DoogsATX

 

 

 

...

Vance...regarding your useless comment, you nailed it. I come here for the modeling, yes, but just as much for the community around it. It's a nice outlet when none of my traditional friends/family really get it.

The community angle Among my "inner circle", there are lots of guys I play ball with, others in my professional field, some school buddies, family...  Some do appreciate the work that goes into that model airplane I just finished up, but no, they don't really "get it" either. This is me hanging out at the LHS, virtually.

Gents,

For the record, I do regard this as a serious thread — that's what suggestions and feedback is for. There are obviously strong feeling about this subject. I'd like to hear what individual members have to say about the subject in a reasonable fashion, free from personal insults and ridicule.

Let's drop the nonsense. If you have feelings about this subject, please drop in and explain why you think thread counts should go or stay.

Regards, Aaron

Shellback

• tigerman (18,008)
• Manstein's revenge (13,512)
• Hans von Hammer (12,326)
• the doog (10,743)
• wing_nut (10,052)
• wbill76 (9,746)
• stikpusher (9,206)
• bondoman (8,264)
• VanceCrozier (5,553)
• Sprue-ce Goose (5,186)

The man at the top of the list , Tigerman , i one heck of a didicated modeler ! He has started many Group Builds , assited many modelers , been a good friend .............i cant think of any post of his that are not dedicated to his seriouse feelings about this hobby ! If he is to be lumped into the category that mfsob and Hisn Hertanks posted about then theire post are indeed not based on facts but instead on unfouded personal views .

I have enormous respect for everyone on that list, to be honest. Every single one of them has helped me with a suggestion or cleared up a nagging research issue, shared helpful tips, provided inspiration, and so on that has made me a better modeler. 

Since this is being taken serious. I have to vote on the side of keeping them. The way I see it if you don't like them don't look, but I do use them much the same way as has been mentioned.

I like to see how much someone participates in the forums but that does not mean I will not help a member with 1 post or 1,000,000 post if I think I can. It does however change the way I post the answer.

For example if someone with 1,000,000 post asks "what is Future and how do I use it" I would definitely respond differently than if a 1 post count person asks. Not saying that high post count folks know it all, but by default they have at least seen lot's of threads.

I see this is no different than the way people act and react to folks in real life and since we have little info on who we are talking to available to make those impressions this kind of info is invaluable. Even if it is a small detail removing the counts just takes away a "non verbal" clue as to what the person has seen/commented/participated on.

That’s just my two cents, poorly worded and too long.

Well if it's coming down to a yes/no - I'd vote yes, keep the post counts. (See my earlier comments.) There is so little information about forum members to start with (as little as a screen name), the post count can at least be an indicator of "newbie" vs "grizzled veteran", for whatever that's worth. Beyond that, you've got to communicate with the person in question to learn anything else.

Thanks guys. Keep 'em coming.

Cheers, Aaron

VanceCrozier

DoogsATX:

 

 

 

...

Vance...regarding your useless comment, you nailed it. I come here for the modeling, yes, but just as much for the community around it. It's a nice outlet when none of my traditional friends/family really get it.

 

The community angle Among my "inner circle", there are lots of guys I play ball with, others in my professional field, some school buddies, family...  Some do appreciate the work that goes into that model airplane I just finished up, but no, they don't really "get it" either. This is me hanging out at the LHS, virtually.

VanceCrozier

DoogsATX:

 

 

 

...

Vance...regarding your useless comment, you nailed it. I come here for the modeling, yes, but just as much for the community around it. It's a nice outlet when none of my traditional friends/family really get it.

 

The community angle Among my "inner circle", there are lots of guys I play ball with, others in my professional field, some school buddies, family...  Some do appreciate the work that goes into that model airplane I just finished up, but no, they don't really "get it" either. This is me hanging out at the LHS, virtually.

Well Said Vance and Doogs..

for me.. substitute Fire Dept, camping buddies, etc..

LONG LIVE THE POST COUNT...

...and I'll go one further:  Add a thread started count...and maybe number of pics posted count...and number of GB's started count...

1 YAY vote to keep...

Aaron Skinner

Gents,

For the record, I do regard this as a serious thread — that's what suggestions and feedback is for. There are obviously strong feeling about this subject. I'd like to hear what individual members have to say about the subject in a reasonable fashion, free from personal insults and ridicule.

Let's drop the nonsense. If you have feelings about this subject, please drop in and explain why you think thread counts should go or stay.

Regards, Aaron

Hello Aaron, I have accepted your invitation to give my opinion on this subject. I am puzzled by the anger directed toward a post count list. So what? It's not a popularity contest list. It only shows who has taken the most time to guide the forum. Like Oddman, I find the people on that list knowledgeable, helpful and an asset to this forum. Many times I find myself looking at subjects or considering builds based on their posts. I have yet to encounter anyone on here who posts to inflate their count. I have seen counts grow due to conversations(serious and silly), display of work, and words of encouragement regarding a kit or the hassles of life. Are any of these things enhanced by a post count list? No. Will the elimination of the post count list make a difference? Probably not. Silly posts will go on, advice will be given, kits will be built. 

So, what do I think? Leave it there. It harms no-one and is a non-offensive statistic. It shows those who have taken the time to participate and grow this forum to where it is today. Whether or not you like that direction is up to the individual member. I am sorry though Aaron that you have to spend time on things like this instead of talking about models and how to make them better. Which is why we came here.

Mike

I wonder if this thread was created to gain more posts.....Just kidding!

But do we know what the post count is actually for?

As Browniii pointed out, it serves a purpose as a link in researching your own posts or those of some one else.

What is the count for?

For veterans of the site, the post count may be irrelevant. Lets face it, most of us know who we are, what we're knowledgeable in, and who to receive help from. How many times have we seen posts with the subject line "Question for Hammer" or "Need help from Redleg" or something of that nature? Even in doing so, these people have been gracious enough to still post a thread for the rest of us to learn from rather than going back channel through PMs or email to receive what may be a simple answer.

I would, however, hesitate to say that it is relevant for newer people. This would imply that only those with a higher post count should be seen as knowledgeable or provide reasonable answers. In all honesty, I've received help from guys with posts in the hundreds, to guys with posts in the 10's of thousands.

At face value, really it just lets you know who has participated the most in a particular length of time. Judging some one by their post count is erroneous because the post count gives you nothing of substance, for both sides of this argument.

Keep in mind that every one values what is said here differently. We've already had a thread that discussed the value of keeping humor and serious modeling conversation in a balance. Some people enjoy the nonsense a bit more than others, which certainly reflects in their post count, but so what? Does post count strictly have to refer to posts that are of a modeling topic and omit those in the Odds and Ends section (hmmm, actually that might be an interesting compromise for you)?

If this is so serious of an issue, which I can't imagine why it has to be (nothing better to do on a Thursday I guess) then maybe they should omit posts from the O & E section from reflecting in the post count similar to how posts in the Test section don't reflect in the post count either. Just a thought.

The Navigator

Aaron Skinner:

Gents,

For the record, I do regard this as a serious thread — that's what suggestions and feedback is for. There are obviously strong feeling about this subject. I'd like to hear what individual members have to say about the subject in a reasonable fashion, free from personal insults and ridicule.

Let's drop the nonsense. If you have feelings about this subject, please drop in and explain why you think thread counts should go or stay.

Regards, Aaron

 

Hello Aaron, I have accepted your invitation to give my opinion on this subject. I am puzzled by the anger directed toward a post count list. So what? It's not a popularity contest list. It only shows who has taken the most time to guide the forum. Like Oddman, I find the people on that list knowledgeable, helpful and an asset to this forum. Many times I find myself looking at subjects or considering builds based on their posts. I have yet to encounter anyone on here who posts to inflate their count. I have seen counts grow due to conversations(serious and silly), display of work, and words of encouragement regarding a kit or the hassles of life. Are any of these things enhanced by a post count list? No. Will the elimination of the post count list make a difference? Probably not. Silly posts will go on, advice will be given, kits will be built. 

So, what do I think? Leave it there. It harms no-one and is a non-offensive statistic. It shows those who have taken the time to participate and grow this forum to where it is today. Whether or not you like that direction is up to the individual member. I am sorry though Aaron that you have to spend time on things like this instead of talking about models and how to make them better. Which is why we came here.

Mike

p38jl

 

 

Well Said Nav.. Aaron.,,.. pat yourself on the back.. you do a good job.. and Have a cookie !

 

Just one?

Aaron Skinner

 

p38jl:

 

 

 

Well Said Nav.. Aaron.,,.. pat yourself on the back.. you do a good job.. and Have a cookie !

 

 

 

Just one?

I ate the rest

Aaron Skinner

p38jl:

 

 

Well Said Nav.. Aaron.,,.. pat yourself on the back.. you do a good job.. and Have a cookie !

 

 

Just one?

Now whos counting?

I hated to do it...but the urge was too strong. Back to the topic..in case it was not counted before my vote...keep the count.

What!?! When my post count hits a certain number I don't win a prize!?!

Sorry, I can't vote yea or ney since I don't really pay much attention to the count. I almost entirely go with my previous experience with the poster. I'm not a big fan of cliques but if a person is generally helpful and polite with myself or others I'm more likely to return the same. I suppose if it comes down to simple numbers I'm more likely to pay attention to the 'date joined' statistic over the 'post count' one though.

Aaron: if I had to name a feature I'd like to see I also would like an 'ignore poster' option.

Personally, I do not care one way or the other about post counts.   Keep them, or delete them and it won't impact my FSM online experience in any way.   Same with avatars, sigs and what-not- they just aren't that important to me. 

Aaron Skinner

p38jl:

 

 

Well Said Nav.. Aaron.,,.. pat yourself on the back.. you do a good job.. and Have a cookie !

 

 

Just one?

I'll get you a new bag tomorrow ? ..Oreos ? Double Stuff ? Cameo's ? ( my fav.. ) or my mom's Molasses cookies.. mmmmm...

oddmanrush

 

HisNHer Tanks:

 

 

 

• tigerman (18,008)
• Manstein's revenge (13,512)
• Hans von Hammer (12,326)
• the doog (10,743)
• wing_nut (10,052)
• wbill76 (9,746)
• stikpusher (9,206)
• bondoman (8,264)
• VanceCrozier (5,553)
• Sprue-ce Goose (5,186)

Let me ask you a serious question then. Would you still respect them if they had no post count total?

If yes, then they don't need the post count total do they.

They are on THAT list entirely by virtue of their post count total though, not their deeds.

I have no beef with any of them though.

I just think if they don't need the post counts then remove them so that those that clearly are in need of them for some dumb reason have no capacity to be a nuisance with it.

The respected forum veterans lose nothing, and the fools on the forum lose something that is being used as a means to be a nuisance.

If you think this is a non issue, you merely need to be off site where it is discussed as if it were.

I have heard persons complain that those not possessing high point counts are regarded as lesser grade members. That only inspires people to post for the sake of posting so that their post counts grow so that they are able to obtain 'worth'.

This is not unique to this forum, and it is just as much a problem here as it is anywhere else. It just remains to be seen if the forum management here has more or less interest in making use of an easy fix or remaining in denial over it.

I thought coming here might be 'fun', but, I really would rather not get involved yet again, on a forum that is yet again, just more of the same. I might just elect to buy the magazine, and forget this forum ever existed.

And if I am no loss, so be it.

But it would be nice to be pleasantly surprised for once, and see management make a simple obvious choice.

HisNHer Tanks

 

 

Let me ask you a serious question then. Would you still respect them if they had no post count total?

If yes, then they don't need the post count total do they.

They are on THAT list entirely by virtue of their post count total though, not their deeds.

I have no beef with any of them though.

I just think if they don't need the post counts then remove them so that those that clearly are in need of them for some dumb reason have no capacity to be a nuisance with it.

The respected forum veterans lose nothing, and the fools on the forum lose something that is being used as a means to be a nuisance.

I hereby dub this molehill Mt. Everest...

I would ask, though, who are these members who so clearly need to jack their post counts? I haven't seen one. Ever. I have seen some "hey I reached 1000 posts!" threads, but is marking participation such a bad thing?

You think post count fever is bad on forums? Try Twitter.

If you think this is a non issue, you merely need to be off site where it is discussed as if it were.

Huh?

I have heard persons complain that those not possessing high point counts are regarded as lesser grade members. That only inspires people to post for the sake of posting so that their post counts grow so that they are able to obtain 'worth'.

To the first - I've heard a very few people complain about that as well. That doesn't make it true, and in the cases I'm thinking of it's been of a ranting nature where there's already plenty of other immaturity on display and there's usually some griping about not getting a ton of responses to something.

To the second, that's a rather dubious logical leap, and I've never seen any evidence of it. The closest I've seen would be enthusiastic new members who start posting frequently. And I chalk that up to enthusiasm and finding a place to geek out with those who share their interest, not post pumping.

This is not unique to this forum, and it is just as much a problem here as it is anywhere else. It just remains to be seen if the forum management here has more or less interest in making use of an easy fix or remaining in denial over it.

I thought coming here might be 'fun', but, I really would rather not get involved yet again, on a forum that is yet again, just more of the same. I might just elect to buy the magazine, and forget this forum ever existed.

And if I am no loss, so be it.

But it would be nice to be pleasantly surprised for once, and see management make a simple obvious choice.

Let me get this straight. Your enjoyment and continued use of this forum is dependent upon whether the forum admins remove an innocuous feature that a tiny minority have a problem with?

Really?

As I've said, I don't really care about post counts, but they are one of a very few cues we have as to who we're typing at. If it'd be more diplomatic to replace it with ranks (newbie up to grizzle vet or whatever) fine, but I don't think that would help anything and might make whatever you perceive worse.

HisNHer Tanks

 

And if I am no loss, so be it.

But it would be nice to be pleasantly surprised for once, and see management make a simple obvious choice.

Well, two things here. First, I believe, any absence of a fellow modeler on this site is a loss, in my opinion. I enjoy the community and hate to see people leave in a huff.

Secondly, I'd have to say that maybe the choice isn't as "simple" and "obvious" as you make it seem. You and really one other person are the only ones I've seen so far that have put up such an adamant fight against the post count.

To be honest, I'm not really arguing for it or against it, initially I'd joined this conversation to deflect your argument that all high post counts are made by egomaniacs with nothing fruitful to add to the forums.

If you are encountering individuals that you think are boosting their count for seemingly self serving purposes, simply ignore them. Whats the difference? Its not like they are some how cheating, that by reaching a certain post count they are going to win a prize or whatever before you do. Its harmless. Don't let their character influence your character in a bad way.
This is why the argument to get rid of them makes no sense...they aren't offensive nor do they harm any one. Nor do the posters gain anything by them. If people get as much a kick out of having a high post count as you make them out to, well that's their problem. Not yours.

for what its worth, I like having the post counts there. It gives a quick reference as to who the more experienced forum members are (not with modeling skill, but in forum know-how. They would probably know the ins and outs of the forum much better than a newbie, seeing as they've been here long enough to get a post count over 10,000).

I also like seeing my post count up there. It reminds me of how much I've actually been involved in the forum. I dont post very often, so a count of over 1000 is a bit of a milestone for me.

CallSignOWL

 It gives a quick reference as to who the more experienced forum members are (not with modeling skill, but in forum know-how.

Not so sure that 500 posts that say "B-7" or "C-9" or 57 pages of one word posts should be considered forum know how. Just because someone knows how to type and click on the post button, shouldn't mean that one is familiar with the forum mechanics.

Hey all,

In an interest to keep this on track and not devolve into a flame war, how's about we stick to answering my questions — keep or get rid of post counts — and not get tearing each others arguments apart piecemeal. If you disagree, that's fine, but keep the discussion positive. As I said, we are interested in what the membership has to say on the issue.

Regards, Aaron

Ditch em, they serve no purpose.

Aaron Skinner

Hey all,

In an interest to keep this on track and not devolve into a flame war, how's about we stick to answering my questions — keep or get rid of post counts — and not get tearing each others arguments apart piecemeal. If you disagree, that's fine, but keep the discussion positive. As I said, we are interested in what the membership has to say on the issue.

Regards, Aaron

Keep it, as long as we throw Aaron a party when he reaches 1,000....

How about we list the least active members?  Might light a fire under 'em...

Manstein's revenge

How about we list the least active members?  Might light a fire under 'em...

+1

Ok Aaron,,, I will be to the point and as serious as possible.  

   I've been around for a while,, seen things and people come and go.....

I would vote to keep the post counts