"mealy mouthed"? not at all Ron, you have earned the right to speak your piece more than almost anyone else here my friend.
Thanks so much for your feedback!
The reputation system was never intended to replace the existing friendly discourse between forum members, it was only meant to be another way that a given member could show thanks to another for their input. As a matter of fact, no single member need even participate in this system at all, as we all have the option to turn it off if we so desire.
Ron, I completely agree with you that nothing is a better thank-you than a follow-up post, and I would hope that every member would use this as their primary method to show thanks in a discussion. I do feel however, that the reputation system is another good, and yes public way to indicate thanks, since reputation points will accumulate, showing how helpful a members has been over time. It is certainly a more public thank you than a Private Message or an email.
In short, anyone can use the reputation system or any other system, or not, but respect and thanks will still be exchanged and earned the old fashion way, but giving and showing respect to one another in each member's own individual way.
I will concede to you that the reputation system is flawed, as there is no number of reputation points that will ever amount to the respect & thanks that I and most every other member here has for you.
Cheers Ron,
~Otto