SGT (Join to see)
I've noted patterns recurring statements in your responses to certain topics but, as you said, you contribute to the discussion. I don't consider that crap-posting. You're dealing with personal matters and trying to get more eyes on a rarely discussed topic. I do the same with Linux, open source software, music production, LGBT, and African communities.
Crap-posting about things or in a way that does little for personal improvement or entertainment is also a big deal but unfollowing topics is the easiest way to negate that.
Crap-posting about things or in a way that does little for personal improvement or entertainment is also a big deal but unfollowing topics is the easiest way to negate that.
(2)
(0)
1
1
0
SGT (Join to see), I understand your frustration and your desire to eliminate what you consider to be useless or wasteful responses. Unfortunately, I don’t really see how to accomplish what you seek on a collective basis. Points chasers are going to continue to chase points and people are going to continue to respond as they see fit. I agree that many times a comment or a response is frivolous and wasteful in my eyes, as they are in your eyes. I see entire discussion threads created that don’t appear to be germane, at least to me. However, who decides what’s useless?
I see no remedy on a collective basis, so your own chosen path may likely be the only way to proceed.
Do you have any suggestions for RallyPoint?
I see no remedy on a collective basis, so your own chosen path may likely be the only way to proceed.
Do you have any suggestions for RallyPoint?
(1)
(0)
SGT (Join to see)
Suggestions for RP in summary:
- Implement the option for original posters to hide or remove (some type of approval process by admins) useless threads
- Reconsider the Influence points system - maybe per topic or industry. Influence points don't equal constructive activity anymore. That's probably why they stopped sending gifts to top influencers.
- Admins could give periodic statements pinned to members' homepage about recent negative trends, why it hurts the RP and military community, and maybe threaten to take points with a strike system.
SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", SSG Carlos Madden, Capt Brandon Charters
Meanwhile, warnings, downvotes and blocks help my threads.
- Implement the option for original posters to hide or remove (some type of approval process by admins) useless threads
- Reconsider the Influence points system - maybe per topic or industry. Influence points don't equal constructive activity anymore. That's probably why they stopped sending gifts to top influencers.
- Admins could give periodic statements pinned to members' homepage about recent negative trends, why it hurts the RP and military community, and maybe threaten to take points with a strike system.
SSG(P) James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4", SSG Carlos Madden, Capt Brandon Charters
Meanwhile, warnings, downvotes and blocks help my threads.
(1)
(0)
LTC Stephen C.
I’d certainly endorse revisiting the Influence Points system in some form or fashion, SGT (Join to see) However, the first and the third would still have strong elements of subjectivity within the implementation of each one. Also, I would think that statements to the RP membership might be a monumental undertaking and could be perceived as “big brother” overseeing one’s every move.
(1)
(0)
SGT (Join to see)
LTC Stephen C. - The periodic statements I spoke of would be general reports from trends any active member could notice - much like what I stated in my original statement.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google