Member opinions wanted about Reputation and Thanks display in the postbit

[Amin]

I would like to get a sense of member opinions about an issue we have discussed in the moderator forum.

If you look at the section of each post where the member's user name is shown (called the postbit), you'll see the following info:

1. User name
2. User title (ie, "Member")
3. Avatar
4. Join Date
5. Location
6. Post count
7. Link to any blog entries
8. # of Thanks given
9. Number of Thanks received
10. Reputation score summarized by number of green (positive) or red (negative) blobs

The post count (#6), thanks received count (#9), and reputation (#10) all represent different types of "scores". Do you think that these add anything useful, or should we remove one or more of these from the postbit? I personally don't have strong feelings one way or the other. What do others think?

 

[Streetshooter]

I waited Amin, I really did. I was waiting for someone to reply but, well..I'll lead the way.
I think it's ok to show a post count. It's I guess ok to do the thanks thing. However, I don't like keeping score. I feel like getting so many points for thanks and for the rep...is like a video game. You know, move up a level...

I would love to here what everyone on the forum thinks....don't sweat anything now...I led the way, now it's your turn to speak up.

Remember, it's not many forums or Admins that would even put this out to the membership...
Thanks Amin...
shooter

 

[slau]

I believe that the post count means something, like how active the member is. The Thanks Count and Reputation Count just tell ME how politically successful or correct this member is. Just my 2 cents.

 

[steve]

I like to know a bit about the other members here. I agree that post count is good to measure activity. I like to thank members for good posts, but don't necessarily need to see how much thanks other members have.

 

[OzRay]

A post count is pretty common on all forums, I guess it gives an indication of how active a member is, not necessarily productive.

I've never seen the other two on any forum and I'm not sure they are all that useful. I've abstained from using the thanks button, as I don't quite understand it's use. Maybe it's meant to be encouragement, but I think that aspect may be better reflected in the ensuing discussions that a post receives, rather than specific pats on the back for a comment here or there. The button, to me, seems to be an inelegant way to express gratitude. Why exactly are you actually saying thanks?

Cheers

Ray

 

[BBW]

Interesting to see how different people's points of view are. Me, I don't really care about how many times someone has posted, but I do like to thank people for their posts if I feel like thanking them. That said, it makes no difference to me how many or how few "thanks" or "rep" anyone has - including me.

 

[Brian S]

I'm not aware of Thanks given and Thanks received on other forums that I belong to.

Perhaps these numbers are better listed if you look at someones profile, rather than displayed with each post.

Location puts some perspective on offering advice as to where to buy items or seek services. Join date is typically shown, and often "carries weight" with a post, but sometimes gets into a turf battle. I think we all know some forums like that. Sometimes I believe these things are best displayed when checking a users profile rather than with every post.

 

[cosinaphile]

it raises some interesting questions about what a high thanks score really indicates ,
in the final analysis,

the most popular guy in the room ?,....... a nice fellow who is generous with frequent words of encouragement?, or , as was said, political correctness..........

i simply dont know

 

[Brian Mosley]

I think the potential for such a system, is to recognise those members who bring most value to the forum through their investment of good will, knowledge and time into this community. It should not be seen as a 'rank' though - we should all be focused on helping new members feel comfortable and accepted here.

It is different to the scoreboards I've seen on any other photographic forum - where there's no apparent purpose to the community... this system does have a purpose.

Most importantly, people have to earn the thanks - by either being friendly, encouraging, interesting or informative for people to say 'hey, thanks... your a good person to have here!' by hitting the Thanks button.

This could also act to discourage some individual from posting lots of one liner, self centred fairly low value comments... they don't get much of a 'thanks' response.

The only thing I think needs fixing is that the leaderboard could do with showing the last month's 'Thanks' scores - leaving the 'cumulated ratings' for another display.

This community is about people - giving their time and energy into positive connections with fellow photographers... the system is there to help us attract and recognise more nice people here.

We need to use it positively, to build our community... and to have a clear understanding of why it's necessary.

We could do with the display showing how many thanks have been received in the last month... rather than cumulated totals - this way we avoid the impression of people resting on their laurels - we all need to work together to make this place work for all of us.

Cheers

Brian

 

[back alley]

post count...yes
reputation...no
thanks...lazy way out, no

 

[Brian Mosley]

it raises some interesting questions about what a high thanks score really indicates ,
in the final analysis,

the most popular guy in the room ?,....... a nice fellow who is generous with frequent words of encouragement?, or , as was said, political correctness..........

i simply dont know

I think that, whatever most people want here will be rewarded with thanks and encouraged... that in itself will be interesting - and is infact the purpose of the system - to give a practical feel for what we all want as a community.

Cheers

Brian

 

[pete]

I personally have enjoyed the interaction among those who have posted in blogs or forums. I am not a score keeper. However its nice to recognized people who try to keep this group together and ongoing. I feel that eventually the reputation of this group will attract new members who want to participate and be active rather then those who come here for other reasons, whatever those are.

There are those who join a group, but for whatever reason would like to remain as a quiet member. Should they be singled out for non-participation? So far I have felt (in 3 days, hehe) absolutely no pressure about anything and I loved that.

Hey I'm easy, and I'm just saying...

 

[BillN]

maybe the thanks etc., system should not be as "in your face" as it is .......but be replaced by just a descriptive, (my examples follow in my usual not too serious style ........ but better ones can be thought of)

just joined
senior member
old stager
always on here, never sees his wife
needs to get a life
infrequent visitor - not sure why you bother

terms which are different from other forums that will help us to maintain the "joie de vivre" that, I think this forum has and must keep........which may be difficult as it expands

Info could still be recorded and used to determine the descriptive - but not published in the way that it is now.

Recording the number of post does however seem the norm and is useful

(IMHO - the scores and the tables could be seen to some as being ........... well you know what I mean ......... but I will use the UK word "naff" and maybe pretentious - which we don't want to be, (do we?), .............. it is all a matter of being "sensibly" comfortable with what is being created and it is good to "review and amend" as things develop - nothing should be "cast in stone" - but as I said just my opinion)

 

[Iconindustries]

Well personally for me I am encouraged by 'thanks' count i receive. I'm only a budding photographer and if i take a picture and i get Ianksky, Amin or Shooter, thank me - that to me is really worth something.That's what encourages me to go out and try. I don't go around and thank one liner posts but if someone goes to alot of effort to explain something and i think it is the kindest thing to do to thank them. If i see someone with a high number of thanks i can tell straight away that the individual is an encourager themselves. This is the one thing that is the binding link in this forum.

The 'post count' i don't really worry about. I saw in another forum the other day a fella that had 16432 posts. What does that tell me? Only that he is on the computer along time. But if he had 16000 thanks- man, this is someone who is a very helpful bloke on the forum.

I'm for 'thanks':smile:

iconindustries

 

[Iconindustries]

Well personally for me I am encouraged by 'thanks' count i receive. I'm only a budding photographer and if i take a picture and i get Ianksky, Amin or Shooter, thank me - that to me is really worth something.That's what encourages me to go out and try.

And you to BBW! And Brian, he sent me pm and when i read it, i wrote my first post.

 

[Iansky]

I like many others feel that the post count indicates the degree of activity of certain members, it can however give a false impression as those that have more time post more and those with less time post less - this does not show a true reflection of an individuals dedication, support or interest in the site, just their available time to be active.

Currently, the more posts a member has is proportionally more likely to garner more thanks and in turn raise their count and status - this can lead to people posting purely to raise their count and create a less relevant post!

I agree that "Thanks" are encouraging and help and encourage newer members to try new things and feel rewarded for their efforts and that is what we want, more photographic participation to share results and methods - I find sites that are purely technical talk with little photographic evidence are less interesting and so I dip in and out less frequently than those that discuss, explain and show results.

This site has a great mix of people who have varied knowledge and experience but one common desire - to share the knowledge and enjoyment of the craft with all other members for the benefit and visual enjoyment of all - scoring, and rating in a status table I feel detracts from this and creates posts for scores rather than reason.

 

[BBW]

Thanks, um, I mean ...I appreciate everyone who has posted taking the time to do so. I'm controlling myself from using the "Thanks" button, but it is difficult! And I mean that - thank you all. And to all who are reading, I hope you'll post your thoughts as well.

I want to put a plug in for BillN's (AKA BillNUK) suggestions of working around this stuff.

 

[Amin]

Pretty clear that the member opinions are as varied as the opinion in the moderator room.

Almost all forums show a post count. I felt that things like Thanks received and Reputation (which is mainly based on Thanks received) were a better indication of how much a given member has contributed than his or her post count. However, now I'm not so sure about that, and I can see the other side of the coin expressed by some of you here.

Sometimes I believe these things are best displayed when checking a users profile rather than with every post.

I think that's an interesting thought. Moving all the "scores", including post count and join date to the profile might create a healthier, more mature feeling in the forums. It makes it a bit harder for new members to identify which posts come from members who have contributed a lot over time, but that information would still be available by checking the user profile.

No matter what we do with the "scores", I'm in favor of keeping some sort of system of user titles to recognize members based on certain criteria.

 

[Brian Mosley]

The problem with having this discussion, is that we become more self conscious... there's a risk of negative projection - just human nature I guess.

I like to make the basic assumption, that most people here have good intentions and will use the Thanks button as genuine thanks.

I think that the high quality of posters, almost complete lack of need for 'behaviour moderation' and positive vibe here reflects that we're on the right track so far.

Having said that, if there are serious concerns about the stats top right of every post - I don't see any problem with removing them altogether, or whichever ones worry you. :smile:

Cheers

Brian

 

[BartonFlyer]

What mustn't happen is that the posting and thanks counts become a mutual admiration society - over the years I've seen a number of forums (fora?) come and go, and especially on photographic ones with critiques involved, you often seem to get cliques forming, often around systems where one can vote for another's work. I hope that doesn't become the case with the "thanks" counts.

That said, on one very well known forum the critique system lets you give green thumbs for good and red thumbs for bad - the arguments that resulted from people getting red thumbs were just apalling - now the purposes of a site like this (for me at least) are a) to learn, and you learn most I think by constructive criticism - being told (politely) what's wrong & how you could do better, and b) to chat, chew the cud, pass the time with some like-minded people who seem like a very nice bunch and I'm sure I'd get on with over a pint in a warm pub sometime - so far so good - thanks to Amin & all the site members.