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I think I'll move on to other measures. I'm working on the traditional chart #3, based on overall posting rates, and that's always a fun one to see.

By the way, I track only users with thousands of posts. If any of you have noticed users with lower post counts who have high post rates, you're welcome to point them out to me!

The threshold for tracking is, what, 5k? I seem to recall I'm still a few years away at my current posting rate.

I really wish the board software allowed us to view our posting rate within different time intervals, i.e. post rate for the past week, month, year, etc. even better would be within an arbitrary interval, but that's a lot of data to store. Oh well!

Edit: hmmm, since I'm almost at 5k, I must be wrong on something....
 
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I think I'll move on to other measures. I'm working on the traditional chart #3, based on overall posting rates, and that's always a fun one to see.

By the way, I track only users with thousands of posts. If any of you have noticed users with lower post counts who have high post rates, you're welcome to point them out to me!

Do you happen to know if current post rate (mines 6.22 per day) is based on your posting habits since joining or over a set period of time?
 
Ok thanks. I guessed as much, as I posted very little when I first joined, but post a lot more than 6.22 per day now. Nothing compared to your post rate of 1000,000,000 per day or whatever your currently doing.
LOL! My post count is way down, compared to some previous years, as you can see from Doctor Q's stats.
 
Ok thanks. I guessed as much, as I posted very little when I first joined, but post a lot more than 6.22 per day now. Nothing compared to your post rate of 1000,000,000 per day or whatever your currently doing.

Ah, yes. The exact same thought occurred to me. (And I'll allow myself a quiet chuckle at your post).

I suspect quite a number of posters go through period of posting frequency followed by posting troughs, often occasioned by circumstance, life, jobs, moving, being busy and so on.

My first few months, I actually posted quite a bit, and then - as I had started working abroad - I almost dropped off entirely and stopped posting for weeks on end. I was just too busy, and hadn't made any 'friends' online which would have necessitated more frequent visits.
 
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"End of Time" Top 50 Posters

Chart #3: "End of Time" Top 50 Posters

Computed by Doctor Q in January 2015

Code:
Proj  Projection      Weighted  Cur   Delta  Last  Delta
Rank  End of Time       Rate    Rank  Rank   EOT    EOT
----  --------------- --------  ----  -----  ----  -----
  1   maflynn           27.15     3     +2     1      0
  2   SandboxGeneral    17.99    25    +23     3     +1
  3   Weaselboy         15.31    38    +35     2     -1
  4   C DM              14.94   ---    ---     6     +2
  5   Applejuiced       10.75     4     -1     5      0
  6   Rogifan           10.16   ---    ---     7     +1
  7   Intell             9.85    34    +27     8     +1
  8   Altemose           9.35   ---    ---   ---    ---
  9   GGJstudios         8.52     1     -8     4     -5
 10   ucfgrad93          6.58   ---    ---    17     +7
 11   lordofthereef      6.39   ---    ---   ---    ---
 12   cynics             6.36   ---    ---    16     +4
 13   MacRumorUser       6.33    32    +19    11     -2
 14   Apple fanboy       6.21   ---    ---   ---    ---
 15   mattopotamus       5.66   ---    ---    15      0
 16   samcraig           5.62   ---    ---    13     -3
 17   eyoungren          5.31   ---    ---   ---    ---
 18   AppleScruff1       5.26   ---    ---    20     +2
 19   Shrink             5.07   ---    ---    12     -7
 20   gnasher729         4.88   ---    ---    19     -1
 21   Huntn              4.86   ---    ---    25     +4
 22   Renzatic           4.72   ---    ---    14     -8
 23   GoCubsGo           4.57     2    -21    18     -5
 24   KPOM               4.38   ---    ---    37    +13
 25   IJ Reilly          4.36    40    +15   ---    ---
Code:
Proj  Projection      Weighted  Cur   Delta  Last  Delta
Rank  End of Time       Rate    Rank  Rank   EOT    EOT
----  --------------- --------  ----  -----  ----  -----
 26   roadbloc           4.33   ---    ---    23     -3
 27   kdarling           4.31   ---    ---    28     +1
 28   heisenberg123      4.24   ---    ---   ---    ---
 29   charlituna         4.19   ---    ---    24     -5
 30   alphaod            3.92    16    -14    22     -8
 31   Jessica Lares      3.71   ---    ---   ---    ---
 32   Peace              3.59    28     -4    30     -2
 33   Night Spring       3.46   ---    ---    27     -6
 34   Chupa Chupa        3.46   ---    ---    32     -2
 35   cube               3.33   ---    ---    43     +8
 36   dhlizard           3.08   ---    ---    31     -5
 37   OllyW              3.00   ---    ---    38     +1
 38   ZBoater            2.96   ---    ---   ---    ---
 39   Scepticalscribe    2.90   ---    ---   ---    ---
 40   balamw             2.77    30    -10    35     -5
 41   dejo               2.76    50     +9    34     -7
 42   rhett7660          2.73   ---    ---    42      0
 43   theSeb             2.70   ---    ---    40     -3
 44   thekev             2.65   ---    ---    26    -18
 45   annk               2.59   ---    ---    48     +3
 46   stridemat          2.57   ---    ---    49     +3
 47   jav6454            2.48    48     +1    29    -18
 48   JayLenochiniMac    2.47   ---    ---   ---    ---
 49   MacNut             2.46    26    -23    47     -2
 50   chown33            2.40   ---    ---    36    -14
Columns:
  1. Proj Rank = Projected position in order by post count, 1 (highest) to 50.
  2. Projection End of Time = members with the 50 highest projected post counts as time goes to infinity, based on a computed post rate.
  3. Weighted Rate = # posts per day by that member as a cascading weighted average, giving 50% weight to the most recent 6 months, 25% to the previous 6 months, 12.5% to the previous 6 months, and so on, with adjustments made based on the length of membership. See my definition of weighted rate.
  4. Cur Rank = current rank as of January 2015 (Chart 1), or "---" for those who are not in the current Top 50.
  5. Delta Rank = projected change in rank, i.e., # of slots +higher or -lower in rank from now until the end of time.
  6. Last EOT = rank in End of Time projections from 6 months ago (July 2014, Chart #3), or "---" for those who were not in the previous End of Time Top 50.
  7. Delta EOT = change in rank from End of Time projection 6 months ago to End of Time projection now.

These are the true "top posters" at MacRumors since they currently make the most posts over any given time period.


Observations

  1. #1 poster maflynn shows no signs of slowing down. His post rate was 20.2 posts/day in the 2nd half of 2013, 29.1 posts/day in the 1st half of 2014, and 31.2 posts/day in the 2nd half of 2014, pushing his overall average post rate (as measured by the forum system) from 14.1 to 15.6 to 17.0 posts/day. His post rate has been in double digits since I started tracking him in 2011.

  2. With a post rate that doubled from 11.9 posts/day to 23.5 posts/day between the 1st and 2nd half of 2014, SandboxGeneral has snuck up one more slot on the End of Time Rankings, to #2. It's the nature of the Top 50 List that he was able to climb by 46 slots in the report 6 months ago, while climing exactly 1 slot this time.

  3. Weaselboy increased his posting rate slightly, enough for slot #3, ahead of hard-charging C DM (currently making over 20 posts/day) and Applejuiced, who is posting slightly more often than Rogifan.

  4. GGJstudios is the current leader by post count, but has been making "only" 6.9 posts/day for the last 6 months. My forumula gives him credit for higher past post rates for a resulting 8.52 qualifying posts/day, which is still good enough for the Top 10 End of Time.

  5. It's tough to maintain your End of Time position but four members have done it: maflynn (#1), Applejuiced (#5), mattopotamus (#15), and rhett7660 (#42).

  6. Ten new members have joined the End of Time Top 50, replacing 10 who left since the list 6 months ago. The newbies have "---" in the Last EOT column. Highest among them is Altemose, who joined in March 2013 and wasn't previously on my radar.

  7. The minimum post rate required for the End-of-Time Top 50 is unchanged, at 2.4 posts/day.

  8. Biggest increase in rank within the End-of-Time rankings: KPOM, up 13 slots. Second place: cube, up 8 slots.

  9. Biggest drop in rank within the End-of-Time rankings: thekev and jav6454, both down 18 slots.

  10. MacNut continues to be the Top 50 End of Time member with the longest membership (13 years). Next in line is IJ Reilly at 12.5 years.

  11. Members who just missed the End of Time Top 50, and their qualifying post rates: Nermal (2.27 posts/day) and ChrisA (2.25 posts/day).

  12. Forum administrators aren't plentiful at the End of Time. annk barely made the list at #45. If we expanded the list to 100, Doctor Q would be #60, arn would be #75, and HexMonkey, r6girl, WildCowboy and other administrators wouldn't be ranked at all.
 
  1. #1 poster maflynn shows no signs of slowing down. His post rate was 20.2 posts/day in the 2nd half of 2013, 29.1 posts/day in the 1st half of 2014, and 31.2 posts/day in the 2nd half of 2014, pushing his overall average post rate (as measured by the forum system) from 14.1 to 15.6 to 17.0 posts/day. His post rate has been in double digits since I started tracking him in 2011.


  1. I think I'm running out of words to say, so while I've posted previously my rate if posting us unsustainable, I don't think I'll be able to continue at the same clip. Plus life outside of MR, as gotten busier for me, so that limits my interactions as well.

    Well see though, the proof is in the pudding ;)
 
I think I'm running out of words to say, so while I've posted previously my rate if posting us unsustainable, I don't think I'll be able to continue at the same clip. Plus life outside of MR, as gotten busier for me, so that limits my interactions as well.

Well see though, the proof is in the pudding ;)

Gee Mike, what happened here a year ago? :p

I think I'l get a dog, call him life, so I'll have a life :p

I was on a tear this past 6 months, I don't plan on keeping up that pace for 2014.

Great job Q - I love reading about these stats.
 
Gee Mike, what happened here a year ago? :p

I know I said this, but man, I must be running out of words to say :p

Seriously, though, work, and personal life is increasing this year and I just don't think I'll have the bandwidth to be here all the time.
 
I know I said this, but man, I must be running out of words to say :p

Seriously, though, work, and personal life is increasing this year and I just don't think I'll have the bandwidth to be here all the time.

Lol, well you still found time to not only keep your pace, you exceeded it despite your expectations!

I was surprised to see how much I increased last year. Though you already said it, I don't think I can keep my same pace either. I believe in regards to the end of time chart, that I have peaked. Unless you quit cold turkey today, I won't make #1.
 
Seriously, though, work, and personal life is increasing this year and I just don't think I'll have the bandwidth to be here all the time.
I was surprised to see how much I increased last year.
I'm really impressed that you can post at this rate in addition to your moderator duties! I didn't have that extra responsibility slowing me down when I was posting more. As both you said, other things in life do have a way of slowing us down at times! :) You're both a credit to this forum, and I always look forward to reading your posts! Thanks for all you do!
 
Top 50 Posters During Each 6-Month Period

If it's not too much trouble, could you also post a top 50 based on the previous 6 months (an update of your chart from July).
Back by popular demand, as they say.

Each of the 7 lists below shows the Top 50 Posters during the preceding 6 months, and each member's post count during that period. No weighting is used.

New names this time: C DM (#3), ZBoater (#10), cynics (#11), AppleScruff1 (#14), cmaier (#28), theSeb (#37), and JAT (#39).


Top 50 Posters During Each 6-Month Period

Computed by Doctor Q in January 2015

Code:
Rank Jan-12          Posts  Jul-12          Posts  Jan-13          Posts  Jul-13          Posts  Jan-14          Posts  Jul-14          Posts  Jan-15          Posts
---- --------------- -----  --------------- -----  --------------- -----  --------------- -----  --------------- -----  --------------- -----  --------------- -----
 1   GGJstudios       4770  GGJstudios       7124  GGJstudios       5717  simsaladimbamba  3147  maflynn          3708  maflynn          5267  maflynn          5745
 2   simsaladimbamba  3535  simsaladimbamba  5643  Applejuiced      4170  SandboxGeneral   2592  SandboxGeneral   2722  Weaselboy        2872  SandboxGeneral   4333
 3   KnightWRX        2984  maflynn          2797  maflynn          2685  maflynn          2427  Weaselboy        2469  SandboxGeneral   2149  C DM             3791
 4   Applejuiced      2548  miles01110       2523  simsaladimbamba  2549  GGJstudios       2402  GGJstudios       1699  Rogifan          1824  Weaselboy        3244
 5   miles01110       2483  Applejuiced      2438  KnightWRX        2496  Applejuiced      2368  Bear             1681  Intell           1562  Applejuiced      2230
 6   maflynn          2381  KnightWRX        2376  samcraig         2129  Weaselboy        2118  Applejuiced      1630  Shrink           1411  Rogifan          2109
 7   Hellhammer       1737  Peace            1707  GoCubsGo         2037  samcraig         2058  Macman45         1604  MacRumorUser     1393  Intell           2069
 8   Surely           1625  GoCubsGo         1581  dhlizard         1412  MacRumorUser     1877  GoCubsGo         1425  Applejuiced      1140  ucfgrad93        1358
 9   GoCubsGo         1490  balamw           1533  darngooddesign   1293  Macman45         1710  jav6454          1411  Renzatic         1092  GGJstudios       1273
10   samcraig         1318  r.j.s            1238  MacDawg          1236  Intell           1502  Intell           1364  IJ Reilly        1075  ZBoater          1273
11   rdowns           1306  Surely           1161  annk             1147  Bear             1358  MacRumorUser     1345  samcraig         1050  cynics           1191
12   Peace            1269  -aggie-          1150  stridemat        1118  Peace            1272  ucfgrad93        1298  Macman45         1019  Huntn            1022
13   r.j.s            1244  Bear              982  balamw           1070  gnasher729       1219  charlituna       1297  Huntn            1005  KPOM             1015
14   Doctor Q         1244  rdowns            920  ucfgrad93        1052  GoCubsGo         1202  gnasher729       1243  alphaod           998  AppleScruff1      988
15   MacDawg          1183  gnasher729        906  miles01110       1052  ucfgrad93        1103  Night Spring     1091  ucfgrad93         974  MacRumorUser      983
16   AidenShaw        1181  dejo              878  OllyW            1019  alphaod           992  darngooddesign   1004  simsaladimbamba   902  mattopotamus      924
17   balamw           1028  kdarling          836  gnasher729        999  dhlizard          952  old-wiz           970  roadbloc          848  kdarling          882
18   robbieduncan      997  Chupa Chupa       830  dejo              994  balamw            899  roadbloc          935  GGJstudios        793  samcraig          845
19   kdarling          982  dhlizard          825  alphaod           875  KPOM              827  samcraig          923  kdarling          780  IJ Reilly         824
20   Jaffa Cake        976  AidenShaw         807  jav6454           864  jav6454           814  mcdj              863  gnasher729        777  gnasher729        820
21   stridemat         948  dukebound85       777  kdarling          864  darngooddesign    773  KPOM              840  BaldiMac          610  charlituna        772
22   gnasher729        931  samcraig          757  dukebound85       855  daneoni           768  annk              836  charlituna        604  roadbloc          749
23   QuarterSwede      868  Small White Car   747  Peace             778  mrsir2009         752  BaldiMac          822  Chupa Chupa       589  cube              721
24   Consultant        845  alphaod           727  daneoni           742  dejo              748  ChrisA            783  Bear              586  GoCubsGo          699
25   nanofrog          823  Jaffa Cake        718  Chupa Chupa       686  Night Spring      718  OllyW             773  Sky Blue          572  Chupa Chupa       629
26   Eidorian          793  annk              709  Small White Car   645  Chupa Chupa       638  Chupa Chupa       735  Night Spring      563  Peace             628
27   Small White Car   791  stridemat         648  Doctor Q          642  SnowLeopard2008   625  cube              706  mattopotamus      537  Shrink            585
28   OllyW             752  daneoni           634  flopticalcube     636  stridemat         595  kdarling          703  dejo              529  cmaier            573
29   mkrishnan         665  MacDawg           630  MacRumorUser      633  Nermal            585  alphaod           686  rhett7660         529  Renzatic          547
30   alphaod           610  rhett7660         595  Jaffa Cake        594  SilentPanda       510  dhlizard          683  blueroom          518  OllyW             546
31   darngooddesign    605  Doctor Q          586  MacNut            539  KnightWRX         506  simsaladimbamba   666  MacNut            505  Night Spring      543
32   dukebound85       598  OllyW             585  SilentPanda       531  dukebound85       505  balamw            659  cube              489  alphaod           535
33   annk              593  Lord Blackadder   579  Surely            520  old-wiz           484  IJ Reilly         647  Peace             488  stridemat         505
34   yg17              591  Consultant        579  AidenShaw         517  ChrisA            465  Peace             638  GoCubsGo          462  rhett7660         480
35   rhett7660         588  robbieduncan      577  rhett7660         517  AidenShaw         464  dejo              621  AidenShaw         457  dhlizard          479
36   MisterMe          549  yg17              570  NT1440            460  robbieduncan      447  robbieduncan      594  Lord Blackadder   451  annk              473
37   Dagless           548  ucfgrad93         526  thejadedmonkey    448  rhett7660         412  SilentPanda       568  dhlizard          451  theSeb            464
38   diamond.g         540  Hellhammer        491  r.j.s             435  thejadedmonkey    399  MacNut            537  OllyW             425  Doctor Q          443
39   aristobrat        538  aristobrat        490  aristobrat        431  IJ Reilly         375  twoodcc           535  ChrisA            405  JAT               438
40   TwinCities Dan    529  Eidorian          480  jsw               429  Jaffa Cake        370  stridemat         532  NT1440            396  Small White Car   431
41   Kilamite          526  Kilamite          475  Nermal            410  Small White Car   369  rhett7660         530  Doctor Q          372  Nermal            430
42   arn               511  thejadedmonkey    457  SnowLeopard2008   343  OllyW             359  Nermal            514  thejadedmonkey    351  balamw            415
43   dejo              509  MacNut            436  robbieduncan      333  notjustjay        348  Doctor Q          500  yg17              332  MacNut            412
44   appleguy123       508  LethalWolfe       402  Dagless           324  cube              331  milo              495  balamw            331  aristobrat        408
45   MacRumorUser      501  IJ Reilly         395  840quadra         314  Digital Skunk     330  AidenShaw         488  Digital Skunk     327  yg17              398
46   jav6454           488  TwinCities Dan    395  Eidorian          300  Lord Blackadder   322  aristobrat        428  SilentPanda       304  dejo              382
47   Nermal            477  QuarterSwede      390  IJ Reilly         297  MacNut            318  Consultant        420  Nermal            299  mcdj              366
48   Lord Blackadder   472  Digital Skunk     389  MisterMe          288  grapes911         290  Sky Blue          407  annk              299  ChrisA            334
49   dmr727            469  twoodcc           386  Lord Blackadder   276  aristobrat        282  840quadra         364  milo              294  SilentPanda       326
50   Chupa Chupa       464  MisterMe          373  ChrisA            271  NT1440            256  thejadedmonkey    346  old-wiz           290  milo              325
 
I'm really impressed that you can post at this rate in addition to your moderator duties! I didn't have that extra responsibility slowing me down when I was posting more. As both you said, other things in life do have a way of slowing us down at times! :) You're both a credit to this forum, and I always look forward to reading your posts! Thanks for all you do!

Thanks. I credit my uptick to a lot of participation in the Community Forum, especially with regards to coffee. Coffee, which probably helps me stay awake and continue posting! :D
 
Thanks Q. Glad to see I finally made one of your lists! Number 14 too! Just goes to show what having no friends or social life can do to your standings here!:)
 
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I am astonished to see my name on one of those lists. While I post fairly frequently in some specific fora, I don't go near most of them.

When I first joined MR, after a relatively slow start, I got into the habit of posting quite frequently.

Then, within a matter of months, I was posted abroad, and - after a further three months - suddenly became very busy indeed which - naturally enough, had an impact on my participation which dropped to negligible for the following year or so.

In fact, it took quite a few years for me to get back into the habit of posting relatively regularly - even when that particular posting abroad had ended - and for this, I really have to thank the WW games as they enabled me to get to know some of the forum members a lot better, with the consequence that I wished to keep up more than a desultory and occasional presence on the forums.


----------

Lol, well you still found time to not only keep your pace, you exceeded it despite your expectations!

I was surprised to see how much I increased last year. Though you already said it, I don't think I can keep my same pace either. I believe in regards to the end of time chart, that I have peaked. Unless you quit cold turkey today, I won't make #1.

I'm not surprised to see you on this list, SBG; wherever I show my bespectacled features, you seem to drop by to say a friendly hello as well.
 
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Thanks again for all of the work you put into this. I really enjoy looking at these charts.
 
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Thanks again for all of the work you put into this. I really enjoy looking at these charts.

Agreed. Thank you very much Dr Q for your extraordinary work in compiling these statistics.

I find this sort of statistical analysis fascinating (but then, I also find the study of demographics and census statistics extraordinarily interesting).

I know that I may have asked this before, but what is the percentage breakdown of the various 'ranks'? How many posters are at each 'rank' and what percentage of the total do they comprise? I recall seeing such a lost around five years ago and thinking at the time that it was extremely interesting to read.
 
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When I first joined MR, after a relatively slow start, I got into the habit of posting quite frequently.

Then, within a matter of months, I was posted abroad, and - after a further three months - suddenly became very busy indeed which - naturally enough, had an impact on my participation which dropped to negligible for the following year or so.

I know what you mean about slow starts :). I've lurked for a decade but with my most recent move, I finally have some time for my own interests.

As a data junkie, I love seeing these numbers. Very cool.
 
I know what you mean about slow starts :). I've lurked for a decade but with my most recent move, I finally have some time for my own interests.

As a data junkie, I love seeing these numbers. Very cool.

People come and go, post or drop away, quite of then for the most mundane of reasons, such as what we simply term 'life'.

My experience is that such changes are brought about by things such as new jobs, new relationships, new family situations/set-ups, new city - and thus, surroundings, which can have an impact on posting habits - both negatively and positively.

However, I will say that getting to know some of the individual members a bit better meant that I had some sort of incentive to stay around and actively post, rather than simply dropping in occasionally.
 
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I'm not surprised to see you on this list, SBG; wherever I show my bespectacled features, you seem to drop by to say a friendly hello as well.

Well, I do try to be as friendly as I can be. I see little need or desire to be contrary and unfriendly to people. :)
 
Well, I do try to be as friendly as I can be. I see little need or desire to be contrary and unfriendly to people. :)

Agreed.

For my part, I much prefer a courteous tone to a discourteous one, online and in life, - it just makes most things a lot more agreeable - and, if the added bonus of friendship comes along also, well, this is a rare treat.
 
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Agreed.

For my part, I much prefer a courteous tone to a discourteous one, online and in life, - it just makes most things a lot more agreeable - and, if the added bonus of friendship comes along also, well, this is a rare treat.

Also agreed! I prefer to smile and be happy rather than frown and be angry.
 
Well, I do try to be as friendly as I can be. I see little need or desire to be contrary and unfriendly to people. :)

If only a few more people on the Internet were like that.

I do found by enlarge the MR forums to be helpful and friendly. The Photography sub forum were I spend a lot of my time is especially helpful and friendly compared to some other forums I've visited.
 
The threshold for tracking is, what, 5k?
It grows over time as post counts rise. I started with the Top 50 posters in 2003, but after a few rounds I realized that it would be handy to have more history for newly arrived top posters. That meant tracking members before they reached the top. I started tracking the top 100 posters in 2006 (plus anyone who had previously been on my lists). In 2011, when the threshold was over 6,000 posts, I decided to expand again, to the top 200 posters (again plus anyone already on the list). That lowered the threshold to around 4,500 posts, and now it's climbed back to 6,000. My largest spreadsheet now has 84,600 cells.


Minimum Posts to Trigger Radar

click to zoom

Minimum-Posts-to-Trigger-Radar.png
 
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