New MacRumors titles

[Deepdale]

Excerpted ...Compared to many other forums I've participated in, this forum seems relatively benign as far as cliques go... even if you do do have the title 'newbie', most long-term posters will treat useful contributions with respect.

Blue Velvet, that was expressed very nicely and captured all of my sentiments and concerns. While I am a relative newcomer here myself and not held in the same esteem as untold others for valid reasons, I feel that bestowing another title will only provide additional cover for some to use akin to membership in a select club.

I've mentioned in prior messages that these forums are a wonderful resource to find many helping hands, but regrettably there are those times when a reply from a seasoned member can easily dishearten a novice and make them regret having posted at all.

 

[Lacero]

I've mentioned in prior messages that these forums are a wonderful resource to find many helping hands, but regrettably there are those times when a reply from a seasoned member can easily dishearten a novice and make them regret having posted at all.

Yeah, that's why I suggested a New Member Forum a while back, but my 60 years of BBS knowledge is not appreciated by anyone here.

 

[MacDawg]

In the end, someone has to determine who is "worthy" of each designation, and that is always subjective: do the mods decide? members vote? etc. There is no good way to determine (I doubt anyone would advocate taking a Mac test on proficiencies to attain a title). Besides, one man's good advice is another's folly anyway... which is what makes this place great... a plethora of opinions.

Personally, while I understand the intent, I think it would be a disaster. In attempting to encourage the participation of helpful members, it would demean and belittle others.

Woof, Woof – Dawg

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, MJ.

The thought of "promoting" some members to "MR geniuses", even if there's some dispute over the term 'genius', isn't a bad one, but I'm not sure it would be accomplishable. The workload on Mods (and mini) would just go off the scale if they were to assess the quality of posts in addition to their moderating tasks. And even if they (probably) would be able to identify some candidates, like BV said, many very useful members might be left out and could feel unappreciated, and the community could loose some potentially very useful members.

I think the current member title scheme is a good one (even if the steps might be adjusted a bit: It's a long way from 68040 to 601, and only the gods (the MR Gods, of course ) knows what's beyond...). Of course, you can get excellent advice from a newbie on subjects that has stumped long time members, but there's also some confidence when you get answers to problems from someone that's been around for a while.

The only thing is that the member titles might be a bit confusing to (especially) newer members, so maybe, if it's even possible in vBulletin, the title sh/could be a link to The levels of Macrumordom or some other thread which explains this. That way anyone could click someone's title to see exactly what it means, and we could maybe, just maybe, avoid some of the quite regular threads questioning this, too. (Of course you could find the exact post count in a member's profile, but anything would help, I think.)

 

[aswitcher]

I would be happy to see people promoted as willing and able to help on specialty areas as well as general fields. Most posters with problems just post them - sometimes with vague and wordy title - but if we had a master list of specialty Mac areas people were interested in fielding questions on then maybe we could see threads get those people in early with the inclusion of specific keywords in the topic or some such, and options of PM to get them involved...

2c

 

[Blue Velvet]

I would be happy to see people promoted as willing and able to help on specialty areas as well as general fields. Most posters with problems just post them - sometimes with vague and wordy title - but if we had a master list of specialty Mac areas people were interested in fielding questions on then maybe we could see threads get those people in early with the inclusion of specific keywords in the topic or some such, and options of PM to get them involved...

2c

But don't you think that those with specific areas of interest are naturally drawn to the forums where they can best help others?

I try my best to help people in the Design and Graphics forum and certainly read every new thread with interest in there because it's my professional field. Likewise, I generally avoid participating in the Digital Video and Audio forums because I have very little that is useful to offer.

Aren't most people like this?

 

[mad jew]

Very interesting feedback everyone.

Thinking about it a bit more, I really think it should be a pretty rare occasion that someone is given a title but not to ensure exclusivity so much as purely a way for newbies to quickly be able to work out who knows what they're talking about.

I make particular reference to the countless threads that have "Repair disk permissions" at post number two in some of the oddest and most irrelevant circumstances.

And for the record, I'm not vying for a title myself, I just think a handful of the very knowledgeable members should be recognised.

 

[Blue Velvet]

I make particular reference to the countless threads that have "Repair disk permissions" at post number two in some of the oddest and most irrelevant circumstances.

Well, at least that's pretty harmless advice.

It may also jog people's minds that this is something that they do need to occasionally do.

OK, what about if there was a list of about 4-10 categories — like check-boxes in the control panel — that anybody could select for themselves and the title would appear beneath their locations.

Anybody who then gave themselves a title unjustifiably would then lay themselves open to having their self-promoted status publicly open to question by other forum members and mods.

 

[mad jew]

OK, what about if there was a list of about 4-10 categories — like check-boxes in the control panel — that anybody could select for themselves and the title would appear beneath their locations.

So the newbie title would disappear then. I'm not sure that'd work. I think this thing should be pretty limited so that, just as people go to Mods for advice about the forums, people would go to these Mac Specialists (or whatever) for specific Mac help.

 

[Blue Velvet]

So the newbie title would disappear then.

Not at all. It would be in addition to and go beneath location. And in some ways would strengthen the distinction of people's experience because if you are a newbie, yet promote yourself to Hardware Guru then surely you lay yourself open to some scrutiny.

Those who are 6502's or higher and have a title would perhaps justifiably deserve it because they will have been around for long enough for people to have raised concerns.

The advantage of this method is that the mods wouldn't have to do anything except question and/or modify this status when someone raises a concern privately, making the process perhaps easier.

Anyway, what the hell am I saying? I thought I was against this idea.

 

[mad jew]

Not at all...

It was slightly tongue-in-cheek. I can't imagine all that many people would stick with newbie if they had the option to choose something else.

Nevertheless, you raise some very interesting points. I still think it would work better with a single title rather than different titles for different areas and that title would apply exclusively to Macs (hardware and OSX).

Anyway, what the hell am I saying? I thought I was against this idea.

You'll come 'round.

To be honest, I'm actually still trying to work out whether I like the idea. I think I'm growing pretty fond of it. I suppose my only qualm is whether it would make any more work for the mods, but I can't see it would be all that trying.

 

[~Shard~]

What an interesting idea - I can only imagine what some of our new "titles" would be if this did indeed come to fruition...

 

[mad jew]

I can only imagine what some of our new "titles" would be if this did indeed come to fruition...

I'm not going to mention the M-word. I promise.

 

[~Shard~]

I'm not going to mention the M-word. I promise.

Wow, that must take great restraint on your part, I'm impressed!

 

[Mr. Anderson]

The system's been working for years now and it would be a bit of a pain to allow other titles. Besides, everybody should be a newbie for a while - I was

As for specifics for different talents - it really doesn't matter. If you have a question posted here, you're usually going to get an answer you can use, regardless if the person is a Mac Guru or not.

D

 

[edesignuk]

I really don't think title changes like this will happen.

Another possibility along the same kind of lines would be user reputations (a feature of vB), it would probably take quite a bit of setting up though, and is open to abuse.

 

[~Shard~]

Another possibility along the same kind of lines would be user reputations (a feature of vB), it would probably take quite a bit of setting up though, and is open to abuse.

Yeah, I think it would be best if we left that feature alone...

 

[mad jew]

Another possibility along the same kind of lines would be user reputations (a feature of vB), it would probably take quite a bit of setting up though, and is open to abuse.

What is it? Is it like rating threads, but for members?

 

[maya]

I really don't think title changes like this will happen.

Another possibility along the same kind of lines would be user reputations (a feature of vB), it would probably take quite a bit of setting up though, and is open to abuse.

Bad idea, you eduk should know this from history on MR with a stalkers *ahem* I mean Fans.

 

[~Shard~]

What is it? Is it like rating threads, but for members?

Yes, essentially. You can read a brief explanation on it here. Definitely would open things up for abuse, and on some Forums, people have actually developed hacks to change their reputation.

 

[mad jew]

Thanks ~Shard~.

I just found this at vBulletin's website too:

User Reputation in its simplest form is a ranking of your user's benefit to your forum. Its basis comes from the opinions of all of your forum users that choose take part in it.

Users gain and lose reputation based on how their posts are scored by other forum participants. Users with the ability to affect reputation, will either give or take aways points by approving or disapproving with a post's content.

User reputation can be a derisive element of your forum so great care should be taken before a decision is made to enable it.

My emphasis added.

 

[ibook30]

Hmm - for what it's worth: I really like the objective ranking based on # of posts. Add info to a users profile that is subjective and it often leads to frusteration.

 

[iDM]

Even though i do not have nearly the post count of you other members, i must say all of my posts have been 100% accurate, my opinion has consistently been right, and in general know more then every on here, so can i claim the title of Know-It-All or Genius?

 

[~Shard~]

Even though i do not have nearly the post count of you other members, i must say all of my posts have been 100% accurate, my opinion has consistently been right, and in general know more then every on here, so can i claim the title of Know-It-All or Genius?

Can a member be banned for being overly cocky?

Nah, wait, not having that rule in place has probably saved my ass on countless occassions already...

 

[Applespider]

I'd support the increase of new 'tech-related' titles if we had a problem where the wrong advice was being given regularly and those asking for help were accidentally wiping Home folders based on it. Since most of those replying to heartfelt pleas give good advice, I'm not sure it's necessary. It would be good to give non-6502's a boost in ego but they'd still end up being way below MR regulars anyhow if it was based on a ratings system.

The other problem with a rating system is not so much the abuse of it by people trying to bump up their ratings but the number of newbies who've been helped who'd bother to vote.