Forum Suggestion

[Vigo]

"Member of the Month"

Or members. Something to drive/incite posters and forum users.

Would be very easy to implement. Not much time or resources required.

Ideas to determine qualifiers:
- voted upon by other members? or nominated by admin and mods and then voted upon?
- designated for certain achievments (post count) etc
- "Secret" mods or admin could go around once in a while posing as a new user looking for "help"

Recognition on the site or even just the forums (sticky thread at the least).

Not that the forum community is lacking in any way, but nothings perfect so theres always room for growth/improvement. How does that saying go?
"The better... the better?"

[Panama Red]

Don't think we should promote post counts or special recognition. That kind of thing just promotes the "what's in it for me?" attitude. I prefer to think people here are assisting others just because they have a desire to do something good for someone else. Call it "random acts of kindness". Most of us have never met, yet we go out of our way to provide assistance to whomever shows up here looking for help. I'm not in favor of any contest that tries to measure kindness. Think I read in a Good Book once, "tis better to give than to receive".

[kram 2.0]

I agree with Panama Red here - I think that if you're willing to give advice or give a little help, you don't do it for recognition - you just do it because it is the right thing to do. In some sense, the recognition would likely increase flaming, and the moderators or the forum community won't want that to happen.

kram

[Vigo]

I dont think the general community is so naive that they would resort to flaming or jealousy over merrit.

"Don't think we should promote post counts or special recognition."

Post counts are promoted. Youre assigned a rank for how many posts you have. I dont think anyone posts just for rank or special avatars now... should we get rid of those? Or, why would my suggestion incite negative feelings or be taken in the form of "bribery"?

Its along the same lines as avatars and post counts, but more social. And a forum is a social gathering... even a tech forum.

I'm sorry, but even the idea isn't a good one I can't accept it isn't 'good' because of the reasons so far. To me its seems it follows the same exact priniciples and promotes the same desired effects as post counts and avatars. I really don't like tha fact that you think it will promote: "the 'what's in it for me?' attitude."

Because if it did, that would be a discredit to all the people who use this forum. I certainly don't believe the idea itself tries to promote that.

[ghost2003]

Theres already a member of the week in the news letter

[Vigo]

Indeed? So it seems the suggestion is redundant. I do not receive the newsletter. I'd resuggest the idea outside the newsletter but they obviously want it in the news letter since thats where it is. Still...

[Panama Red]

Vigo, don't take it so personally. I'm not getting down on you personally. I just don't think your proposal is in keeping with the intended and stated purpose of this forum as a purely tech forum. It has been stated repeatedly by the moderators that this is NOT a social forum. There are other places for socializing.

[Panama Red]

Originally posted by ghost2003 Theres already a member of the week in the news letter

That is more of a personal interview than recognition tho'. Don't think the two ideas are the same.

[QuickSilver]

If such an idea were to be implemented, we would have to be very careful indeed to avoid the problems that Panama Red has already described. Do it by nomination, rather than by post count, and it might fly. It could be a fun thing, but then again, this is, as stated above, a forum dedicated only to tech. The forum needs to be an enjoyable place, while at the same time not becoming so fun oriented as to promote posts from visitors interested in only the social aspects. It’s a delicate balance, one that could potentially be tilted slightly by such a move.

[Punked Out Comp]

I think that the "General Disscusion" forum is somewhat social and the rest of the forum is tech.