As someone that deals out 10 rep at a time I totally understand where you are coming from. I do not believe that you can do partial rep, but I like your smiley alternative. However, we still have to give out rep semi-regularly if we want to rep the same person for multiple things. In the end, I really don't think it will be that critical. We can only rep the same person intermittently and with others repping regularly the large hit you deliver is just a piece of the overall puzzle.

Personally I look at it as a way to encourage the things I specifically like to see. If you want a serious repping post up the stuff I am forever asking for or talking about and you'll get it. Additionally, make good solid logical and/or intelligent posts and you're likely to get repped as well.

Now then, all that out of the way, don't forget as a CL we can modify rep. Both up and down.