Who said that, and where? I find that extremely hard to believe.
I believe Satan started a thread about this, though I do believe the thread was meant tongue in cheek.
I don’t see any point in having the post count visible in every post. If you really need to check someone’s post count - and I don’t see this being a very common need - you could look in their profile.
People could still have post count parties, but they’d be a rarer event if one had to keep checking one’s profile, or one’s friend’s profile, to see if the magic round number had been reached.
On some other boards I post at, post counts are the cause of some serious spamming problems, but these are boards that assign different titles to people based on how many posts they have. At one there was someone who openly admitted he was trying to get his post count up to 2000 so he would have ‘Legendary Champion’ next to his name (there were around 6 or 7 different titles, and that was the top one). He posted constantly, usually only a few words in each post. At another (somethingawful.com) there were also problems with people trying to get high post counts, though there were only three titles of regular posters. This problem was partially solved by assigning custom titles to posters, often derogatory ones if they made a lot of stupid posts or were considered gimmick posters, and by resetting the post counts of people who were obviously just trying to raise their count (BTW, my custom title is ‘I may need to turn up my brightness, I missed the hole’, which is an out-of-context quote from one of my posts).
I kinda like the post counts being displayed, even though I rarely look at them. I don’t think I give any more respect to people with high post counts, and I’m certainly not obsessed with my own (it would be quite detrimental to my psychological well-being if I were, methinks :)) but I do value my post count, purely for vague reasons of pride. When I evntually hit .
As for the post parties, I’d have to side with those of the “they ain’t any worse than the sock colour threads” stance.
Hmm, somehow I managed to post that sans the last bit of the first paragraph. It should have read:
…When I eventually hit a ‘respectable’ number of posts, I will it not so much as an achievement in itself, but still kinda cool.
Bingo Coldie, it was a few months back.It would take some serious searching to find it, Satan being a heavy poster. I think Satan was indeed tongue in cheek, but the thread ignited all kinds of reactions.
Mere words cannot express how silly I felt when I noticed that reg. date is indeed shown. Right above post count.
Thanks to all for not making fun of me.
:: slinks off ::
This must be the thread you’re looking for.
What can I say, Satan’s never been one to hide his opinion. This still seems like a bit of a drastic measure, though.
I like having the post count displayed. It doesn’t influence my respect for a poster, but I find it to be interesting information about the poster. Like Triskadecamus, I also use the post counter in special circumstances to evaluate the intent of the poster. I’m certainly not post count obsessed, and I think post count parties are pointless.
As to the idea of different titles based on number of posts, I think that is a terrible idea. I think people would be more obsessed with that than with post counts.
(1) I consider the post counter a personal friend. 
(2) Sure, keep displaying them. They can be fun.
(3) No, respect comes from the content of the posts, not the quantity of posts (a few examples come to mind of great new members). But the counter helps to identify the trolls, sockpuppets, and drive-by witnessings.
(4) Not anymore. Hitting 100, 500, and 1000 posts were interesting milestones, but otherwise empty of meaning.
(5) post parties…zzzzz
I don’t pay that much attention to post count. I find that sometimes I really recognize a username when the person has only made a couple of hundred posts or so, and other people don’t look familiar after a thousand posts. It seems like most people who get banned tend to do it in their first 100 posts, but you don’t need a post count to determine who needs to be banned. This is the first MB I’ve been to that has a post counter. Although all of the MB’s tend to have many meaningless “Me too” posts, this is the only one I’ve been to where the purpose is to improve ones post count.
I tend to think that 80% of the people here don’t care that much about post counts. It’s just that the people who do care tend to, uh, post a lot.
I noted my 1000th post as a one liner at the end of my post, but otherwise haven’t attended or started any post parties. I don’t have any problems with seeing them on the board. I just generally don’t find them that interesting.
I’m on the cusp of 2000 posts, and I haven’t given a thought to having a post party for that. However, until the discussion started a week ago, I had been planning on havinga 2112th post party, to celebrate the music of Rush. (One can never have enough Rush-related threads, eh, Coldy? :))
Anyway, I’m posting here to express my surprise that the two most blatant post-count padders, who seem to show up in every other thread, haven’t posted in here yet.
No, I am not going to name them.
- if & when someone with a low post-count screws up (wrong forum, uncouth language etc.), more tolerance is generally displayed. That has to be a Good Thing.
Respect is earned and not by a high post-count - how many posts did JDT rack up before getting the proverbial boot ? FWIW, I’ve seen very few references to post-counts other than tongue-in-cheek, except in the Pit, where you’re expected to exploit any chink in your opponents armour anyway.
Post count parties do little harm, but I don’t really care one way or the other.
I think postcounts are worth holding onto for the (admittedly few) practical benefits they bestow. Changing to a post-count-based name system could be worse - more people might strat posting like mad to get out of a “newbie” category in a hurry.
This hedgehog is content to leave well enough alone.
S. Norman
I don’t see a need for the post counter. I mean, I’ve only been here since like what, September, and I’ve racked up over 1000 posts. Does that make me more respected than someone that’s been here much longer, yet has fewer posts? Of course not. I’m just more chatty. I’ve noticed it less, but showing the post count seems to lead to posts that are just for the sake of posting and upping the post count.
I think I’ve had 2 post parties thrown for me. If I see one and I know the poster I’ll stop in and say congrats and the like. I could take or leave them. There’s only so many times you can say “…congrats! And many more!” a day, you know?
So in a nutshell, I’d like to see the post counter disappear. We’ll survive without it.
After reading this, and the related thread in 'da Pit, I am suddenly moved by the dreaded awe inspired by contemplating just exactly what it means when someone says “. . . have to read every single post in MPSIMS.”
OK, kill the post counter, delete the PCP threads. Put up a notice in MPSIMS that the P stands for Personal, not Pointless. My heartfelt sympathy goes out those dedicated souls described in the poignant wail quoted above.
Oh, the humanity!
Tris
Count me in as one who doesn’t care about posts, or post parties.
I have no clue why someone who has eighty gazillion posts in two months should be more respected. When I do notice that, I assume the poster doesn’t have much of a RL, and though entertaining or witty or smart or whatever online, is likely a bit of a recluse who spends WAY too much time hunched in front of a monitor.
::ducks & runs out the door::
Actually, I’m more impressed with Dopers that have been here a while and don’t have high counts. To me that says that (theoretically) they post more intelligently, thoughtfully or insightfully. Sometimes, not always.
Respect for someone based on count or duration, <pffft> please! So many others have said it, it’s the content that matters. I’d like to think that I’ve posted some quality stuff, but I know that a large number of my recent posts have been either from the Thread Killers or the Rochambo threads. I think I jst crested 900 or so posts, but I usually don’t notice until a few posts after the fact, so I guess it’s more of a “Huh…wouldja lookit that” sort of thing with me. For me, it’s a NTK (nice to know, not need to know).
I do like the post counter. It slightly influences my opinion of someone I do not know. I am not obsessed with my post count- in fact, it always surpises me when i notice it.
Clearly, I do like Post count parties- but only for the “thousands”. By that time folk should know you well enuf to make witty comments, digs & flirt with ease.
Trik- nice post. 
I prefer quality over quantity. Using the post counter as a judge of the worth of a post or user is artificial, IMO.