8

I got 199 reputation points today, and it seemed a little strange, because it just stopped at 199. I read up, and I discovered that there is a limit at 200 points per day. Why?

2
  • Congrats. I'd love to get 200 rep in a day. Aug 21, 2011 at 7:34
  • yes, but I really got a good bit more, so it felt a little strange that they were taken from me. :) Aug 23, 2011 at 4:35

1 Answer 1

14

The Daily Reputation Limit is primarily designed for one purpose:

  • to make you take a break

The last thing this community wants is burnt out users. In addition, it also prevents a handful of users' reputation on the site from shooting upward much too quickly. Which makes it more realistic for a newcomer to join the first page of the reputation leagues. Not that it's important. :)

Now, this reasoning, one might say, is retrofitted to the site. Generally it's just good practice in game mechanics and karma systems to never have any unbounded behaviours. It also rather takes some of the seriousness out of the 'competition'.

Lastly it makes users come back. A user who posts a great answer now and again, for many months, is much more helpful than one who shoots up the reputation ladder within two months, never to be seen again after he's entered the gruelling dungeon that is the top 10. Where it gets harder and harder to climb places.

Anyway,

take a break. :-)

See also:

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .