Frankly, I use what votes I see mostly as an indicator that the node elicited some level of response, but I don't use the votes to tell me that node was a "good" one. Front paging a node, or eliciting an active, non-technical debate can garner a lot of votes.

Let's face it, the voting system is an integral part of PM, one that various members find useful, and others that see it as a distraction. There are a Lot of Members here.

One value of the XP system that I think often gets overlooked is that it most likely is a primary driver of further involvement. It's a curiosity or chatchkie that in some way (small or large) helps members stay involved - which is very important to PM.

There are many reasons and ways to debate quality vs quantity in posts and replies, and the usefulness of votes. But quantity comes first, and I think the continuing activity, and the votes, bring members back more often, and keep them looking to contribute however they can.

That's a Good Thing.