Personally I hate this type of karma system.
I get smites all the time whenever I make a post about an idaea being bad even if I'm polite and I give several reasons to base my opinion on. Whereas when I post a shoopdawhoop and my karma rises. And yes I noticed the tendency... -> it is based on grudge and not constructive posts...
I once visited a forum of an MMO browser based strategy (queosia.com - the english version) and it had a karma system where you had to tell why you gave - or + karma and it showed to the victim. Also the higher karma you had the more it counted. And if you were in negative your smites/applauds didn't count. I'd love that instead of this or more likely I'd love if this karma would be turned off...
ed.: lol I post this and another smite... it'd be good to know at least which posts of mine attract the smiters

-2 now! Lava also had his dropped by 5 now, just after his post. See?

- complete nonsense...