Post count - on or off?

**thirdfey** · January 4th, 2005, 12:47 AM

I going to have to agree with others. Leave the count and take Techville out of the count if possible. A way to rate replies would be more helpful to members more than a simple post count.

**Platypus** · January 4th, 2005, 06:17 AM

I'd have to agree that a post count is part of the character of a forum, but it would probably be good if posts in the Lounge didn't add to the count. Almost any status or rating system can be subject to abuse.

**corturbra** · January 4th, 2005, 07:01 AM

Leave it on, however remove politicos/lounge/non technical threads from post count.

**gazzak** · January 4th, 2005, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by corturbra

Leave it on, however remove politicos/lounge/non technical threads from post count.

This would appear to be the common theme now!

**Ya_know** · January 4th, 2005, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by gazzak

This would appear to be the common theme now!

No way man, keep it on for all posts, padding or otherwise!

**Stalemate** · January 4th, 2005, 10:17 AM

Here's what I think, for what it's worth.

I don't think anyone who has posted more than twice in the WD forums associates post count with their worth as a technician, network admin or sysadmin. It is not indicative of a member's activity in problem solving and answering technical issues.

It does however indicate how much a member is involved in the WD Forums - regardless of which section they participate in. That translates into a fairly accurate idea of how much effort a member has put into this community.

This may come as a surprise to most people, but I have another account here through which I answer technical questions. This was the best way I could see to dissassociate my current reputation as "adept, WOTPP freak" with the fact that I can, did and still do answer technical posts. I find my advice with this other account is taken much more seriously and is appreciated, while most anything I post through this one is disregarded unless it is trivial drivel.

I also find that my questions as "adept" are rarely successfully answered...

But I digress...

Do post counts make the man?

Of course not.

But I do think that a rating system in addition to the current post count tally would achieve a better purpose than to potentially penalize those who prefer to come here only for the interaction with peers, to kick back and relax with buddies instead of rack their brain to try to answer yet another tech problem.

**Cleetus** · January 4th, 2005, 10:17 AM

I voted to get rid of them. STarted more fights then anything else round here.

**ilovetheusers** · January 4th, 2005, 10:23 AM

Didn't read thread, forgive me if this is posted.

Can we have 2 post counts? One for non tech and one for total? That would be a great ranking system for those who help out a lot.

**ilovetheusers** · January 4th, 2005, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by a d e p t

Here's what I think, for what it's worth.

I don't think anyone who has posted more than twice in the WD forums associates post count with their worth as a technician, network admin or sysadmin. It is not indicative of a member's activity in problem solving and answering technical issues.

It does however indicate how much a member is involved in the WD Forums - regardless of which section they participate in. That translates into a fairly accurate idea of how much effort a member has put into this community.

This may come as a surprise to most people, but I have another account here through which I answer technical questions. This was the best way I could see to dissassociate my current reputation as "adept, WOTPP freak" with the fact that I can, did and still do answer technical posts. I find my advice with this other account is taken much more seriously and is appreciated, while most anything I post through this one is disregarded unless it is trivial drivel.

I also find that my questions as "adept" are rarely successfully answered...

But I digress...

Do post counts make the man?

Of course not.

But I do think that a rating system in addition to the current post count tally would achieve a better purpose than to potentially penalize those who prefer to come here only for the interaction with peers, to kick back and relax with buddies instead of rack their brain to try to answer yet another tech problem.

OK, it's 2 posts above mine. Have a ranking system based on any post outside techville that shows how much help you've given. That would be the best thing.

**Ya_know** · January 4th, 2005, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Cleetus

I voted to get rid of them. STarted more fights then anything else round here.

And what's wrong with an accelerant

***DonJ*** · January 4th, 2005, 10:40 AM

I must agree with the general consensus here. Keep the post count but figure out a way to keep the non-techy posts out, if possible.

I don't like the ranking system as I have seen those abused any number of ways. And, it is all subjective anyway.

**Stalemate** · January 4th, 2005, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by DonJ

...I don't like the ranking system as I have seen those abused any number of ways. And, it is all subjective anyway.

And post counts are not?

Seriously, if one wanted to increase post counts without the Lounge or Politicos or event the News being taken into account, they could surf in, pretending to reply to questions but not adding anything useful, or simply answer "right on - that's what I would have said" and voila: postount = postcount + 1.

That's why I never took post counts to be indicative of technical merit, or understand why removing them from these sections would improve anything at all.

Another .02$ CAN.

**Vergence** · January 4th, 2005, 11:44 AM

I was never bothered by WOTPP, and postcounts really do show how active the member is in the community, not how skilled/intelligent they are. I've been visiting for months and I have never assumed that a high post count EVER meant the person's advice was any better than a person who's first post was this one. In fact, it took me a while to figure out that the postcount was the current postcount of the user and not a sequential postcount tag.

Keep the postcount, it doesn't hurt anybody.

**i n e p t** · January 4th, 2005, 11:49 AM

you need a system of merit on tech issues like : to what degree did this post help solve your problem?

1. cleared everything up, including my sinuses
2. mostly fixed
3. control panel? where's the entrance to that on the tower?

**Ya_know** · January 4th, 2005, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by Vergence

I was never bothered by WOTPP, and postcounts really do show how active the member is in the community, not how skilled/intelligent they are. I've been visiting for months and I have never assumed that a high post count EVER meant the person's advice was any better than a person who's first post was this one. In fact, it took me a while to figure out that the postcount was the current postcount of the user and not a sequential postcount tag.

Keep the postcount, it doesn't hurt anybody.

Adept, is this you?