Ideas for new User designatons

[Todd-67]

We like the ability to plus one peoples advice, it rewards good advice rather than just number of posts. Otherwise the tantric poster is going to be top!

I also agree. Just because you post a lot doesn't mean you advice is relevant or even accurate. I have seen a lot of that here with high post counters.

The post counts should be removed all together and replaced by a rating system where the peers rate the replies and posts by the member. Many a newbie has been led astray or discouraged by bad advice. This applies to most forums not just this one. I have been a mod and admin on other boards on differerent topics and seen the post count wars.

I would also encorage a bio section where users will need to post a short explanation of their backround, goals, and experince level before posting on the main board. Then other members can know how to better answer thier questions.

[Sebastian Finke]

... I myself don't personally care about them but I think certain posters do.

We won't mention names...

[curious aardvark]

so nice discussion - any suggestions ?
I'm still thinking, might go with printer designations. haven't decided on whether to use categories or actual brands yet :-)
Figure if I went for brands eddie ciould make them sponsor it lol
what's a 1000 post category worth to you davos ?
;-)

[Eddie]

I think using brands could be a bad idea. That means that if we do sponsors, they will always be changing, and it would also in essence be ranking different brands. Some brands may see it as a negative.

[Ama-fessional Molder]

They should be set more along the lines of how much posting you do rather than the titles like "engineer" and stuff.

I am not an engineer. I should not have engineer next to my name. (yet, give me a few more years)

Initially that was somewhat misleading to me, because when I see engineer next to a name I assume they can answer my question. Here though, you can have a few thousand posts of drivel if someone is careful enough to not break rules, and that title would imply that they have a clue while in fact being completely false.

[Ama-fessional Molder]

And since the last post was 199, this will bump my title to engineer in training without contributing anything at all to the forum. Though strangely this useless post winds up being on topic here in this thread. Nothing "engineer" about this.

[Barnard]

Here I am - first post and checking in on this thread! I don't always look at levels, but on a tech site like this, the relevance is (hopefully) there.

Why not go with Levels? It's kind of a gamer thing, but you could "level up" as you post.

That being said, Ama-fessional Molder made his point well with his last post.

[Eddie]

By levels, what exactly do you mean? Can you provide an example?

[Barnard]

By levels, what exactly do you mean? Can you provide an example?

Something Like:
Level 1 - up to 50 posts (+1s would count)
Level 2 - 51-100
Level 3 - 101-150
Level 4 - 151-200
etc.

Of course you would choose how many posts are realistic or meaningful in terms of numbers. You could even raise the number required to attain a level as the levels get greater (higher).

Not a fun descripter, but nicer than "Nube, Beginner, Lowlife," whatever.

Most forums I'm on simply have the number with no ranking.

[Ama-fessional Molder]

Oh boy. Then my posts can be experience points!