Simple as that.
Some forums (most) have reputation systems, player can give + or - rep to others based on their activity on the forums and such, each user only being able to give just one to the other user.
What would the above user's REP be until now if the Reputation System was since the beginning?
For the record: REP Systems are in numbers.. not in objects, sentiments or anything like that.
0, because there's no one above me.
