My complaints are in the Pit, this is meant as a request.
There seems to be a radical difference of opinion in the matter of what the Mods/Admins and the members/users feel to be “post count padding.”
While I can see that certain game threads do indeed run their course and will get closed, I have yet to see any member so concerned about their post count that they would use such threads for the sole purpose of increasing their post count total.
Since there is such a major difference of opinion, why not simply eliminate any post counts? Apparantly, all they are is a point of contention. On my own small board, I had no post counts whatsoever and not one person ever complained (nor even noticed.)
Not meant as a criticism, simply a request. I request that any other members replying to this remember that we are in ATMB discussing a request only. Please stay on topic or look for the dual Pit threads.
I don’t completely understand the mod’s :mad: against post-padding. Is it because this board is so busy, so mindless posts gobble up valuable bandwith?
I would suggest a compromise. Over on FFF, OpalCat’s board, while there is no post count, there are different labels that are attached to your user name the more you post. I think you’ve seen them, NCB. I think you start out with Fancy Pants or something, and eventually progress.
So, if post counts are such a bone of contention, may I suggest a label instead?
Hopelessly Ignorant
Can Tie Own Shoes
Learning Something
The Light Burns Brighter
S/He Can Be Taught
A-Ha!
The mods can set their own standards, kept secret if they like, for every thousand posts or something.
I will admit I glance a post counts when someone comes across with something horrible inappropriate, mainly to determine if the poster should know better or if the poster is a newbie trying to stir the pot.
Not until I reach 10,000!!11one
(Joking aside, the count does have it’s use. I back up your defence for the motivation for posting being more than to increase the count, but I expect too many people would object to losing their counts. One can look at a post count and be confident that whoever it belongs to achieved it with sincere posts as none/very few here stoop to deliberate post-padding.)
Whatever. I say if it’s causing problems, ditch 'em. I don’t see the benefit of them anyway, even if they were touted last year. Besides, the admins have always reserved the right to change the rules as needed.
If folks are posting just to boost counts, then let’s lose the counts. The hamsters are sooooooo tired!
Here’s the rules for my board, as if anyone cares.
[quote]
2.6 Post padding / low content posts
Post padding should be avoided. Post padding is making a post with no real purpose or content, just to increase post count stats. Post padding includes, but is not limited to:
[ul][li] “Roll call,” “consecutive number game”, “last poster wins” and “increase your post count” type threads and posts.[/li][li] Posting two or more consecutive messages in a thread to reflect one train of thought (“Oh, and one more thing …”). Users can amended and edit their posts up to six hours after posting. Staff may consolidate or delete posts to improve readability of a thread.[/li][li] Followup messages that contribute nothing to a thread, such as “I agree” or “Me too”[/ul][/li][/quote]
That’s interesting, Elmwood, but I don’t wholly agree with point #2, esp since we have no editing available here.
Also, I take it you have no Trekkers on your board?
About the only thing I see worthwhile in post counts here is showing active involvement. Even that is misleading, as fully half my posts probably fit into the category of continuing a thought.
And let’s not forget members (past and present) whose post count indicates ONLY that they (like me) post a lot, not that their responses have any real extra weight.
On a side note: If I waited until my brain had finished with a thought for a post so that I didn’t have to spread it between multiple posts I’d never post. I can very rarely post something without afterwards thinking of something extra to add. If I went ahead and added those afterthoughts every time I had them I’d have something like 13,000 posts by now.
Not many ; it’s mostly urban planners. That’s not to say there isn’t SF geekery among them; it’s a frequent topic of discussion in the off-topic areas.
The lack of editing here does make #2 moot, but I just posted it as an example. I found that consecutive posts here are tolerated far more. With the ability to edit posts, there is no need to post several short messages in a row. The “no consecutive posts” ule is enforced only when those multiple posts represent a single train of thought, or they’re all related; consecutive posts in a thread, with the second or third reflecting different trains of thought, are tolerated.
Before you click the Reply button, ask yourself, “Do I have anything useful to add? If I’m going for a joke, is it worth the pixels I’m typing? Do I know what I’m talking about, or am I guessing?” I end up throwing out about half as many replies as I submit. I probably should throw out more. :smack:
My opinion is that labels would increase the urge to pad post counts. People would do it just to get the cool labels. I’ve done it myself on other boards, but just for the relatively few posts needed to get out of newbie status.
OpalCat’s board is more social and has fewer members and less traffic, so my guess is what would be post padding here is okay there and has less overall effect.
If you scrapped the post–count’ stat, it could be replaced with IvyLass’ ‘count labels’ or either of these data fields (IMHO, both are more accurate ways of gauging a user’s activity level):
[list=a]
[]Threads Contributed To (Which makes multiple mundane posts to the same thread useless in terms of padding one’s count) - or[]Word Count (Maybe something like non-quoted characters posted divided by 5)[/list]
Why not ditch post counts on our posts and just display them on our profiles instead? That way, if someone is really dying to see someone else’s post count, they can. I personally couldn’t care less about post counts-the only thing it does help is for newbies, but then a system of “titles” would work just the same. (And if you’re worried that people would be posting for titles, just make them boring, like SDMB Newbie, SDMB Regular, SDMB Veteran, etc).
I always thought that the term ‘post padding’ was a gentle euphemism used to encourage posters to stop posting mindlessly- a social dodge to avoid the term ‘useless drivel’. Removing the post count will not prevent the posting of useless drivel, but it will force the mods to be more direct when ‘post padding’ problems arise.
