Windows 7: Friend request opt-out?

It seems the Reputation system gives badges for positive participation & whatnot, but it also seems that if I get commended for a post, there is a Notification made and a Friend Request I have to respond to? Is that right? Is there any way to opt-out of these so that I don't have to deal with them (I've denied them to this point, and want just to auto-deny)?

the rep system has nothing to do with friends requests, it may be that someone repped you and sent you a friends request at the same time,
your not getting a request from me so dont panic.

I can't even find-out though how friend requests happen in the first place?

someone visits your page and under your friends list there is an option to befriend you, you wont see this option on your own homepage because you dont get to befriend yourself, others see it on your homepage just as you will see the option to befriend others if you visit their homepages to leave messages etc.

Someone reads a post of your they like or recognises you from another forum or likes your avatar or something, looks at your profile page and sends you a frend request "Befriend ... link".

It's a manual process, if you get one it's because someone sent one on purpose

I don't know if you can opt out myself...

[Edit] oops.. too slow as usual [/edit]

Ah, yes, I see where that is now. Good, well I had thought before that requests were done automatically all the time somehow.

Thanks you guys.

Think of all the poor people that just wanted to be your friend and you turned them away like social misfits lol