Reputation systems on earnings sites..

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I have joined a couple of sites - besides mylot - that have a reputation points system where you can gather points based on your participation and work on the site, and then they have the earnings page. I have relised that it is important to have high reputation even though it is not directly translated to more earnings. I think that the reputation is equally important because it is valued by the other members and it gives some extra points to our writings (which can be discussions for mylot, articles or reviews for other websites, etc.). Therefore at some point, I found myself doing actions to earn more reputation points and I thought it was equally important with the earning points! Personally, I think that the reputation points system has advantages and disadvantages. It shows the level of participation and the experience of the members but it's hard for new members to prove that they deserve to be valued members of the websites and they don't write nonsense just for money. In another site that I am working on, I often see old members being very strict with the newbies while they give their ratings to older members without second thoughts! Do you think that having reputation systems to earning websites is fair, and do the reputation points affect your perception on new or older members?