fanpop Article: The fanpop hommage Flaw

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posted by Katreader

The concept of the hommage is wonderful. fanpop is a user based site and users should have the ability to reward others for their hard work. I also agree with the idea behind hommage Day. It should serve as a reminder to all users to give that reward. However, the hommage system has become flawed. Very flawed. I happened upon a user profil and saw several props. I looked to see when the user started Fanpopping and saw that it had only been two months. Wow! This person must have added tons of content. So I looked at the activity. No liens had been added, no videos, no images (mind you, the profil had 5 hommages for images), no forum activity, no picks, no quizz questions and one comment. This person had a total of 19 hommages and the only activity was one comment. How could this be possible? I then looked at the individual props. Mainly they a dit welcome to Fanpop, thanks for fanning me, and the like. I’m sorry; hommages should be a reward for adding content, preferably quality content, to the site. I don’t blame the user, but I blame the Fanpoppers who give hommages without a reason. If toi want to thank someone for being a fan of yours ou giving toi a hommage send that person a nice message. Look at their activity and if they have added some good content, then give them a hommage for that content.

I probably should not be as frustrated as I am. After all, these people are enjoying the site and having fun. They’re not hurting me…or anyone else. It’s just the principle of the matter. The profil I mentioned as an example is not the only one like that. I have encountered many similar profiles where the users have hommages for categories in which they have added nothing to the site. I work very hard, as I’m sure most Fanpoppers do, to provide good content. I’ve been on fanpop for a an longer than my example. I also have 5 hommages for my images. However, as of today, I have added 175 images where this person hasn’t added any. Am I bitter? Maybe. I’m not asking for people to give me hommages either, I even feel guilty for receiving hommages that I don't think I deserve, (rating my content would be nice though, wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Perhaps the Fab Four could add another hommage category, an “I just wanted to say thanks and brighten your day” category. Then Fanpoppers could give that hommage indiscriminately. Until that time, however, I ask that Fanpoppers give hommages to users as a reward for the actual content they have added.

BJsRealm, lildwaynelolz and 60 others like this

ToastedRabbits I completely agree with you. Props don't seem that rewarding if you hand them out so freely, and you can't appreciate them as much if you're given them constantly for things you don't really deserve them for. I think it's the newer users mostly who weren't here to begin with, and don't understand the unique value they once had.

em_em OMGosh this is exactly how I feel about 'thank you' props! It really is nice to get props for the things you've done. I don't know about anyone else but it make me feel valued as a fanpopper. I also like to get messages saying thanks when I've fanned someone. I've had a few props given to me to say 'thanks' or 'happy ...' and yes its nice to get a message like that but I didn't invent Christmas, I don;t need a prop for it! (Not meaning to offend anyone here!) Also I know you can delete these props from the list but I feel unfair doing this after people took the effort to send them (even after what I've just said) I would just feel mean!

deathnote I also agree with you! this is the exact reason of why props and messages should be used carefully... Next thing you know your messageing a prop and propping a message...

amazondebs i also completly agree many people cheat the medal system with fake accounts, props should be the thing you really get rewarded for, i myself got two props today which were both answers to a picks i had made, I'm not sure if the user doesn't realize that props are rewards not a conversion wall or if they are giving me props for good picks....which to be honest only one of them was remotely original lol i mean if you really want to prop someone it can't be that hard to find something of theirs that you like to prop them for....bit of a insult to the user if the only thing you can think of is "thanks" lol

Cinders Oh, I so hear you, Katreader. The misuse of props drives me bonkers!

germany123 i agree and i will add this to my [url=http://www.fanpop.com/spots/fanpop/articles/7856]article[/url] along with temptasias article on "the proper use of props"..

Andolion I agree with you to some extent because it is sometimes nice to get props just because someone wanted to be nice, but only sometimes.

vider69 I agree with the thank you props idea, it would be a great way just to thank someone for whatever.

astroasis I agree that it would be nice to have an "other" category for props... but to be perfectly honest, it doesn't bother me one bit what other people do with their props or how many they have or why they got them.

DoctorSpud I wholeheartedly agree. Faved article.

ineedcoffee Great article, and so agree.

ArabellaElfie I'm with you on this.

tushtush I completely agree. It gets on my nerves so much!

Katreader Thanks everyone for your support, and adding me to your article Germany. Perhaps this article will enlighten some users, or not, but I feel better for having written it.

Cammie I agree with you, Kat. I'm not overly against a Merry Christmas prop for instance but "thanks for being a fan" kinda props are useless and have no merit. Also I noticed some users have "conversation" props which means they have little chats whilst propping each other for no reason at all. This is an actual example of what a read on a user's prop wall recently: "Hey ?, haven't spoken to you for a while so here's a prop." Meaningless. Very good article with sensible points made. A prop should indeed be earned and you have *props* for this. Plus 5 stars. Ooh, am I feeling generous or what? Nah, you deserve both!

CSIAly I was thinking they should make a special prop for things like celebrations or to brighten your day, things like that :D. Personally I don't prop people just to have a good day unless I know they're having a stressful one or something like that. I don't generally send out props for things like Pi Day or Secretary Day or anything like that but for people's birthday it's like sending a nice card I think =D. And yes I'm guilty for chatting via prop but I try very hard to keep the "conversation" on the reason for the prop (i.e. a thread game where I comment on the game or people playing the game). So all in all I agree with the whole propping for no reason thing, when I receive a prop and I check the comment for it and it's something like 'Happy Pi Day!' I'm glad someone is in such a cheerful mood as to send a nice prop to people but I don't much care for it :D.

goddessoflife I got a thank you prop. I don't mind them, but it's better to know you worked for them.

bri-marie I got a prop for a video I added. I was so confused; I've yet to add a video and the person who gave me the prop was not someone I was a fan of, nor were they a fan of me.

Emily_is_COOl Yeah! Some people even hace prop wars, they give like 5 props for no reason!

dangerdays I admit i gave a prop to each of my fans the other day but i wanted to make them smile as id had a really shitty day and didnt want anyone feeling how i felt.I studied their activity before i propped them some are known for putting awesome videos and images out so they were already sorted.

Freakoutnow When someone adds me I'll only give them props and then say thanks for adding me after I've checked their contributions.It's so much more special when their a reward!