Get rid of Post Count

[Firebird]

Post counts are like cert levels. What people decide to do with them, is their business. Some people just like to brag about being L3, or having 2 trillion posts. They think it makes them look 'smarter' or something.

Me personally, I never look at post counts, couldn't care less.

 

[hilltopper]

I participate in another forum (fatwallet- Hotdeals)
They have an interesting way to deal with this.
They use a red or green bar next to your user name with a red minus button and a green plus button to allow members who read the post to vote on the merit or value of the posts content. I like this as people who are contributing well get a large green bar near their user ID. likewise wise cracking smart alecs get a red bar and you can effectivly skip their posts.Tthe op gets their thread starting post rated as well as the later posters.
The thread listing also displays these bars for the strength of the post.
They still have post counts but less important because people like getting GREEN!
check out these examples!
https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/897059/

https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/758451/

 

[luke strawwalker]

I participate in another forum (fatwallet- Hotdeals)
They have an interesting way to deal with this.
They use a red or green bar next to your user name with a red minus button and a green plus button to allow members who read the post to vote on the merit or value of the posts content. I like this as people who are contributing well get a large green bar near their user ID. likewise wise cracking smart alecs get a red bar and you can effectivly skip their posts.Tthe op gets their thread starting post rated as well as the later posters.
The thread listing also displays these bars for the strength of the post.
They still have post counts but less important because people like getting GREEN!
check out these examples!
https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/897059/

https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/758451/

Hey that's pretty cool! Neat idea, as long as folks stay objective and judge the post itself and not the poster making it... Wouldn't be good if some folks went, "Oh, no, not another strawwalker post... I HATE THAT GUY!" and just deliberately hit the red button on his posts all the time just because they don't like him or took something personally once or something like that.

Course I think most of the folks here are mature enough NOT to do that, but hey, people are people and I've seen worse...

I DO like that idea, though, and I think it has a lot of merit and would be a truly useful tool...

Yall have a good one! OL JR

 

[Handeman]

I don't have any problem with "noise" posts just to up the count or for any other reason, as long as they keep it in The Watering Hole where that kind of stuff belongs.

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

(Sings the Spam Song in his mind.)

 

[cjl]

I don't have any problem with "noise" posts just to up the count or for any other reason, as long as they keep it in The Watering Hole where that kind of stuff belongs.

Definitely true to a point - they are far more annoying in a HPR thread or something like that than they are here in the coffee house.

 

[DexterLB]

I don't have a problem with the noise posts either. But post count makes new members noobs and everybody threats them as noobs, no matter how experienced in rocketry they are... For me that's the biggest problem with post count.

P. S. I'm starting a "for or against post count" poll thread.

 

[Stymye]

I have seen several first posts by very highly regarded rocketeers. and I have witnessed incessant junk coming from High post count members as well.
post count and noob status are 2 totally different things.
I noticed by chance one poster already has a steady 9-10 daily avg post count ratio and yet their actual contribution to the forum is alarmingly low.

I like Hilltopper's red/green bar idea.

 

[madsen]

I participate in another forum (fatwallet- Hotdeals)
They have an interesting way to deal with this.
They use a red or green bar next to your user name with a red minus button and a green plus button to allow members who read the post to vote on the merit or value of the posts content. I like this as people who are contributing well get a large green bar near their user ID. likewise wise cracking smart alecs get a red bar and you can effectivly skip their posts.Tthe op gets their thread starting post rated as well as the later posters.
The thread listing also displays these bars for the strength of the post.
They still have post counts but less important because people like getting GREEN!
check out these examples!
https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/897059/

https://www.fatwallet.com/forums/hot-deals/758451/

I Love it. I would go into the Red on day 1. That's ok. That is the best idea for forums that I have ever heard of. I realize that it is not practical (cost) for TRF---but I love it.

And just for the record--I have no problem with Jim Flis making 9 million posts. He is a vendor, and is trying to sell his kits. I understand that he makes a good product, I wish him well.

 

[Mark_1984]

I run a model ship related forum and have a Karma system. If a post is particularly useful give it a thumbs up, if its unhelpful, give it a thumbs down. There add or subtract one point to the posters Karma. It works very well - much better than a post count (although I still have a post count as well).

 

[Stymye]

turn on the "reputation" feature ...if it doesn't work out for some reason...turn it off.

I think it's worth a try.(it's explained in the FAQ) It's already a feature so there should be no cost..

 

[AKPilot]

I thought about the "reputation" feature. Not sure where we stand on that one. My initial thought is that's far more personal than a number.

Not saying, yes or no. But I'm thinking that's at least two weeks away before it's given serious consideration. Too many other things on the front burner at the moment.

 

[troj]

I thought about the "reputation" feature. Not sure where we stand on that one. My initial thought is that's far more personal than a number.

Not saying, yes or no. But I'm thinking that's at least two weeks away before it's given serious consideration. Too many other things on the front burner at the moment.

The problem is how to identify a "reputation".

The harsh reality is that the Internet hive-mind is well known for elevating individuals to deity status who don't even come close to qualifying. Without a solid way of flagging people, you'll have someone who comes across convincingly getting flagged as "reputable," even if their advice is some of the worst on the forum.

I've seen enough of it in rocketry to know that it would be a problem here.

My $0.02 worth. (plus a buck-fifty)

-Kevin

 

[Stymye]

thanks for considering it,mabey just do a trial run, you can always turn it off at anytime if it turns out to cause more harm than good.
I'm not necessarily for it myself but think it's worth considering,

as I understand it ,the individual members can turn it off in their profile if they preferr, and those who preferr to rate threads/posts and view the ratings can.

so it suits both sides of the coin, and couldn't be any more fair.

 

[rmpitzer]

Ya know, post counts are kind of like TRA/NAR numbers, only in reverse. The lower your TRA/NAR number, the smarter you are. With post counts, the higher your number, the smarter you are.

 

[sunward]

I thought about the "reputation" feature. Not sure where we stand on that one. My initial thought is that's far more personal than a number.....

Good idea but then it becomes a problem of trying to get too much reputation.

Capping the number may still be the best and simplest solution.

 

[AKPilot]

Capping the number may still be the best and simplest solution.

Directed in general, not at Angelo, the simplest solution is probably to move onto another topic.

 

[fxrs]

When I join a forum its because I am looking for answers to
questions I have. In this case it rockets. I belong to a few
other rocket forums, As well as some RC forums and also
automotive related forums. When I post a question I obviously
read over the answers. I do look at the number of post of
someone who has replied and at first glance if their numbers
are high I might think this person knows what they are talking about.
After all I am looking for people who do know the answer because
I don't. If the high post count persons answer feels off or odd
I will also look at their other post or replys. If the high post count person
has many Dittos, Try it and let us know what happens, I like
red rockets or any other incoherent ramblings on for answers I will
now know not to spend much time with that persons answers in the
future. Also I think some people post answers in various threads
reguardless of post count because they feel the need to be seen
in print.