We're approaching the time when reputation for all members will be re-indexed.

As has previously been described, in our previous system reputation had a fuzzy definition. While a member could earn reputation through the usual up/downvotes, a member's activity could also generate reputation. For example, logging in on a daily basis would give you +1 reputation each login. Posting a blog, voting in the screenshot showdown, or posting an article would also generate reputation (at times +100!).

But activity is not representative of how others in the community gauge your helpfulness, knowledge, or general contribution. In addition, the previous system does not match the new system where your reputation is only representative of your up/downvotes, which means the reputation still is not a representative value.

To correct this, we will re-index the reputation for all members and remove all reputation points not earned through up/downvotes. Meaning, your reputation value will no longer include your site activity points, but it will include all of the up/downvotes you've received.

A lot of members have a lot of reputation points, and in most cases the re-index will result in a severe drop in reputation value.

So what about those reputation points based on activity? They have to be worth something, right?

They are. All the activity reputation points will be converted into Pixels. We're finalizing how those points will be converted, but the current plan is for the conversion to align the activity with the Pixel awards in the new system. Site note: If you haven't figured it out yet, you earn Pixels through activity on the site. More activity through contributions to the community = more Pixels.

We'll go into more about Pixels later. For now, I wanted to communicate this upcoming change and give the community an opportunity to provide feedback or ask questions.