Intmon, any update on the status of this?

I agree wholeheartedly with JP and most of the other posters here. Let me add another thought --

I suspect perhaps things are a bit overcomplicated in that we have two levels of ranking and rewards. Each poster has two unrelated ranks: 1) AP level, and 2) post count. I believe someone here suggested removing the post count, and that's what got me thinking about this. Why don't we do that? If we had no post count taking place, then there would be little point in post whoring, and then all rewards could be strictly AP-based (such as accessing Addicts once you reach a certain AP level).

I also agree that anonymous APs are a good idea. Mnstrgirl -- granted, there is accountability and a discouragement against alliances, but there is still nonetheless abuse, just in another form now. Now that you can sign your name to a neg, some users abuse the system by using negs for personal vendettas and NOT forum moderation. Case in point, I get many "you're stupid" negs from PM in his countless incarnations, just because I cheesed him off a while back. This form of "AP trolling" seems just as much an abuse as the alliances. However, I presume the alliances could be snuffed by the moderators, could they not?

I think I see the point JP is trying to make with his various suggestions as of late. We need to change our management mindset from pleasing users to simply streamlining and improving the effectiveness of the site and its content.