torjusg said:
I don't know what has being going on, but wouldn't it be possible to make the rep system only go in positive direction?
Im not sure that would help, the current abuse of the system is probably not restricted to leaving negative reputation.
Some cliques may be using the system to artificially increase the reputation of their own circle without justification, by repeatedly awarding each other reputation.
The forum software has a feature to prevent this under normal circumstances, it prevents you from increasing the same persons reputation twice consecutively until you have given reputation to a certain number of other members (5, I think)
Unfortunately I suspect that some cliques have realised that if your circle is bigger than 5 people you can just give everyone in your group reputation and then start again, with them doing the same for you. or the other possibility if your clique is smaller is to get all your friends to sign up to BCUK and give you reputation, then spread rep around randomly until they can award you again, and repeat.
Very childish really, but it would appear that some people just arent above such behaviour