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Why are reputation thresholds so inconsistent?

So, I was trying to patrol an edit, but I kept getting told that my reputation wasn't high enough to do so (currently at 3314). However, I checked the actual device page, and the reputation threshold for approving edits is only 500 (the default). I checked some other pages, and this keeps occurring. Can somebody explain why this is?

Also, I used to be able to start a "Accept as Solution" moderator vote, but I can't do that anymore, why is that? I can still vote on existing moderator actions, but I can't start that one specific action. I can still start "switch to" and "remove" votes, though.

Edit: Okay, wait, apparently I can start the vote on some answers, but not others? This is getting weird.

Edit 2: I think I figured out why I can't start the vote sometimes. It won't let me start the vote on any answer made by a "moderator". However, this just creates new questions. How do users become moderators? Is there a threshold for doing so? Is there a program that they go through? Is it by seniority? Is it by reputation? Is it by the amount of badges?

Edit 3: Also, some guides just don't have a visible reputation threshold, why is that? (I don't mean the threshold is 0, I mean it doesn't actually have the slider.)

Attached: What happened when I tried to approve the edit, and proof that the threshold to approve edits is only 500. Also, what happens sometimes when I try to start a vote, and what happens other times

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Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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@shingle certain areas do not allow anybody but the ifixit admins/staff to do the edit. For example, the Wiki area shows that I do "not have enough reputation to edit" any of the ones in that category. I believe this one done to maintain some order in the house :-) Otherwise we could have all kinds of devices "flying" around and would probably lose proper categorization etc.

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Hi @shingle, all great questions!!

For editing those pages it depends on what you're looking at. For example, as for adding the description to the Nokia C210, there is a pending edit that has to go though an admin patrol.

As far as becoming a moderator, it happens in a few ways. Generally it's based off of:

  • type, quality, and number of answers/written guides
  • breadth of knowledge demonstrated
  • overall rapport on the site (among community members and admin)
  • unanimous nominations/agreeing from all current moderators and admin

I'll look into the lack of "Accept as Solution". That's a strange one that I can't answer off of the top of my head.

Can you send me a link to a guide that has no slider?

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@shingle It's set to infinite; that's why. When you see it set that way, it's moderation/admin only. Some people are REALLY uneasy about user edits on their guides. iFixit made guides have always done this (this one is iFixit made).

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@nick Oh, okay, thanks.

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We can set custom thresholds on guides and Wikis we make, as well as guides. For example I generally set guides I am actively maintaining to 30,000 minimum to edit but that's because I have had issues with spam edits and the "peanut gallery" so I make it ineffective with a high minimum that anyone who spends ~1 year establishing their name here can meet, 2 if you're not as active. It's so I know that I can generally trust the work as I have had issues before.

Anyone can still edit it, I just need to approve it (as well as admin or even someone with that ceiling) under 30k. I've raised it over time from ~10k or so (based on reputation at the time; I try to keep it reasonable which is why I picked 30k at 84,547). Once I commit to the number, I consider it a "fixed" number I will continue to respect and honor in that guide's current form until I make major changes that make it a "new guide" on an old link that is established.
BTW the other thing is I rarely retroactively go back in time and change a 15k guide to 30k for example. That said the moment I do any major overhaul I do bump it up to the 30k minimum.

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Okay, yeah, that makes sense. However, the device page I was talking about didn't have a custom threshold. It had a reputation threshold of 500, which I met. That's the part that's confusing me.

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@shingle Major category changes require admin approval now. Changing from one to the other fits that issue.

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But that's the thing, the edit wasn't a recategorization, it was just someone adding a description.

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shingle will be eternally grateful.