Why do we lose 5 points for posting a question?

Yeah, it's kind of like a teacher in school who discourages asking questions!

You're only in the hole if you refuse to answer. This is not a forum. It is a Q&A site. Which means there are two parts that must keep it going; a question and an answer. Without one of these, the site does not exist in it's Q&A format. So by putting you 2 in the hole, they are encouraging you to answer at least one question for every one you ask. I rarely say this about Y!A, but it's really quite logical.

The point is to make people put some thought into the questions the post. It's also a mechanism to help prevent people from spamming the boards with too many garbage questions.

The thing is, you get 3 points back for choosing a best answer. So it works out to only costing 2 points.

Because you earn your points by answering, not by asking. I imagine that it keeps the trolls to a minimum as well.

You only have to answer 3 questions and you've got your 5 back plus an extra one so it is not exactly a hardship is it?

Because the name states it all.. Yahoo answers.. they encourage you to help others with their q's.. Most of the time if I ask a Q I will answer enough to make up the points I lost..

It's to keep you answering questions and not just clogging up the forums with troll questions like "Y DO U BELEEVE IN GOD?". This isn't a forum that needs to be "kept alive" it's meant to find answers to questions you have.

What happens when you hit 0 ponts?

Can you go negative points?

Is there life after 0?

Some people believe there is, and that everything will be better. I think 'that's it '

So you answer questions instead of asking them all the time

It's like the Co2 thing. The more productive you are the more you get screwed.

For that matter, why are points involved at all? Why can't we just ask and answer questions as we please, and forget about who has more points?