topic Re: Community Ranking in Discussions & Feedback

Community Ranking

Cleoriff — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:02:11 GMT

Now I possibly am going to be shot down in flames for this post but it really is a general concern of mine.

This business of 'going up the ranks' on the number of posts you make (irrespective of content) seems weird to me.

I will willingly use myself as an example. I have posted a lot of stuff, always questions, because I know very little about smartphones. I have also started a few discussions. However, I have only 'helped' a couple of folk with my limited knowledge, so it seems wrong somehow that I should now be classed as Talented (Rank 😎 primarily as newbies may be of the opinion I have a wealth of knowledge of smartphones (hahaha..can hardly breathe for laughing!)

On the other hand people like Jonsie, Perksie, Opium , Bambino, MI5, Papadug, Gillfankskev, stuart1983, Liquid, adamtempo etc etc (apologies if I left anyone out!) fully deserve their rankings because of their knowledge and willingness to share it.

I have no idea how it could be changed, if at all but I personally feel its not justified for folk like me to move up the ranks just because I gab a lot

An example of what I mean is this...if you took 100 tests in a car and failed every test.. would you be a better driver than someone who took it once, and passed? Just saying....

Re: Community Ranking

MI5 — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:08:58 GMT

On other forums I use we can change our own names or have non at all. Don't think Toby would allow us that freedom here though....

Re: Community Ranking

perksie — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:11:56 GMT

It's a fair point but to do it any other way the content of all your posts would have to be read and assessed, so I doubt that would work.

I think once the ranks are entered into the system many of the changes will be automatic.

A lack of knowledge doesn't make your posts any less valuable than anyone else's, so yours are just as welcome.

We didn't have titles at all on the old forum and quite honestly I don't really see the point now, but we have them for what they are worth.

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:12:52 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
(apologies if I left anyone out!)

**sobs uncontrollably in the corner**

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:18:21 GMT

@perksie wrote:

A lack of knowledge doesn't make your posts any less valuable than anyone else's, so yours are just as welcome.

Same applies to me really Cleoriff - my tag line once read 'All-round technophobe and technical thickie' That said, the knowledge I have now has been gained from the guys on here.

Rest assured you'll soon be helping as much as you were once helped

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:18:54 GMT

Me too

Re: Community Ranking

Cleoriff — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:19:00 GMT

@MI5 Yes but its not the names as such, I dont have a problem with that, sometimes its good to know who is answering your questions :smileywink:...its the rankings, which I think give a false impression in relation to folk like me.. who, as i say, post a lot, but know every little re technology

Re: Community Ranking

Cleoriff — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:23:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@Cleoriff wrote:
(apologies if I left anyone out!)
**sobs uncontrollably in the corner**

Sorry sorry sorry...also bandofbrothers was missed as well. Damien I mentioned you didnt I?

Re: Community Ranking

Cleoriff — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:25:16 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Me too

No I didnt mention you...and apologies again xx

Re: Community Ranking

jonsie — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:44:09 GMT

When the idea of rankings and kudos was first raised during the testing of the new forum in beta, every one of those invited to participate were against the proposals but our views were discarded due to the 'vision' of the forum designers.

I still don't like it and never will.

an example: when all the old posts were transferred over, many posts were deleted as they were deemed irrelevant and the contributors lost around 2000 posts each so the number of posts shown against the older users are not reflective of their overall contribution. Another anomaly is the number of 'solutions'. On the old forum there was no way of marking a thread as 'solved' so again the number of 'solutions' isn't accurate except for newer users.

It is the same with kudos, never an option to give one on the old forum over the 4 or more years it ran quite successfully before the new but not improved format. One of the reasons we don't show the number of kudos by our user name.

Anyway, the views expressed are entirely my own and the powers that be can feel free to remove them if they feel fit to.

Re: Community Ranking

adamtemp64 — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:14:05 GMT

@jonsie

Could not have put it better

Re: Community Ranking

perksie — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:21:06 GMT

@jonsie wrote:
When the idea of rankings and kudos was first raised during the testing of the new forum in beta, every one of those invited to participate were against the proposals but our views were discarded due to the 'vision' of the forum designers.

Our opinions were asked for but very little of what we suggested was implemented.

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:45:56 GMT

Yeah like being helpful & stuff but doesn't bother me if we have ranks or not, don't really pay attention to them lol

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:52:42 GMT

Its always nice to move up the ranks as your knowledge grows

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:54:00 GMT

Knowledge is power ha ha(not)

Re: Community Ranking

Bambino — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:01:00 GMT

I have seen people post literally thousands of posts, just so they can move up the rankings. Thousands. The ranks mean absolutely nothing. What counts is if you can help someone. It's really all that does count.

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:02:33 GMT

Or post rants that get lots of kudos

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:04:46 GMT

@Bambino wrote:
I have seen people post literally thousands of posts, just so they can move up the rankings. Thousands. The ranks mean absolutely nothing. What counts is if you can help someone. It's really all that does count.

Surely that's why it uses solutions as well

Re: Community Ranking

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:07:54 GMT

The solutions help others also not just regular users

Re: Community Ranking

Cleoriff — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:09:24 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Its always nice to move up the ranks as your knowledge grows

See that comment in some way, is the point I was making i.e. 'as your knowledge grows'... NOT move up due to the posts you make. I know it would be nigh impossible to 'measure' your knowledge but it seems silly that I could, in theory, respond to EVERY reply posted by an expert by saying 'I agree with so and so' and then, by gawd, I would shoot up the rankings!!!

I just think it gives a false perspective of your knowledge base related to phones, broadband etc etc

If I refer back to my original post, I made the comparison that someone who takes their driving test 100 times and FAILS is not classed as a better driver than someone who takes it only once