Should the 500 post benchmark be raised.

[PlaceofDis]

i see no problems with they way things are going now.

 

[dmw007]

If you've been here for 4 years then you should have a general idea who the old-timers are. I've been a member or lurker for about 3 years and I can generally recognize the older members, or more importantly, the helpful members (there isn't a direct correlation... )

Good point.

i see no problems with they way things are going now.

Neither do I, but I can understand the point that the OP is trying to make.

 

[TheAnswer]

If you've been here for 4 years then you should have a general idea who the old-timers are. I've been a member or lurker for about 3 years and I can generally recognize the older members, or more importantly, the helpful members (there isn't a direct correlation... )

I've had just about the same experience....lurking for years and posting when I feel I can help (or am on vacation).

It's fairly easy to tell the geniune and helpful members of the community from the fresh and eager ones that start polls and random threads just for the sake of getting their little pictures.

The only suggestion I'd have is to somehow factor thread ratings into the avatar milestone or maybe even have post ratings (if that is possible).

 

[mad jew]

I think we have it 'round the wrong way. Only posts in Marketplace and the Political forums should be counted towards avatars. Of course if you start a poll, it should count for 10 posts.

In all seriousness, this is a pretty silly idea. Why should those of us who found MacRumors earlier than others be given recognition? As DaveP cleverly said, if you've been here for a long time then you should recognise the old-timers anyway.

All these threads about 'tars has made me start looking for who the helpful members are and to be honest, there are a lot of newbies out there with some really good stuff to contribute. That's more than I can say about a lot of us 'tarred up spammers.

 

[Xeem]

Personally, I think that 500 posts is a very good number. I post on the forums about four or five times a week, so I always knew that I would definitely be able to get my avatar eventually, but that it would take a little bit of patience. I disagree with changing the number of posts needed for avatar; I really think that spammers will spam no matter what the number is.

As for me, I'm just really looking forward to seeing that Marathon symbol sitting under my name.

 

[macsrockmysocks]

I just read for about a year when I first got into Macs. But, I just recently signed up. I think it should stay the way it is. It has taken me a long time to get to my 200 posts already. Don't make it longer!

 

[solvs]

Wouldn't people just spam twice as much? I mean, not that some don't do that now anyway, even those who've long since had avatars. I didn't even notice when I reached 500 posts. Tossed something up, eventually it evolved into this, and I've had it ever since. Going on a couple of years now (joined up late June '02 according to my profile). I'd say I wouldn't want to take that away from anybody, but I don't really think it matters that much. Nor does join date. I'm sure there are people who've been here far longer than I have been, just as there are those who've joined long after I did. Some with far more posts.

I spend most of my time here in the Political Forums, so post count doesn't really matter to me. Sometimes I even have a life and go out and do stuff instead coming here. Shocking I know, but it happens.

 

[moot]

That would look fugly.
Maybe if you had the option to turn it off or on.

I dont think it looks all that bad. Check out other forums who have it turned on.

Anyway, what difference does all this make. If you receive useful help and comments, then that is all that matters.

I have been a lurker here since 2003 and a member since 2004. Even though I visit every day, I hardly ever post. Does that make me a useful member??

Or does someone who has just joined but posted like crazy mean they are not a useful member.

What does it all matter? Surely, the only important thing is the quality of posts.

just my 2 yen

 

[Sun Baked]

What does it all matter? Surely, the only important thing is the quality of posts.

Nah, never ...

It is hard to stroke your ego when you actually are required to make thoughtful and insightful posts.

 

[Applespider]

So the avatar is for 500 posts and is a good measure of achievement for most it appears.

So the question should be... what other 'perks' should people get at 2,500 or 5,000?

I vote for personalised theme songs that automatically start playing when someone hovers over your post...

 

[netdog]

Doing a quick head count of the member list there are about 1000 members who qualify or have reached 500 posts or "avatar status" so its not really as big a milestone as it once was, I would be curious as to the number of avatars say a year a go and wonder how many people have reached the 500 post mark in that 12 month period. With the amount of active posters those who I would consider veterans would have at least 2000-2500 posts. So I would suggest some new benchmarks be written, since its getting harder to see who has been here 6 months from 5 years.

What a strange thing to worry about.

 

[spriter]

There's a post count whore on every forum it seems

But truthfully, does anyone really discount advice if it's from someone who doesn't have an avatar because of a low post count? Maybe it's just me, but that's stupid. Somebody could register tomorrow and have more knowledge than any of us.

I read this site for a long while before I registered a few years back. Currently I have around 60 posts Sometimes work and other things take preference And I don't spam

 

[Josias]

What does it matter whether you been here 6 months or 5 years? Not that I don't respect Old Skool users like arn and jefhatfield, but it's not only how long time you've been signed up. Someguy could'a joined in 2002, and been online three times. I don't think he should be more qualified for a 'tar than a member which has been here for 6 months, and has made 500 posts. Posts also measures how much you've contributed to the community, take a look at mad jew, Sun Baked and Yellow (iGary... ) Many "trolls" try to spam their way to a 'tar. This was actually the same with me, until I recieved a PM from a Mod. Now I'm a good boy!

I also think it is how you contribute. Not only posting in one particular forum, such as "Macintosh Computers". I did this mostly in the start, but after reaching around 100 posts, I started looking at Picture Gallery, Site and Forum feedback, Mac Perihipals, Mac OS X, Mac Basics and Help and so on... I think the current system is working very well, especially since the mods are so good at straightening up people like me...

 

[paddy]

God no, it's hard enough to get the bloomin' avatar as it is.

 

[gauchogolfer]

As long as it's only raised to 874 posts for an avatar, I'm all good.


Seriously, I don't think it's worth changing.

 

[Silencio]

God no, it's hard enough to get the bloomin' avatar as it is.

No foolin'. I've just passed my four year anniversary and still haven't hit 400 posts yet. Feel like I've still got a big mountain to climb!

 

[BackInTheSaddle]

Geez, not to be a party pooper, but who should or should not have an avatar isn't all that big of a deal. I've been reading the forums for a long time but haven't posted all that much over the last four years. Actually, if the whole avatar policy is a big deal to someone, they probably need to get a life

Now what would be really valuable would be to have MR members vote for who should get avatar privileges. The people that contribute helpful or interesting information are those worthy of recognition, not prolific posters who create much smoke and thunder signifying nothing.

 

[Kaioshin]

I wish to say something on the matter. I realize I'm hardly in the position to comment on this seeing how I just joined recently, but having an avatar as a status symbol is completely against it's purpose.

An avatar allows one to recognize members at a glance, and helps to browse the forum faster. If used properly (and not changed every other day) an avatar could, in theory, substitute for a persons username. Since our brain works better with images than text (since it sees text as images, interprets it, searches the memory for something similar to that and triggers a memory) some people find it easier to recognize people by their avatar, and perhaps the first letter of the name.

If you really want some sort of recognition, I've seen some sort of "karma" system on some other forums. It allowed people to "agree" and "disagree" with a post. The karma was shown as red/green bars under the username/avatar. Of course, this, just like any other form of democracy is often abused...

 

[MacNut]

I wish to say something on the matter. I realize I'm hardly in the position to comment on this seeing how I just joined recently, but having an avatar as a status symbol is completely against it's purpose.

An avatar allows one to recognize members at a glance, and helps to browse the forum faster. If used properly (and not changed every other day) an avatar could, in theory, substitute for a persons username. Since our brain works better with images than text (since it sees text as images, interprets it, searches the memory for something similar to that and triggers a memory) some people find it easier to recognize people by their avatar, and perhaps the first letter of the name.

The problem with that is some people change avatars on a weekly basis so keeping track of a user in that way would not be affective.

 

[MacNut]

Maybe Im on a nostalgia kick or just bored but I decided to do a search and found my original 500 posts, I only had maybe 20 posts at first then over time started to post more frequent. The sad thing is I remember posting a lot of it.

 

[brepublican]

Yeah, I'm just gonna go ahead and spam this thread real quick on my way to that 'tar...

 

[Eraserhead]

Personally, I like things they way they are now. Anyone above 500 posts gets an avatar and the mods get larger avatars. -- It's nice and simple.

grrr, i went through the whole tread looking for a mod post and never found one , i never noticed that mod's got larger avatars, I'm now on the lookout for it

I kinda see his point though it seems (even in the short time I've been posting) that more members have tar's now. Though maybe it's just me, but I think 500 posts is a good number it's obtainable but not excessive, it's done pretty well like everything else on this forum .

 

[2nyRiggz]

So the avatar is for 500 posts and is a good measure of achievement for most it appears.

So the question should be... what other 'perks' should people get at 2,500 or 5,000?

I vote for personalised theme songs that automatically start playing when someone hovers over your post...

I'm looking at something on the lines of having label under the names of all old timers and johnny come latelys.....MR Old Fart....MR Young Punk......what about people reading and stalking for years but just signed up?...MR stalkers

It really doesn't matter....just post and enjoy the forums...thats what its here for.



Bless

 

[RacerX]

With the amount of active posters those who I would consider veterans would have at least 2000-2500 posts. So I would suggest some new benchmarks be written, since its getting harder to see who has been here 6 months from 5 years.

You know it is funny, I can honestly say that before today I have never seen you around the boards. In fact, when I did a quick check of all of your posts for the last few months I found out why... you hardly ever post about Mac related topics.

I may not have reached 1000 posts yet... but I'll bet that I've written more that has to do with the very existence of these forums than a veteran like you.

And MacNut, why are you so concerned with this? The amount of posting you've done on this type of topic alone is a little disturbing. If you really want an elite group of people that can look down on the rest of us, why not start your own forums where the members can only join by "invitation only".

Personally... I think post counts should be kept from members view. Rather than worrying about quantity we should be concerned with the overall quality of the posts. I was no more concerned with reaching 500 posts than I am about reaching 1000 or 10,000 posts. I post when there is something interesting to talk about, not to see if my post count is higher than the next person.

 

[ejb190]

I could care less about a little flashy picture thingy.

You might not know who I am, but I have gotten to know most of you!!!

Four years and 441 posts. But what I have learned here has saved me a ton of time and money!