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Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

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Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#12
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you actually vote down someone's comment or post? I don't see a downward-pointing triangle, so I thought a only a super-user could do it. Am I missing something?

I believe you have to have a certain amount of karma. Not much, though, since I can see it with less than 20 karma.

There also seem to be other limitations, such as not being able to vote down replies to your comments or stories.

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#13
post #11
post #2

KPn = Karma for nth submission KCm = Karma for mth comment Karma = [SUM(KP1,KP2,..KPn) - n] + ROUND[0.5x(SUM(KC1,KC2...KCm) - m)]

I always get one karma point per comment point above 1. What's the basis for the 0.5 factor?

Simple answer - Submissions are more important than Comments for News.YC ;-).

If comments were given more weight tending towards that of submissions, people would have trouble moving onto the next submission, in the process of accumulating karma. I am sure YC wants people to add value through new/novel submissions.

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#14
post #13
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always get one karma point per comment point above 1. What's the basis for the 0.5 factor?

Simple answer - Submissions are more important than Comments for News.YC ;-). If comments were given more weight tending towards that of submissions, people would have trouble moving onto the next submission, in the process of accumulating karma. I am sure YC wants people to add value through new/novel submissions.

I think aston means that he thinks he gets a full point for his comment, Not what the justification of the 0.5 factor is.

I wasn't sure on this, but I didn't think it was straight 1 point so the 0.5 might be right, I am sure other people have more evidence.

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#15
post #2

KPn = Karma for nth submission KCm = Karma for mth comment Karma = [SUM(KP1,KP2,..KPn) - n] + ROUND[0.5x(SUM(KC1,KC2...KCm) - m)]

Do karma point ever go negative? If they dont (which is my view) then the sum of comments is rounded to 0 if less than 0.

Karma = [SUM(KP1,KP2,..KPn) - n] + ROUND0[0.5x((KC1,KC2...KCm) - m)]

I changed ROUND to ROUND0 where ROUND0 always returns 0 or more. Is there a math way of representing that, that I cant remember?

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#16
post #15
post #2

KPn = Karma for nth submission KCm = Karma for mth comment Karma = [SUM(KP1,KP2,..KPn) - n] + ROUND[0.5x(SUM(KC1,KC2...KCm) - m)]

Do karma point ever go negative? If they dont (which is my view) then the sum of comments is rounded to 0 if less than 0. Karma = [SUM(KP1,KP2,..KPn) - n] + ROUND0[0.5x((KC1,KC2...KCm) - m)] I changed ROUND to ROUND0 where ROUND0 always returns 0 or more. Is there a math way of representing that, that I cant remember?

This should be a philosophical question for Paul. Can the Karma be negative for a user? The trade-off then would be between absolute web democracy Vs keeping the users 'happy' (capitalistic?)

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#17
post #14
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Simple answer - Submissions are more important than Comments for News.YC ;-). If comments were given more weight tending towards that of submissions, people would have trouble moving onto the next submission, in the process of accumulating karma. I am sure YC wants people to add value through new/novel submissions.

I think aston means that he thinks he gets a full point for his comment, Not what the justification of the 0.5 factor is. I wasn't sure on this, but I didn't think it was straight 1 point so the 0.5 might be right, I am sure other people have more evidence.

Sorry about that aston and immad. Even I believe its not 0.5 deterministically, but I think it averages to 0.5. The system appears far more adaptive/dynamic than a completely deterministic model as suggested by the formula. But again, its a model.

My friend, up-voted me once each for two separate comments, but my Karma remained the same. As a matter of fact, I observed something similar with the submissions as well. This could imply the following -

1. Karma calculation is not interrupt driven, but its timeout based (I probably hadn't waited long enough!) OR

2. The weight for the comments (/submissions?) could be a function of user Karma, with an average of 0.5 (I probably did wait long enough!) OR

3. My friend's up-voting was suspicious (Highly doubt it!!)

My bet is on 1 and/or 3.

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#18
post #11
post #2

KPn = Karma for nth submission KCm = Karma for mth comment Karma = [SUM(KP1,KP2,..KPn) - n] + ROUND[0.5x(SUM(KC1,KC2...KCm) - m)]

I always get one karma point per comment point above 1. What's the basis for the 0.5 factor?

I've noticed this as well. I start at 1 and anything higher adds one. The karma formula just seems to be very simple. Add one for every up vote and subtract one for every down vote you get from other people on anything.

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#19
The system seems to work well and I see no reason to make it more complicated. In the ideal world you might get more karma for stories you've written yourself as opposed to stories you found elsewhere and submitted, or perhaps there might by a leader board for the highest average submission rating, but the current system seems to get the job done.

Re: Is the YC News Karma formula this simple?

#20
post #17
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think aston means that he thinks he gets a full point for his comment, Not what the justification of the 0.5 factor is. I wasn't sure on this, but I didn't think it was straight 1 point so the 0.5 might be right, I am sure other people have more evidence.

Sorry about that aston and immad. Even I believe its not 0.5 deterministically, but I think it averages to 0.5. The system appears far more adaptive/dynamic than a completely deterministic model as suggested by the formula. But again, its a model. My friend, up-voted me once each for two separate comments, but my Karma remained the same. As a matter of fact, I observed something similar with the submissions as well.…

How'd your friend up vote the same comment twice? As far as I know, the system only counts one vote per user per comment or post.
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