I'm new here and trying to make some friends. Can somebody tell me how the reputation point part works. Thanks Nick.
It's a rough proxy for how useful the community has found a person's postings. However, don't get too distracted by it. Some people who really know what they are talking about have low reputation because they rarely post. Some people (like me) have accumulated a high reputation for no discernable reason.
If someone takes the time to give you a thoughtful response to a post, take them seriously regardless of their reputation. Conversely, if someone simply spouts off as if they are the fountain of knowledge, discount them regardless of their reputation.