Discussions in %afda regarding points

Discussions regarding points
From: Howard Gardner <hgardner@hgardner.com>
Subject: Froup points
Date: 30 May 1999
Ok, I think it's about time to document the scoring system.

There are a number of ways to gain points:

I. The Intrinsic Obref Value

The Intrinsic ObRef value (IOV) represents the number of times someone must read the book, listen to the radio series, watch the movie, watch the series, or play the game in order to recognize the ObRef.

II. Basic ObRef

A basic ObRef is one that is made and identified in the same post.

A basic ObRef adds the IOV to the poster's score.

Should the poster misidentify a basic ObRef, then 2xIOV is deducted from his/her score.

Basic ObRef points are not deducted from anywhere.

III. Stealth ObRef

A stealth ObRef is one that is made but not identified by the poster.

The scoring value of a Stealth ObRef accumulates over time, and is inversely proportional to its intrinsic value:

P = (D + 1)x10/IOV
Where P is the point value and D is the number of days that the points remain unclaimed.

If the original poster claims the points, then his score is increased by the point value.

If another froupie claims the points, then the claimant's score is increased by the point value, and the original poster's score is reduced by 10x the point value.

If anyone misidentifies the ObRef, then 2x the point value is deducted from his or her score.

IV. FAQ Violation

Violate the faq, and you lose 1/10 of your current score or 10 points, whichever is greater.

V. MFAQ Violation

Violate the mfaq, and you lose all of your current score or 1000 points, whichever is greater.

VI. Other Means of Gaining Points

There are no other ways to gain points, except of course by sending me money. ($1.00 US each.)
From: "sleepyhead" <sleepyhead@homehead.com>
Subject: Re: Froup points
Date: 31 May 1999
Ah, but what do you get for the points? Well, I know! Here's a handy point receipt...

sleepyhead's Point Remittance Form:

________ has received _______ points. Please retain this receipt for prize claims.

PRIZE LIST:

100 Points: Spam! Wonderful Spam! Absolutely Free to your e-mailbox!
500 Points: a Hotmail account
1000 Points: 5 megs of webspace at Geocities
5000 Points: XXX hot sex porn delivered thrice weekly to your e-mailbox
10000 Points: a sleepyhead^TM sticker pac
50000 Points: a sleepyhead^TM t-shirt
100000 Points: a Harrier Jet
From: st@ferd2.thristian.org (Screwtape)
Subject: Re: Froup points
Date: 01 Jun 1999
Howard Gardner schrieb:

<summary of how-to-get-points snipt>

I disagree. I think we should investigate the possibility of trade with other froups. For example, probably many other literary fan froups give out points or credits, and I think it would be to our advantage to set up an exchange rate for afdapoints and other froups' currencies. That way, if we trade regulars or share them, points can be communicated between the two.

And besides, points are too nebulous a concept. I believe we should accept the Leaf as legal tender.
From: Kenny Hutchings <kenny_hutchings@email.com>
Subject: Re: I need a job.
Date: 24 Jun 1999
Motti wrote:

>
> I never could understand this obsession with accumulating points.
> Surely as points are unidimensional objects even an infinite number of
> them should take up no room at all and by extrapolation, can be of no
> use at all. So basically it doesn't matter how many points you have
> [as long as you have at lease one, which I don't AFAIK] if put
> together they'll all collapse and be isomorphic to one single point.
>

Points are quantum. You're using classical Einsteinian pointage theory, which works in principle, but it doesn't explain, for example, why iain never seems to accumulate enough points to get that lemon-soaked paper napkin even though it's always him who gets the DNA refs. Iain's case can hardly be disregarded, and so we have to assume your classical pointage theorem is wrong, and go with a much more modern view. It's difficult to accept, I know, but it's true. Points exist until you take a measurement of them. What happens after that gets very nasty, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hasn't at least studied surreal mathematics.

Find out more about points here