Does anyone give gifts?

[sharonb]

In another thread someone asked about the gift system on Stitchin fingers.
The gifts are something that NING (the hosting and software company that is the backbone of Stitchin Fingers) introduced. They aim to increase participation. I have mixed feelings about these sorts of things as I think a community is either real or it is not and all the encouragement and pushing in the world does not make a community.

Anyway, gifts on the site all cost Ning credits. Ning credits are like virtual money to buy gifts for friends. You can see your Ning Credit balance at any time on your Settings page.

I assume people earn them by being active on the site rather than buy them via paypal. If credits are purchased I don't get any percentage on gift sales Ning does. So purchasing this form of virtual money does not help support the network. To be honest if I could turn off gift purchases paid for with real money I would as the whole virtual money credit thing makes me very uncomfortable. 

I am considering trying to find a way of either just having them as credits that people can earn by participating on the site and no real money options available or not having them on the site at all.

However I notice some people use them. I assume they are the freebie kind not the paid for kind.

What do people think of them? If I can find a way to turn them off (which I am not sure I can) do people want them left as is or not?

[Lydia Stevenson]

I have been gifted a lovely bunch of flowers... but I don't know how to return a gift other than giving a red ribbon. I don't know how this works but then I am a bit of a computer network novice.

[Laurel]

Sharon - I love the idea that I can send another member a special 'something', but I agree with you that no money should be involved.  Credits based on participation in the Stitchin Finger site is a great idea. In the end, encouraging comments mean so much more.