I'm kind of conflicted on this one.

A.) I enjoyed the "Bronze" status, but purely for aesthetic reasons.

Oddly enough, I just like that particular metal, so it was a nice synthesis for me. I actually got a little nervous thinking about "bumping up" to silver or gold over the next few years.

Pretty metals, all nice and shiny - but it's more what you do with those metals than just the virtue of owning them that matters to me.

...and I can see how people might overlook the quality of the post and be completely distracted by the member "rating". That's just human nature, I guess. Caught myself a few times taking note, and quickly refocused to the import of the subject/postings so as not to allow myself to become affected by associations.

Tricky situation.

Recognition is nice - but how to make sure newcomers and infrequent posters with exceptional ideas don't get overlooked just because they don't have the "status awards"?

Man. I'm stumped.

Maybe a silent vote system where we can rate the quality of individual posts and then on the main profile page, have the "medals" in respect to the members depth of knowledge and insight on various topics there?

The medals could be just for moderator applause and an additional ratings system in the board topics based on member votes?



(sorry - I'm brainstorming again...didn't mean to ramble.)

[edit on 5/31/09 by GENERAL EYES]

Originally posted by The Utopian Penguin

the only tag I need is ATS/BTS/MATS member.
as for the points LOL poo


[edit on 31-5-2009 by The Utopian Penguin]

I star and flag if a thread is good but if it isnt I whont. Hey get rid of it all why not.



[edit on 31-5-2009 by Mr Green]

Originally posted by deadline527
I valued being able to know who is a seasoned poster and who may just be a first post spammer.

I'm using this quote merely as a demonstration of irony and am not aiming it at deadline527 exclusively. Though (s)he is apparently gone in protest, so what does it matter. Apparently (s)he thinks (s)he'll be missed, and so I wish him/her well.

At ATS I believed people took pride and pleasure in making their own judgment of value. In not being told what is good or bad. In making up their own minds. Those arguing for the title system seem to be doing little more than saying, "I can't figure this on my own. Will you please tell me who is a valuable member and who isn't?"

Seriously disappointing.

Whether the system is in place or not is irrelevant to me. What is relevant is that some people here apparently don't want to bother to think for themselves, take the time and effort to read more than two lines of blurb to determine a contributor's value and make up their own mind about what exactly determines quality of contribution for them.

But then I didn't really need to look further than the political threads to know that. So I'm pretty dense myself, I guess.

[edit on 31/5/09 by TravelerintheDark]