Charles wrote:
When the requestee is asking for code and the poster who answers with detailing code, he is the one who get the negative votes when in reality it should be the other way around.

Erik wrote:
It should be fairly clear from the fact that "gimme code" is a negative that "the poster who answers with detailing code" goes against the spirit of the forum.

Exact! Bloody hell, that's the most senseless discussion we ever had!
A newbie came to this forum and asked for a methode to convert 40bit to decimal. Well, this was so much smelling like 'homework', that is was nearly 'stinking'. If I were a teacher, then I would give exactly such a homework, as I know, that 32bit and 16bit conversions can easily be found in any code library, but not 40bit conversions. It would be a good exercise to adapt a 32bit routine to a 40bit conversion.

Then, Michael came and gave him the total code on silver plate: A brillant piece of work, that cannot be furtherly improved! The right stuff best suited to be immediately published in a every text book! A gift directly from heaven...

BUT: Although being perfect from a technical point of view, two guys seem to have thought, that giving a newbie such a piece of excellent code, is not at all a good idea and they seem to have voted their inivdual opinion by using the negative Karma point of typus 'Gimmee Code'. To me there's no doubt at all, that they wanted to focuse, that the subject of their critique is the giving of ready made, perfect and brillant code to a newbie who has to make his homework...

Equally of whether giving ready made code on silver plate is a good thing or not, it should be the approved right of every member of this forum to vote his individual opinion. And this voting of individual opinion is not suited to be valued in any way. Otherwise the whole Karma stuff does not make any sense!!!

I must tell you, that I thought it not at all to be a good idea, that Michael started a new thread only having the subject that he has recieved two negative Karma points. I asked myself: 'Is it so hard for Michael to accept to recieve two negative Karma points, that a new thread must be started focusing this? What shall others say, who got their replies deleted and this three times in a row, as it happened to Prahlad, for instance? Did he started a new thread complaining about his story?

And I ask myself, is this the begin of an endless series of threads like 'Why did you give me a negative Karma point?'

I must tell you that this whole Karma stuff begins to make me sick! Why can people complicate something that is so deadly simple as the Karma points stuff? Why are many members here so obstinate and grim with these Karma points? Why got the Karma points such a negative karma??

Why don't you take the Karma points as a chance, as a pleasure? Why don't you spread your Karma points all over this forum? Why don't you give your Karma points to people who made posts which inspired you or surprised you? Instead of this you distrustfully look arround, who might be the one giving you this terrible and deadly negative Karma point...

I can tell you, for me it's a pleasure to give a positive Karma point to Raghunathan, to Russell, to Prahlad, to Steve, to Michael, to Erik, to Andy, to everyone I ever gave a positive Karma point. And yes, from time to time I also give a negative Karma point. But that's part of the game, and nobody should be shocked by this. So, please members, take the Karma points as a chance to make the forum richer, just give them, and maybe you will recieve some positive Karma points from this day on...

Please think positive, when contributing to this forum. Give all the Karma points you can share and you will see, this will make the voting much more balanced and fair.

The meaning of these Karma points is not to recieve them, but to give them!

Kai