Post Counts Poll

[Slade]

This has been said a few times but I haven't seen a poll dedicated to this so here it is.

I'll be brief with my standing-

Post counts. I say down with it. What purpose does it serve other than a reason for "post whores" to get in as many off topic/1-3 line posts in so they have a high post count?

Some people with high post counts also seem to have a superiority complex over the members with less posts which is just non-sense in my opinion. It's not the quantity of the posts that you have that counts but rather the quality of the content in the posts you have made.

To see if someone is a "noob" or not we have the joined date which works well enough to see who's new and who's not so I think post counts only promote negative behavior.

It's rather annoying going through several pages of 1-3 liners just to get to a few posts worth reading.

Agree or not, put up your vote.

[Superchop]

You forgot the option of "Don't Care"

I don't mind the post count all that much...and in a way it "can" prevent people from posting useless posts and "maybe" it'll keep people from creating 1-3 word posts...

but also it can still work the other way around, some people might see that there's no post counter so they'll post as much anyway since noone really knows how much they posted they can just post freely w/o people knowing how much they really post.

In a way, I do like the post counter cause it lets me see how active the person is...and whether or not i should pay much attention to their posts...

[ato]

Even though the poll is a bit odd ("Yes - I want no postcount" is a bit tricky) I managed to check the right box. I have long harboured the opinion that the postcount would be better off...eh...off.

I can see no benefit in that feature what so ever - It can only serve to generate junk posts. It should be turned off even if it doesn't generate any junk at all: A feature that serves no purpose is a bad thing and should be removed (of course, this is just my own philosophical standpoint).

[Lexander]

Don't mind it too much ... but yeh ... there is no point to it.

[Tzurial]

Originally Posted by Slade

It's rather annoying going through several pages of 1-3 liners just to get to a few posts worth reading.

Are you sure it's the post count that causes one liners, or just people that like to post one liners. ...Or maybe I'm too naive

I'm actually a little torn about getting rid of the post count. And it might be because I secretly want to keep mine. Well, I was reading Lao Tzu and he was telling me I should let things go more. So, If people really dont like it and think it's causing more harm then good, then I say get rid of it.

[Slade]

Originally Posted by Superchop

You forgot the option of "Don't Care"

I don't mind the post count all that much...and in a way it "can" prevent people from posting useless posts and "maybe" it'll keep people from creating 1-3 word posts...

but also it can still work the other way around, some people might see that there's no post counter so they'll post as much anyway since noone really knows how much they posted they can just post freely w/o people knowing how much they really post.

In a way, I do like the post counter cause it lets me see how active the person is...and whether or not i should pay much attention to their posts...

I thought of putting "Don't Care" as an option but I figured the people don't care just wouldn't vote to begin with. Easier to keep track of 2 choices .

You make a very valid point aboutt post whores posting more because there's no way they'll get "caught". It's beyond me why they would do that when in the end they'll have nothing to show for it.

It just does not fit the mentality they have in the first place. But then again I've been told time and time again "people are exactly the way they are... except when they're not."

I still believe it promotes no positive behavior and in the chance that it might(as we have seen in the past) promote negative behavior it's better off gone.

[ElvenPath]

I'm strongly against the idea of removing post count, I like to keep count of how many times I post and it allows the moderators to check for eventual flooding. I don't understand why everyone assumes that negative behavior is a direct consequence of post count. Removing it won't make one liners disappear.

A good compromise would be to stop displaying post count in posts but it will be still visible in the person's profile.

[Slade]

Originally Posted by ElvenPath

I'm strongly against the idea of removing post count, I like to keep count of how many times I post and it allows the moderators to check for eventual flooding. I don't understand why everyone assumes that negative behavior is a direct consequence of post count. Removing it won't make one liners disappear.

A good compromise would be to stop displaying post count in posts but it will be still visible in the person's profile.

Although I understand your point but when someone post floods, it's easily spotted post counts or not. I suppose it holds the single purpose of keeping count how many post you've made but why?

I don't just "assume" that negative behavior(i.e. one liners and off topic) is a direct consequence I've merely seen evidence of it when people put in the number of posts they have and how they're so so and far from a set amount of number.

That's a workable compromise though, I wouldn't feel bad about that at all.

[Thany]

Originally Posted by Slade

Although I understand your point but when someone post floods, it's easily spotted post counts or not. I suppose it holds the single purpose of keeping count how many post you've made but why?

Well anyway I think GHDpro stated that if someone was seen to spam just to keep his/her post count there might be a ban.
I think most people here are mature enough to understand that post count is here just for information, not to show off, how much you 'spam' on the forum.
I voted no, and I don't think that removing would prevent people from using 1-3 liners.
As for others one liners, it comes from the fact that a lot of people (and that would inculde me) often doesn't land large blocks of spreech and are used to reply with short sentence and/or don't have time to post long posts... This isn't always spamming issues, well I hope so.
Even the moderators sometimes posts one liners, do you count this as spam too?
I also agree with Superchop on the fact that it help to see how 'active' is someone on the forum and/or see what sort of people (s)he can be.

[ElvenPath]

Originally Posted by Slade

I suppose it holds the single purpose of keeping count how many post you've made but why?

I take post count as the confirmation of each contribution I make to this forum. It should be a personal thing that isn't exposed publicly.

I don't just "assume" that negative behavior(i.e. one liners and off topic) is a direct consequence I've merely seen evidence of it when people put in the number of posts they have and how they're so so and far from a set amount of number.

That's what the ban feature is for.

[Palani]

I think the post count serves a good purpose. It shows who is active on this forum and who isn't. This is usefull for new people who likes questions answered but feel no need for creating a new thread. Happens to me sometimes now that I've got more than 500 posts. And negative behavior doesn't come from high post counts. It just happpens to be so that people with a lot of knowledge about this forum or a certain series etc. have a high post coount. This comes for some part for answering the same question over and over again. Sometimes this can get annoying and therefore sometimes grumpy posts are made. But this has nothing to do with post count. I've seen new people acting just as rude or even worse but on a constant basis.

And so-called regulars serve as a sort of controllers. I find myself oftenly correcting new people for not getting the rules right. This happened to me when I was a new person as well. I accepted post from those person correcting me bacause I saw "Hey, This guy has over 600 posts, he must know how things role around here." Where as it have been somebody with 50 posts I wouldn't really had paid any attention to it.

Hope that this makes sense to someone. But my vote goes to No, let it stay. Although I find Elvenpath's idea a nice compromise.

[boneyjellyfish]

I think that it would be a good idea to make it so that only I can see my post count. This could be accomplished by taking out the "Posts: xxxx" number under my avatar and putting it somewhere in my User CP.

Originally Posted by Slade

Post counts. I say down with it. What purpose does it serve other than a reason for "post whores" to get in as many off topic/1-3 line posts in so they have a high post count?

Well excuuuuuse me for not having much to say!

[NoSanninWa]

I am absolutely against listing post counts. For some reason there are people who are complete post-whores eager to post at the drop of a hat to inflate the appearance that they are important.

Some people like to check post count on the principle that "Hey, This guy has over 600 posts, he must know how things roll around here." My experience is that many people with high post counts are clueless idiots that just like to post a lot of nonsense and pointless quips. There are some people in this forum (who I will not name) that post a lot of "that's right" and "me too" and generally pointless comments that add nothing to the discussion. If you are looking to determine if someone is knowlegable about the forum their join date is a better (although still not infallible) indicator.

One anonymous member who I shall call "JAppi" has both a high post-count and a noteworthy join date, but you'd still be in trouble if you followed his lead. He's got over a 1000 post count. A quick search of the database shows that only 24 people on this forum have a post count over 1000, though ElvenPath is likely to break that landmark and become number 25 in a few days. This does not mean that JAppi is the 15th wisest person on AnimeSuki, notably ahead of ElvenPath.

Post count certainly doesn't mean that hobobaggins is the absolute number 1 wisest person on AnimeSuki. He is 500 posts ahead of the second most frequent poster! He is 1000 posts ahead of the third most frequent poster! Does this make him some sort of demi-god?

The dangerous thing about post count being listed next to every post is that people see those high numbers and think that it actually means something. I would prefer if it was listed only on the member profile, UserCP or else kept secret in our database where only moderators could see it.

[Lexander]

The thing that really gets me hawt is when people have lets say 482 ... they quickly start posting semispam all over the place to get to 500. And when they finally do reach 500 they go to the rate an avatar thread and post something like this " 8/10 nice avatar.
WOOOHOOOO 500th POSTS. W00t! OMG DIDN'T EVEN Notice ..."

[hobobaggins]

I am against removing post counts.

it is a measure of how active the members are in the community.

WOOOHOOOO 500th POSTS. W00t! OMG DIDN'T EVEN Notice ..."

i dont really have a problem with that as long as they are a frequent member of that thread.

I do that only with the WACWNS thread, because i know i will look back on that thread, and it serves as a "counting tree" so to speek (carve slashes into a tree to count days... yeah)

I am absolutely against listing post counts. For some reason there are people who are complete post-whores eager to post at the drop of a hat to inflate the appearance that they are important.

= = i dont think i am important whatsoever. i just post to hang around this forum.. ... ... and because we can only hold 100 messages of PM.

just taking away the numbers will not prevent people from spam whoring ( have i done that? .. ... only with the laugh a day thread... because of the word/character limit) i dont consider myself a spam whore, because my messages mostly have substance. if the messages are short, it is because they must remain short to make the anecdote funny, or because of some other like reason.

solution?

I'm strongly against the idea of removing post count, I like to keep count of how many times I post and it allows the moderators to check for eventual flooding. I don't understand why everyone assumes that negative behavior is a direct consequence of post count. Removing it won't make one liners disappear.

A good compromise would be to stop displaying post count in posts but it will be still visible in the person's profile.

that is probably the best idea i have seen so far...

Some people like to check post count on the principle that "Hey, This guy has over 600 posts, he must know how things roll around here." My experience is that many people with high post counts are clueless idiots that just like to post a lot of nonsense and pointless quips. There are some people in this forum (who I will not name) that post a lot of "that's right" and "me too" and generally pointless comments that add nothing to the discussion. If you are looking to determine if someone is knowlegable about the forum their join date is a better (although still not infallible) indicator.

you can ask them about the rules at least they have been around long enough.
i cant think of anything else. just my .02$

[Cammie]

Originally Posted by boneyjellyfish

I think that it would be a good idea to make it so that only I can see my post count. This could be accomplished by taking out the "Posts: xxxx" number under my avatar and putting it somewhere in my User CP.



Well excuuuuuse me for not having much to say!

I really think thats a good idea BJF! as for the one liners.... sometimes comments/ post can be said into one sentence!

[Muir Woods]

I've made pretty much the exact same post a few months ago here.

You guys say post count measures how active the person is. Really? Do I really have only 60 posts? Hmm...

NoSanninWa has nailed all the points I wanted to say.

Anyways...I had a talk with GHDPro over PM:

Re: I have an odd little request...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by Muir Woods
I wonder if it is possible eliminate my post count, as in not displaying my post count at all. If that's not possible, maybe set it permanently to 0 or infinity or something to that idea. I know its a strange request, but is it possible for you do it? I'll say the magic word: please?

Well individually showing and not showing post counts
for different users is not possible. I tried to follow up on
NoSanninWa's request to simply remove it from the template
completely (and thus not show it for everyone), but it seems
editing a template in the Admin Control Panel causes a
500 INTERNAL SERVER error, so I can't do that.
(obviously that's not supposed to happen and I've
asked the server admin to look into it, but there is
little I can do to fix it)

The only thing I can do for you right now is reset your post count,
so it' 0 at the moment. However:

- If at sometime use the maintainence option to "recount"
the post counts, it'll be back and accurate again.

- If post anything, it'll be increased again.

Once the server admin fixed the server problems, I'll be able
to simple remove post count completely.

Currently, removing post counts isn't possible. Then again, this PM was sent over a month ago...

[Lexander]

I understand why Slade has a concern with the postcount spammage, he's quite an active member ... but why are you concerned with it Muir Woods?


Placing the post count in the User Cp only sounds like a wonderful Idea though.

Hobo: I wasn't talking about you dude. I don't think I've even seen you do it.

[hobobaggins]

Originally Posted by Muir woods

I have to passionately support this idea. Eliminate the post count. It not only encourages spam, it also encourages holier-than-thou attitudes. Look, just because you have 1000+ post, and I have 10, doesn't mean you're better than me. In EVERY (this included) forum there's always people like that; spamming a lot of one liners, building up post count, then acting like a snob cause you got 10000000 posts. I hate it. However, if you have a lot of posts, and they're all relevant and you treat others equally, then I have no problems. I know that the reputation is there for a reason, but I still would like post count eliminated. I want the forums to be like battle.net. Don't display post count. Battle.net USED to have post count (a year or two ago), but it produced problems that I previously mentioned, and consequently it was eliminated.

that is why.

I would just like to say i never judge solely on P.C.

However, if you have a lot of posts, and they're all relevant and you treat others equally, then I have no problems

i would be irritated if he treated everyone equally bad. the problem is discriminating because of post count.

[pathyfinder]

I'd like to get rid of it completely, but at the very least get the post count out from under the ava. I've seen a couple new members and in just a few days, their count is absurdly high. I mean, I had a burning question and that is why I became a member (to ask it-"why was Gaara's sand so easily countered by Gai"-feels like yesterday eh?) and I understand how especially the younger members can get excited and all and have fun here, but it DOES appear that one reason they may feel they ought to is to promote his/her post count. I wasn't even aware we all had one until someone mentioned to me, and even today I'm like so what. (That means WHO CARES, as in I DON'T CARE) I'd like to kinda know how long a members been on this forum seeing as the dates are kinda messed up because of the great forum crash. However for the most part I know "who knows" what they are talking about and etc...

I actually would find it more helpful if I know where a member hangs and posts more often. I know there is a way to find out, but that kinda of info would be helpful under the Ava. Like General Chat, OP, Naruto etc... kinda gives me a feel of what they like so if they are new I know not to assume they would know this or that.

My vote is get the post count off completely, with under thier profile second.

I understand that new members may be excited to post and such, but I don't feel that some understand that it is ANNOYING if, say, they feel that he/she should comment about every reply one see's, especially if everyone else posted the same sort of reply. There is clearly a line between excite/enthusiatic and Post Whoring.

If anyone feels I've been one they should PM me, as I'm always open to hearing others opinions. *doesn't mean I'll take all suggestions, but I'll listen*