Senior Membership Criteria

[Bobby M]

I like the 6 months and 25 good posts.
What is the possibility of not automatically counting those comments on other's posts and only counting real information posts for regulars and senior members. I hate to have to review all previous posts of a person who asks me a private question to see if they are a serious poster or are LE trying to gain info. Thus I have limited my serious replies to quality senior posters.

[I2500]

I like the idea of six months with 25 quality posts. If possible it would be good if you could continue weed out the posts that appear in all caps or without punctuation.

One other thing. Please give Jimi Hendrix senior status when you do this. He's currently one of the most active and prolific posters on the Seattle, Washington board.

[Golfnutz]

Well Folks, I never pass up an opportunity to throw in my $.02, so here goes; I know Jackson is trying to automate ( key word: Automate) the system, but I think there should be some kind of info checker for the usefullness of the post. Is that lofty posistion of Senior Member (of which I am not) deserved by someone who posts 15 questions and 10 jokes, or should the posts be checked for substantive quailty? How can this be done? I do like the longer time frame plus the quantiy of posts idea, as long as the posts are moslty of an informational nature. I don't really know, just tossing out ideas.

[Flashman]

Hi Jackson,
Thanks for all you do.

Re: Senior guidelines

Keep it simple, but make it something earned. I think 25 posts over six months is about right, with no more than 5 in one month counting toward the 25 or you will get a lot of BS posts with people just trying to get their number up!

Next step would be to take senior membership away from people who got it under the old rules and don't post much. I assume you could put in an automatic system that would downgrade status on any member who does not post over 6 months--for example. Then they would have to requalify like any newbie.

It would be good to put a little more confidance in the "senior member" classification to avoid those newbies who have an odor of pork about them.

Flashman

PS: I miss the international section. What is the best place to go? Do any of the new sites have your old database?

[Pretty Boy 96]

Well I've have been made a senoir member but in the international section instead of this section what is up with that ? Now is there any fix to that or should I just reapply?

Hi Pretty Boy 96,

The two sites are completely seperate, and thus Senior Member status on each site is awarded based on an individual member's contributions to the specific site.

In other words, it is entirely possible that the same person could be a Senior Member on one site and a Regular Member on the other site.

Thanks,

Jackson

[Spazen]

I always come up with odd things that may or may not be workable, so here goes.

1. Create a preferences field (area/specific forum) as to where a user would like to be mostly associated with. This field might also be available as a link.

2. Verify that the preferenced forum has at least 25-50% of the posts.

3. Once a specific number of posts/elapsed time occurs. Post to that forum specified in the preferences that "User x has reach senior membership creiteria. Anyone having an objection post in a forum designed for this purpose. Allow 1 month. This forum could even be invisable to regular members and only visable to you.

4. If no objections senior status occurs and member upgrade post deleted.

5. If objections: You weigh objections. If objections are warranted give new category like "I'm trying" and reset posts back to zero.

It's like checks and balances with peer review. Everything happens automaticly unless there are objections.

I know. Too complicated. There might be an idea here that you could use.

[Hutch]

The reports should be true reports, not comments about other reports or questions for more information.

If a person has had complaints aginst them or been restricted they should not get senior membership without a vote from the senior membership.

I know that you can steer through the non-real complaints.

Thanks for your time.

[Kimchi]

I feel that a minimum of 25 reports should be required to be elevated to the coveted Senior Membership Status. The reports of course must be of substantive information. They should be consturctive in nature and reliable. After all if you are a Senior member of this guide you want to be sure of the information obtained is correct. Just my opinion.

[Stoner]

There is a strong need for a moderator group, or perhaps a "council" if you will. Let them have the ability to recommend senior membership.


This all begs the obvious question: what exactly is a senior member?

In all seriousness, does it denote ability and longevity in the hobby?
Posting History?
Credential?
usefulness to the general populace?

If its purely on activity, then its value is questionable EVEN with some filter logic in place. Longevity is important, in that case, coupled with higher than usual post count/activity.

Beyond that...Senior member status is a community thing. It should offer no incentive other than a looser hand of the admin, perhaps.

As for the usefulness of the board...I do agree that in the past it was simple to get a hold of, but then...the net was very different post 98. Fewer folks, and never a real chance of public backlash or intrusion.

Now...things have changed. Everyoone, including the sanitation engineer, has an email address and possibly a web site.

[Sabor]

Jackson
I really appreciate everything you've done and know you've caught hell for it. Up till now you've done more than a great job for everyone. I'm sure you know what's best for your website. Whatever you decide the majority of the folks here will back you up. I know I will!

Be safe!

[Phred]

It would be difficult to automate and also require a substantive report. But Someone like hisark that posts the same one word "report" "streetwalkers" on multiple threads shouldn't count. If the software can count words a minimum of ten might be good, and maybe count a photo posting as some multiple for count of reports.

Phred

[Lapamaniac]

I've been a member her for as long as I've been mongering. I'm a frequent emailer and an infrequent poster, admittedly.

With the revamping of the forum earlier this year, I see now that I'm offically a member since April of this year. I have no idea what happened to the history on my membership or older posts.

In any case, I'd love to see some way or figuring that one out. For those of us who have been here for many years but have lost history, perhaps a fix would be allowing SM rights to those who have been members for over 3 years (or so) and fewer posts (10?) reflecting the lost history.

And, for what its worth, I'd second Civ2000's motion to get JimiHendrix SM'd as soon as possible. That guy is a classic!

Lap

[NC Wanderer]

I think automatic Senior status is a necessary step, if only to help Jackson have time to monger hisself. As an infrequent poster who has been much more active sharing information through the PM system, I wonder if there is a way to consider PM's in the count, say add one post for evety 10 PM's. Living in Orlando in the shadow of the mouse makes many of us very cautious of posting details in the public forum. A seemingly useless post such as "visited XYZ AMP last night, PM for details" can solict 10 or more responses, as well as having others share similar experience through the PM media.

Just a thought (for my 25th post after 6 months of membership).

Thanks for your efforts, Jackson.

p.s. Would it be possible to add a spell check feature? I am a horrible speller.

[Sam]

I've never fretted over what my status is or the status of any others. I had not looked up what the criteria used to be for becoming a "senior" member and was surprised the day it happened. But then I don't care if my credit card staus is gold, platinum or lead, as long as it works for me.

You have been posting the number of reports all members have put up under our names and that has been helpful.

Bottom line: If you choose to raise the requirements for senior status, to 100 reports, go ahead. If you choose to offer a perk (photo viewing) to only seniors, go ahead. Your board has been one that I have enjoyed following and participating in as a newbie and now as a senior. You don't owe me any justification for what you choose to do. I owe you a thanks.

[PsyberZombie]

It's my opinion that requiring a minimum number of posts encourages quantity over quality. After ten posts, it should be fairly apparent that the member adheres to forum posting guidelines and quality reporting, after that, if the member starts breaking the rules they can be dwelt with accordingly.

I've seen members with only three or four really good posts that I think would make great senior members, yet I've seen others with over a hundred that don't deserve it. For someone who only posts once or twice a month it could take a year or more to become a senior

P. S. All the guys on the Seattle board would greatly appreciate it if you immediately promoted Jimmi Hendrix to senior membership. His outstanding reports and photo contributions make him one of our most valued members.

I voted before starting to read this thread , for Any member with 25 posts

That was before I realized that Jackson 's Goal here is to automate the Senior Up·grade process , in which case adding a minmum time requirement makes the most sense — and six months seems about right

p.s. I 'second' C2K 's recommendation of Jimi Hendrix ; and would also like to proffer the Akron / Canton Board's Amish Made ; and the LV Boards' Wastrel for Senior Status — if you're still doing this the old way