Good list. Indeed, it has a butterfly effect as ButterflyEffect knows. It potentially makes a comment author smile and feel valuable to the community. It potentially makes a comment author know that someone in the vast universe found his/her offering click-worthy.Somewhere in Missouri, it turns a light off. And then on. And then off.
Correction: I believe it is in Michigan, not Missouri.It adds wasta to a user's reservoir of kudos
What that means no-cheating is that mk, otherwise known around these parts as god has created a secret sauce (algorithm) that takes many factors into account causing dots to appear on the wheel next to your name. This might include #of comments and might also include #of comment dots. No one knows for sure. mk can correct me on this - but will likely keep the secret sauce secret.
I also wanted to ask, how are the dots on the hubwheel next to my username in the top left corner calculated. Now as you told me that it's a secret recipe, I'll think twice. I might get on myself the rage of god, who may take me as some kind of thief.