Member Status

[Stoller]

How many post do you have to make to have your member status change?
I looked around in FAQ but can't find any information on it.
Thanks in advance!

[Rhys]

How many post do you have to make to have your member status change?
I looked around in FAQ but can't find any information on it.
Thanks in advance!

10 to be a member
100 to be a senior member

[Phill D]

Rhys
Not sure those figures are correct. I cant remember when the changes happened myself but it cant be 10 posts to be a member as Stoller has posted more than ten but is still showing as a junior member.:confused:

[aparmley]

Is there a member status? I only recall seeing junior and senior. . . And I think there should be some other levels as well. I mean after about 100 posts you get the senior member status and to put them in the same boat as someone who has 1,000 + posts is really not fair.

Not that any of it matters to me. I'm a principle kinda guy and if we are going to assign member level status then it needs to have a purpose of some kind. . . ? ? ? Otherwise whats the point of differentiating members or making an assignment of member status. . . ?

[Phill D]

That went through my mind as I posted before AP.
How about:-
Junior member up 50 posts
Member from 50 to 400
Senior member 400 to 1000
Sage member over 1000

Bye the way I chose 400 as the Senior trigger so that I didn't get demoted ;)

[zdzislaw]

ok, there are rules,and there are rules....
first they give you learner permit, than probational,followed by
"proper" licence,
and once you get old and blind, they will kick your ass and take it away
from you...
good or bad...
man of principals or not, i dont care about those numbers,

on the other hand whoever have more than a thousand posts deserves a
gold,(ten thousand a diamond!)
stuff the numbers, have fun ladies and gents,

friend of mine could not wait to get to a member status and chasing 'senior'
now, ha,ha,ha...


from a man born from communist parents,and living in democratic state

cheers lads (and rising the glass,because i still can)

zdzislaw

[Prospero]

That went through my mind as I posted before AP.
How about:-
Junior member up 50 posts
Member from 50 to 400
Senior member 400 to 1000
Sage member over 1000

Bye the way I chose 400 as the Senior trigger so that I didn't get demoted ;)

That's a nice division, Phill, except for one thing. The trigger for seniors really should be reduced to 300, a more appropriate number by far in my opinion. Look at the amount of posts I have made and you'll see what I mean :).

But seriously, I think the system is good the way it is. You cannot measure the value that someone has to this forum with only the number of posts. Quantity is not neccesarily Quality.
I think that if someone has posted 100 posts, he will have made a nice contribution to the forums - though the value of this contribution differs from person to person - and can therefore be considered a senior member.

Zdzislaw, the diamont status is a nice idea, but I don't think it would do that friend of yours any good. He would start chasing after the diamond status and turn into an addict ;).
I'm sorry, I won't join you in raising the glass; I still have a bit of a hang-over from a party yesterday :o.

[zdzislaw]

quality and quantity, hmmmmmmm...
damn right,
prospero, i am on your side,

(by the way, try low voltage beer...:D)

regards

zdzislaw

[rawpaw18]

Is there a member status? I only recall seeing junior and senior. . . And I think there should be some other levels as well. I mean after about 100 posts you get the senior member status and to put them in the same boat as someone who has 1,000 + posts is really not fair.

Andy is right,
I am one closing in on senior member status, but most of my posts have been questions, some useless banter and some photographs that are obviously from someone still learning. I enjoy following the forum and its cast of characters but I will be careful what I say when my status changes, I try to be careful now. It has not taken that long to get near 100 posts. Others with junior member status obviously have more experience and knowledge than I. Personal responsibilty is the key, not to portray yourself as something your not. $.02
-Rich

Thats 81, I think I just found a grey hair!

[D Thompson]

But seriously, I think the system is good the way it is. You cannot measure the value that someone has to this forum with only the number of posts. Quantity is not neccesarily Quality.
I think that if someone has posted 100 posts, he will have made a nice contribution to the forums - though the value of this contribution differs from person to person - and can therefore be considered a senior member.

Good point & I agree with you. It's relatively easy to post quantity without much quality. The "join date ...." is something to look at also. Why not keep the existing triggers up to senior member, but then any further distinction would be based on when you joined, as long as you still contribute.

BTW - it doesn't matter to me one bit what someone's member status is. I look at what they have to say.

[aparmley]

hey i am looking for a new camera because mine was stolen so does anyone know a good camera that might be one step up or a little more compact than the kodak easyshare DX7630... thats my last one and it seemed to do the job pretty well, although a little large for traveling.

I like this contribuition for disinguishing members.

LOL

I think some have misread my position on this issue. I personally could do without the Member status levels. I was simply stating that if they need to exist then lets put a little more thought behind it. Thats all. The only relevance they hold is how many posts members have made. Again, my point is that if they need to exist, lets rethink the parameters a little bit, add in a few more levels, make it a little more interesting.

[cdifoto]

I think it's best to do without the statuses. There are some members with an insane number of posts that rarely every contribute anything factual or based in reality. To give them a diamond status based on post count would automatically make the newer members assume they're quite knowledgable. Others post excellent pearls of wisdom...just few and far between. Considering them to still be newbies would undermine their contributions.

I fall somewhere in the middle. Lots of nonsense, occasionally getting something right! :eek: :D

[Stoller]

Well I'm sitting at 24 post right now. This post will be number 25 so we will see what happen at 25. Hum will I stay a junior member?

[Stoller]

Ahh... still a junior. That's alright I guess it's ok to be the new kid on the block, even for an old guy.:D

[Stoller]

After posting a few pictures I hit 30 posts and went from junior member to member... I'm not the new kid anymore...

[Jason25]

Another forum I visit uses the "reputation" system to rate individuals' posts. You can get positive and negative reputation. To have that enabled within vbulletin, combined with user status based on the amount of reputation points would be more accurate to meter contributions than post count :)

[ktixx]

I think overall the member status is just to show how much you contribute to our little community, not how much you know. I certainly agree that new members may see someone with a thousand posts and assume they know what they are talking about (which is not good) but I also think that there are enough members on this forum who will QUICKLY correct somone who has said something inaccurate.
As a side note I personally would like to see some sort of rewards shop for contributions. I have seen other forums that allow you to have large avatars or glowing names or some upgrade that you can purchase depending on the number of posts that you have made. I can definitely see this leading to "over posting" but overall I think it would be a nice little treat to have rewards. Any Thoughts?
Ken

[capedeci]

Adding more class-levels to 1000+ posts, likse Super member, or anything really encourages even more "Sense of Superiority" than now, and thus they will bully new members even more comfortably. This really happened at some other forums, an example is www.sherdog.com's forums, where some seniors really play around any new members.

And it's possible to have 1000+ BS posts, and short posts, which single aim is only to reach next level, for example:
"LOL"
"I Agree"
"I disagree"
"Nice!"
"Cool!"
etc etc etc

just a quick thought. personal thought ... ... ....

[TNB]

I'm a moderator on a forum with almost 250,000 members and when I just checked that forum, there were almost 11,000 active users in the forums. Anyway, the point that I am getting to is that some of those members contribute a lot of quantity with very little quality. Of course, some of that quantity is not completely accurate, especially from the newbie--sometimes the other more seasoned members do crack down on the hyper-poster, but then the mods also have to get involved at times.

But don't take my word for it, simply visit this thread on this very forum.
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18214&page=2

In my opinion, "rewards" may simply lead to more quantity and may lead to more moderation. Then again, the other forum on which I moderate probably has a larger or wider age-group participating than this forum. If anything, it is a much larger forum.

Myself, I don't really care what the ranking is since it is misleading anyway since one person may contribute a lot on one forum, yet lurk on another forum. In other words, the same person knows the same amount of information despite the fact that one forum shows more posts than the other forums.

[ktixx]

I'm a moderator on a forum with almost 250,000 members and when I just checked that forum, there were almost 11,000 active users in the forums. Anyway, the point that I am getting to is that some of those members contribute a lot of quantity with very little quality. Of course, some of that quantity is not completely accurate, especially from the newbie--sometimes the other more seasoned members do crack down on the hyper-poster, but then the mods also have to get involved at times.

But don't take my word for it, simply visit this thread on this very forum.
http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18214&page=2

In my opinion, "rewards" may simply lead to more quantity and may lead to more moderation. Then again, the other forum on which I moderate probably has a larger or wider age-group participating than this forum. If anything, it is a much larger forum.

Myself, I don't really care what the ranking is since it is misleading anyway since one person may contribute a lot on one forum, yet lurk on another forum. In other words, the same person knows the same amount of information despite the fact that one forum shows more posts than the other forums.

Well Maybe other forum members should decide whether or not you get rewards. If you have helped, the member you helped can give you a reference or something - which can be used to purchase or distinguish you. Maybe even Jeff himself could "give" members special privelages for their contrbutions.
I have been an active member on this forum for over a year...I really don't need anything to post and contribute, I enjoy doing it just because. I just think it would be nice to distinguish the seasoned contributors from the rest. If this never happens, I will still be here...
Ken

[DonSchap]

Do you remember when you were a Junior Member? I do... it was last week! :eek:

Admittedly, people with some serious background in "light capture and manipulation" should make themselves known on the responses or signature. Newbie questionnaires have no idea what advice they are getting or from who. I respect the crowd, but we all could use the credentials. eh? If you have some serious experience, work for a camera/video manufacturer and/or own a camera store... make it known! I know I would appreciate it.

Personally, any one who can or could save me a few bucks on "L"-glass is on the fast track to friendship alley, LOL! :D

[cdifoto]

Do you remember when you were a Junior Member? I do... it was last week! :eek:

Admittedly, people with some serious background in "light capture and manipulation" should make themselves known on the responses or signature. Newbie questionnaires have no idea what advice they are getting or from who. I respect the crowd, but we all could use the credentials. eh? If you have some serious experience, work for a camera/video manufacturer and/or own a camera store... make it known! I know I would appreciate it.

Personally, any one who can or could save me a few bucks on "L"-glass is on the fast track to friendship alley, LOL! :D

I think those with shooting experience of any kind should have a signature with a gallery link at the very least. Then we can see if their money is where their mouth is, without having to ask. As you can see, my advice is pointless! :D

[aparmley]

As you can see, my advice is pointless! :D

ROFLMAO.

;) So hard on ones self.

[jamison55]

Well Maybe other forum members should decide whether or not you get rewards...

If I'm ever eligible, I'd like the set of steak knives please. The two that Melanie "borrowed" from a Pizza Hut while in college are getting a bit worn out...

[aparmley]

If I'm ever eligible, I'd like the set of steak knives please. The two that Melanie "borrowed" from a Pizza Hut while in college are getting a bit worn out...

Hello! Its time to return them and swap them out! geez. :D And its easier now, because you won't ever be minus two steak knives at the table, just a straight up swap!

[TNB]

I think those with shooting experience of any kind should have a signature with a gallery link at the very least. Then we can see if their money is where their mouth is, without having to ask. As you can see, my advice is pointless! :D
As you can see, my signature on this particular forum explains it all as well--newbie in the photography world or rather "Yes, I'm a 'photography' newbie." ;) Some forums also require "disclosure" in the signatures--helps prevent bias being shown toward one particular product or against another product and also adds a little advertising to that particular member when that member posts.

[ktixx]

If I'm ever eligible, I'd like the set of steak knives please. The two that Melanie "borrowed" from a Pizza Hut while in college are getting a bit worn out...
outbacks are much nicer...

[DonSchap]

Okay, okay...

let's try this idea out for a quick examination:

What if we ALL contribute two or three bucks a year for an "Annual Lens Award", which would go to the member with the best advice, contribution or just plain greatest idea for the improvement of the photographic community?

It could be by a large annual vote or protected polling, which would take place over the final month of eligibility... providing specific references to the... let's say ten finalist's contributions made and only one vote per (paying) member, which may be changed to whom ever they select up till the "cut-off" date. If you don't contribute to the award, you don't have a vote in where the money goes. I figure that's a fair way to establish eligibility.

The award could be a lens of significant value or a particular lens of choice, as long as it does not exceed the contributed proceeds. Admittedly, this would be seemed to be slanted to the experienced photographers, but when you consider it... who else would nominally provide the best advice, experiences or most helpful contributions? Personally, I have no problem considering the rewarding those who make this effort and take a great deal of pride in sharing the opportunity to just say thanks for improving my skills, knowledge, and overall appreciation for the hobby I enjoy.

I know I certainly do not speak for everyone, but in this endeavor... I would like to think I might.

And regardless of how this idea winds up, I offer a big ol' THANK YOU to everyone for your time, talent and all the contributions you have made to the benefit of us all. :D

[cdifoto]

This whole thing is being overthunk I think.

[DonSchap]

When you commit pen to paper... or to be more contemporary, keystroke to media... the best you can hope for is due consideration. Somebody actually reads it, considers it and, hopefully, benefits by it.

(Personally, this forum reflects that approach. I am hoping it portrays a much more beneficial attitude than an Insurgent machine gun nest, off on some roadside, in Iraq. :mad: )

Membership... being a part of this... has a special quality to it. I think about it every time I log on... and participate by either reading the diatribe, comments, suggestions and responses... or by being one of the fortunate few (out of the world, at large) who might be able to offer some insight, experience or just encouragement to others who also enjoy the benefit of being part of something better than just one person's opinion or exposure.

Call it a wholesome attitude if you want, but in this day and age... I consider a wholesome, altruistic approach to my personal interests very attractive. Being a member of such a group... is, in a word, special and beneficial.

All our cameras are momentary windows on the world. We can tell a story in ways that words are so limited in doing. The creativity that the digital world has afforded us, in recent years, is sometimes missed as we get caught up in all the hub-bub of daily life, and it seems almost (for lack of a better word) commonplace.

Film was good... but with digital... man, you can, literally, sculpt perfection! Perhaps, that holds with it a certain amount of dishonesty... as we carefully detail out the imperfections or "unwanted truths" of our craft. Take the good with the bad... the implications are boundless. It is our own morality or "trustworthiness" that will produce the final product the world will see. That is the mantle we take upon our shoulders as digital photographers... and this forum should impress that fact upon us all, every day... as we come to terms with our pursuits. Your digital processing skills will determine how much or how little "truth" the world will see through your lens.

Over thought? I wonder... or should I say, "I'll think about it." :rolleyes: