Well I agree 100% with your Bee, but unlike us, F&S does not want all these people to leave their site. For webpage advertising purposes, the more hits the site gets a day the more money F&S can charge for advertising. They are first and foremost a business and are in business to make money.

So I am confident they will not change anything that will get users to leave, but what F&S could do, is make the site a little more user friendly. On the answer section, add in a search function, make the posts capable of being edited. With these functions we should see less "dumb" and repeat questions, but F&S also should not lose users, if anything they would gain more users who could use the old answer section as an informative database of outdoor info.

Editors, are you listening?

I totally agree and besides, what manufacturer would pick me to begin with because there product more than likely is a piece of trash and isn’t worthy to even being on my list of equipment.. LOL!

If someone wants all my points, you can have them!!!!

I DON”T CARE!!!!

AND FAR AS EQUIPMENT GOES, I HAVE WHAT I BASICALLY NEED!

But if there is a Manufacturer who is worthy and wishes for me to evaluate there there goods, I will put it to the test and give it back them or donate it to someone who really needs it!

I post one word comments occasionally when the question warrents a simple answer or vote. Not every question needs a 2 paragraph answer. I, like most everyone, am on here for fun and information not to see how many points I can earn and gear I can get. This is why Wpiti's comment stuck out to me, b/c i recieved a -1 for a one word comment I left on "which gun should I get: this or that?" Sure you can give your reasons for why you would choose one, but if 5 people have given ample justification for their choice then why should I be penalized for giving my opinion without an explanation? (like it matters) It's not the points I care about. Not griping, I'm just saying this all shouldn't be so serious.

As for Bkeeper's suggestion to do away with the points system, that is fine with me. I did sign up for the gear, but I won't lose any sleep if I never get anything. So take them away.

It was in the not too distant past that there was no point system and we got along just fine. We would be fine again without them.
It has really been fun using this site the last few years and I look forward to more. Amazing! some of the stuff you learn here. BTW I stopped looking to see how many points I have early last year.

Agreed. Mostly. I am here for the wealth of information available. I always take advice with a grain of salt but I'm generally very weary of a sales associate. Hearing advice from people who have nothing to gain from it is different. I understand a ranking system for users, However I think it would be more useful to have a short description of what areas you are and are not interested in.
I am not here for the Gear, I am fortunate enough to get pro-deals on a decent range of outdoor items.
Get rid of the points, make the testing based on knowledge and helpfulness rather than rewarding sasquatch questions.

i kinda agree and disagree
agree
some people just post stuff for points
dont give good answers but get points

disagree
i still want to test gear but that isnt what i think about all the time

Tough question. The giveaways are good for market research. If I were a manufacturer, I would want some reassurance that a capable and articulate person did the review. But others who are not quite as literate may spend more time hunting and fishing, and would be better qualified to judge . I guess I am happy to see most of the comments, and I can spot something that is just a marker to get points. But it's not my say. I don't need their gear, and I very likely have different tastes and needs, Hunting and fishing are different from one end of this country to another. I like Field and Stream primarily because of the role the magazine's owner played in Retriever Trials when that started. The Field and Stream Perpetual Trophy is still going strong after over 70 years. I like the web site and certain contributors may be influential in steering the industry. This is entertainment for me, and will fall by the wayside when dawg training begins. I might add that certain sections have no place in this magazine. Take advantage of the rights we still have and quit bitching! It does absolutely no god I like the idea of going to a remote lake with camping gear and a canoe, or going to a cornfield before daylight on a frosty Fall day. There must be a Paranoia website for those others to attend.

Some questions are silly but they are easy to read past.

My guess is if everyone had "0" points starting tomorrow then it would be a renewed race to get then keep the lead in points. Hence, no change.

I think the whole point thing and the promise to test gear is to promote activity, good or bad.

At first I was going to post a resounding agreement, but now that I think of it, there is a solution that keeps the points and the gear testing, and will still kill off the goons. No points simply for posting something. The only points are through good ratings from the users and editors. The goofballs will give up when they aren't getting any plus ones, and the people that really know their stuff will still have a chance at gear.

Ahh screw it. Ditch the points. I'm not signed up anyways.

Either change would be great, now it's just problematic.

I'm new here, so my opinion isn't worth much. But I agree that the points just encourage people to post dumb stuff and one word comments. Shane's right that they could change the format for earning points, but why not just dump it. They can pick people to test gear based upon the posts that they make. Anyway, I'm not signed up either. If I want to write a product test I'll just write about something I bought myself.

Well said, Bee

I only came to this site last year,never used the computer much.One of the best things about learning to use it has been finding this place it's like geting a new magazine each day only better.I never give the points a thought.I love reading and talking about hunting and guns with people who have used them or have been places I can only dream about.My family would laugh at that comment because I have been to a number of different states and the amount of hunting I do.It's not the points it's the knowledge gained.

Hey bee look at all the points you are racking up here. Dang wish I had thought of this one yuk, yuk.

Points?...We Don't need no stinkin' Points!
I forgot about the points actually. Good idea

The quality of questions and answers were much higher before the point/gear testing came into existence.

I agree

the answers section gets too much activity, it'd be good if the best stuff didnt get crowded out. So if any of it is just point-grabbing it ought to go.

myself, to test gear I never even entered properly for that, so don't figure anything puts me here but wanting to keep up with you guys

I hate questions like that...even if they are good ...Pro Like Maost have said ....Bad questions are gone as far as answers go there are so many topics/answers that are not cut and dry and alot depends on the upbringing/experience of the poster hence some disagreements ( I think of is a 30-30 enough for grizzly) >>>>\\Con I trust alot of ya'lls experience and I would like gear to be reviewed by an unbiased source that is not woried about ad campaign money etc So I am torn between the two...Fact is if the points went away I would stay

From 1986 to 1990 at Eielson AFB Alaska, I was the President of the Base Exchange Sportsmen Council and the Vendors worst NIGHTMARE! But we did have the best of what was actually needed with no FOO FOO stuff!!!

I was in the BX one day getting more spoons to go Salmon fishing at Valdez and a fella walked up and asked what was the best bait to use? Dynamite works pretty good! This guy evidently was just out of ATF school, had no prior experience in anything except probably changing diapers if not his own and had no sense of humor! Did I have fun with him and later became one of the frequent shooters at the range.

Clay,
I have no problem with naive, or amateur questions, I plead guilty in these areas many times. Asking them is how we learn. I also enjoy trivia as well as anyone. Neither do I mind multiple answers and corrections, that is part of the fun of chatting and making friends. However, sometimes entries look suspiciously made solely for racking up points.

I'll be around no matter what the format.

To me, this blog is like an Ol’Country Store or better yet on some shooting or camp where Old Friends get together, drink coffee and talk about the good ol’times and help someone with a project..LOL :)

Take everyone here, to me you all are best of ol’friends, we just haven’t met yet!

I agree with y'all the points ain't important it's the shared knowledge and the BSing with semi like minded individuals.

And sometimes the pleasure of antagonizing antis and the lliberal lot that likes to put down the traditions of others.
Like I said before I don't know everything but I know I like this site and most of y'all on it.

Hey kolbster

Just ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZ!!! past those dumb questions like I do..LOL!!

Happy Myles

You better not run off! LOL!

I had a thought. What if the point totals were kept, but it was set up so we couldn't see them and the rankings weren't shown? We'd be back to having it where the Ed's are the only ones seeing things, not the folks making a mad scramble for that next star....I realize the site depends on the advertisers and the traffic to be commercially viable.

Hey, I just got my second star. I'm gonna go out and try to pick up chicks!