More levels of membership???

Thread Starter

scubasteve_911

Joined Dec 27, 2007
1,203
Hey guys,

I think it would be cool to have more levels of membership. Right now, anyone over 100 posts would be considered senior. How about 100, 1000, 2500, 5000, beyond?

Call it superficial, but it would be fun.

Iron 0 | Zinc 25 | Copper 50 | Cobalt 100 | Cadmium 250 | Bronze 500 | Silver 750 | Gold 1000
Platinum 1500 | user defined 1 2000 | user defined 2 2500 | user defined 3 5000 | user defined 4 10000

Or maybe simpler ones,

First-Timer
Beginner
Novice
Senior
Expert
Master Expert
Uber Member

Steve
 

bertus

Joined Apr 5, 2008
22,270
Hello,

On a dutch forum they use the amount of donation for a "higher rank".
This goes like this:

€ 1,- t/m € 5,- ==> "Member"
€ 6,- t/m €10,- ==> "Special member"
€11,- t/m €49,- ==> "Golden member"
€50,- en higher ==> "Honourable Member"

Greetings,
Bertus
 

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
I did want to do this, however I'm useless at coming up with names! At the moment the status' are the same for someone with 100 post as someone with 100,000 posts, and now the forums are growing as fast as they are it makes sense to acknowledge the incresaed activity and contribution of the members here.

I would be inclined to keep to the "Members" names rather than some sort of abstraction, so I will be open to suggestions (further to those above).

Btw, the current rankings are:

New Member 0-9 posts
Junior Member 10-49 posts
Member 50-99 posts
Senior Member 100+ posts

Dave
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Let me be a contrarian. If member ranking/status is a simple function of the number of posts, why have both? I have no problem with the current classifications. John
 

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
Let me be a contrarian. If member ranking/status is a simple function of the number of posts, why have both? I have no problem with the current classifications. John
The link between posts and member status is baked into the vBulletin forum software; I've never looked at disabling it so I'm not sure what effect removing the entries from the TitleManager feature would be. We keep it generically active so that members can identify Administrators and Moderators around the forums should they need to address something with the like, and also as a quick identification of those who are major contributors here.

The existing classifications were relevant in years past when the forums were much smaller, however the site is literally doubling in size (members, usage, forums, e-book and worksheets) each year, so it makes sense for this to move with the times.

Dave
 

Thread Starter

scubasteve_911

Joined Dec 27, 2007
1,203
Nice! I feel very influential now :D

Now, we need someone creative with good taste to come up with the names! And maybe someone to help out with the transition?

Steve
 

Dave

Joined Nov 17, 2003
6,969
Nice! I feel very influential now :D
We do it to keep you on best behaviour! :p :D

Now, we need someone creative with good taste to come up with the names! And maybe someone to help out with the transition?
Once I have a series of appropriate titles it is only a small job to alter the status' on the forums.

Feel free to throw anything into the hat, we can work out the details later.

Dave
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
100+ Student
500+ Teacher
1000+ Professor
5000+ Doctor

Or maybe

100+ AAC Member
500+ Serious AAC Member
1000+ Lives on AAC
5000+ ACC Addict
 

Thread Starter

scubasteve_911

Joined Dec 27, 2007
1,203
Now we're getting somewhere :D Dave, let me have my glory!!! :p

I like the academic theme.

50+ Apprentice
100+ Student
500+ Teacher
1000+ Master
2500+ Doctor
5000+ Professor
10000+ Dean

It's just confusing to do, since I think different places have different titles. You need to be a student before you become a teacher, that is obvious. You can get your masters, then your doctorial. Then, you can become a professor and finally a dean after many years.

I just wanted to add a couple more in there, any more ideas??

Steve
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I really doesn't matter much to me, but from my experience with other forums, I think it is inconsistent to imply levels of expertise based solely on the number of posts.

Not many members have contributed to this thread, so it is hard to judge how other members feel about it. For sake of discussion, consider two examples:

1) A hypothetical person who goes on and on about HHO and other over-unity scams.
2) Myself. I have 877 posts as of now. I try to contibute in areas in which I have some expertise (mostly non-electronics), and in electronics, I try not to post incorrect advice. The process of validating my replies related to electronics is a form of structured learning for me. Having an honorific attached to my membership status would massage my ego, but might be misleading to others.
3) A member who is working full time and has little time to engage in chit chat, but whose contributions in electronics are like gospel. That person might be mislabeled a student.

If we are going to increase the number of levels, please consider:

1) Create a poll and wait until you have responses from at least 10 senior members.
2) If possible, count posts differently based on the forum in which they are made. For example, a post in completed Projects might get 2 points, one in Electronic Chat would get 1 point, Off Topic would get no points, and so forth. The devil will be in the details. :D
3) Whatever you do, please don't institute a member-driven reputation score.

John
 
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Thread Starter

scubasteve_911

Joined Dec 27, 2007
1,203
John,

You raise some good points about misleading information from a high 'ranking' doctor, etc. My initial theme for this idea was for 'fun' and for recognizing people's contributions.

Perhaps a more tame and appropriate ranking system would be

100+ AAC Member
500+ Serious AAC Member
1000+ Lives on AAC
5000+ ACC Addict

As suggested, since it does not imply knowledge on the subject, it highlights participation in the forum.

Steve
 

Søren

Joined Sep 2, 2006
472
I really doesn't matter much to me, but from my experience with other forums, I think it is inconsistent to imply levels of expertise based solely on the number of posts.
I have to second that!

I have seen numerous airheads titled with some kind of "expert-grade", solely because they have no life, besides typing on and on at web boards. Similarly, most real "experts" (whichever title), usually have a life outside the www.

Post counts only shows how obsessive you are IMO :D

A real "grading" system could be made by other users judging the quality and relevance of any post and then divide the result with total post count. That would give, not a perfect grading, but at least something with a certain amount of reality incorporated.
It could be made with the classic 1 to 5 stars (or whatever) under each post, for others to throw a vote.

That is... If enough people find a grading important. I for one don't - I know my level of expertise (and my limitations) but if the majority thinks it's cool/fun/whatever, at least make it useable for the newbies, so they can see who is considered Naughty or Nice - sorry... My S.O. is allways early rambling about X-mas... Ho-ho-ho :)
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
A.A.C. has a system or method of doing things that evolves as it
grows.More visitors sign up every day because they like friendly
debate and knowledge that the A.C.C. members have.Like the
request for science forum. The only title that seems out of place
is junior, but member should hold the greater meaning.Being accepted
as a member with a global voice mean a lot.This is forum,not a competition. We have a great leadership that work well,letting
everyone have there say and getting a responce to there request.
If you had vote post,It would drop off after fifty.We have thousands
of members that like the forum the way it is.
One Man Opinion-What would you connect a Loosewire too.
 
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Thread Starter

scubasteve_911

Joined Dec 27, 2007
1,203
Soeren,

Thanks for your opinion. I have addressed the issue of # posts versus expertise above, this is a well-defined problem with the 'ranking' system. Then, I suggested that we move on to the contribution-based approach. One can argue a post is not always a contribution, but at least it is participation. Participation and contribution are two things that forums thrive on, thus should be recognized.

Post counts only shows how obsessive you are IMO
Obsessive isn't exactly a flattering word, which I find offense to. The word obsessive literally means that one is not able to think about anything else. This implies that people that makes a lot of posts cannot think about anything other than AAC and have no other thinking or work to do; fairly insulting don't you think? I am a very busy person outside of AAC, but I like to contribute when I can, and I like to ask questions on here. This hardly entails obsession.

Perhaps passion is a better word?

Steve
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
Check mate,what were you doing for the 12:00 mid nite
for the Millennium. Will give honest reply,I have a life.Let hear a little
about life away from the computer,you have met the greatest life
on Earth. What the greatest meal you ever had,that should be
easy to start.Now remember you said stay away from computer
stuff. Life Vs Life------- Life begins at----
 

loosewire

Joined Apr 25, 2008
1,686
It will make fifty post,if there life on Mars there must be life on the
Forum. I'll keep searching,live must be in front of the computer screen.
I would like to think that Dave has been Knighted by the Queen.
WE may have a Prince,King,who knows until we find life.Thingmaker
needs a Harley. I know you enjoy this,but I am being called to do the
dishes.
 
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