New Member Listing?

I was wondering what the New Member Listing is all about? I'm listed as a Tom's Wannabe and found people with more post than me listed as Tom's Newbie.... What is the new Member Listing as found in the original sticky?

Bad idea. So, a member's 'ranking' has become a product of your discretion. Not so much that, but what's with changing 'everything' about the Forum? So far, there is little success in the complete makeover. The Forum is 'down' more than it's up and functioning correctly like one would expect it to. If my computer ran as bad as this Forum does I would stop using it and get something that worked properly. Amazing the people in charge of the technical aspects of this site can not even troubleshoot and maintin a message board for God's sake. Talk about ineptness and making a bad choice career-wise. Besides being down with increasing regularity, one of the most useful features of the Forum was totally eliminated due to 'taking too much resources'. Pardon me while I wipe the smile off my face. The New Topics link used to link New Topics for the 'entire' Forum. A one click solution to view ALL new topics for the entire forum with the click of the button. Now, when I click New Topics on the individual Forums, it doesn't even work. I do not know what that is, some malfunctioning junk someone screwed up. Anyway, the Forum has most assuredly gone downhill with all this change. The Forum should have been left alone for the most part. It's like a bunch of know nothings in life emptied the toy box, messed their diapers and getting a fresh change is all that matters for the day. If you can not see that changing everything about the Forum has it heading for disaster, then you have learned nothing in life. What awful management to tear down a site like this.

Well Knocknut, every member is effected by this new member ranking one that had been in place for probably ten years. Now you are a Tom's Newbie (laugh). I am a Tom's regular (been her more than three years for that designaton). But Justin. Justin is an Administratior. Designated in Red. Bad. Just plain bad judgement on management's part. Justin is exempt from his own member ranking ranking. Fail.

badge,

If you'll notice, they are still deciding exactly how to designate each ranking and what to call it. As to why all these changes have been done, I can't give you an answer. I don't create these changes. That isn't what I do. I just moderate the forum and report bugs. I give my opinions before changes go into effect, but I am not, by any means, the only or most influential person with opinions.

Justin

I read the link member rankings. The 'point' system you applied may have some use in the future, remains to be seen. It's a bit complicated. 40 points for this. points for that. Behind the line, 3 points. Free thow 1 point. Missed free thow -1 point. How many points for a suspension and fine? I have no idea how to score points. Or detract from my point total for that matter. Knocknut has been around for yars. he is now a Tom's Newbie. If he works hard he can become a Tom's Regular. Pinch me. Anyway, Justin thanks for taking the time to answer these posts. I appreciate it. Hey, do I get a gold star in this section. On a more serious not, I meant it when I said making all these changes will likely have a negative effect in the long run. The people in charge fall of this Forum fall short on learning curves. Their 'no experience' attitude is a glowing personal asset.

badge you have the best answer......now where do I get the 25 points?

Edit; please give badge 40 points for being selected.

Thank you

Tom's Regular Can you image the wardrobe of the guy who thought this up. Pee We Herman comes to mind.

jitpublisher,

I have already given feedback along the lines you have suggested, but, people feel that, in order to increase forum activity we need more questions. Also, the "best" answers do get a large amount of points. I tend to disagree with the methodology myself, as it could be seen as encouraging people to ask a lot of dumb questions and lowering the perceived value of answers. However, I already mentioned to the main design people this possibility. They feel that the fact "best" answers are awarded so much makes up for this. That could be right, only time will tell. As I have said, the point values can be adjusted over time.

Justin

Thats the whole thing. Change the writers/articles/depth/direction, fine. Change the look, the colors, structure etc, fine, change how the forums look/are used/and whats in them, fine. But dont attempt to insult us old timers by defining us, not so fine

Any way to make you reconsider all this change that has been implemented? Come on, you are a nOOb. 231 posts and 173 points? I have nearly 8000 posts and only 1686 points. I have no idea how I got them. Blind ambition is a virtue I tell you. Not a great attribute, but driving this thing while blind is a sure direction for disaster. That's what I see on this Forum regarding all the change. Blind ambition. Kind of like an attribute a dictator has. Straught in the toilet. It's the lack of experience at being a ruler of the world that tell's me I should have left well enough alone. To put it lightly.

Edit for Writer's Embellishment. And points. A lot of points. I think.

Was it you who 'broke' the CPU section? Last I clicked on that section, it didn't exist.

*sigh* The quality of the forums continues to slide, that is also for certain.

Justin,

Well, thank you again for understanding and taking time to think the issue through. My God, you must be talking to like a guy who builds his house in gold bricks with American dollars. If He's French, say mean words to him and get him to surrender along with the entire country. I think you are an educated guy who can see past ruining something through blind ambition and the change that comes with it. You are right here in the US of A right? Who are the people you are talking to at BOM? Besides Joan of Arc and Helen Keller? Is it a woman? You are dealing with a woman. She will fleece you for everything you have. But yes, changing the member rankings to names more resembling the strong bunch of men we are would help. I feel like a woman has demoted to a Tom's pansy calling me a 'regular'. God I'm glad I'm not a scout. As in Boy.

Toms' Joan and Helen's Hardware.

This does have serious ramifications. Id hate to see Toms slide down the slippery slope of mediocrity, where true help is abandoned/discedited, and those who do the discrediting are rewarded, meanwhile, google gets a breather from all the mediocrity answered here on Toms.
I say, all you who take part in change, know what it is, what it means, and how, if any is applied, is best done. Get out in the forums yourselves.

I suppose it is all pointless.. no one really cares about the points. I've never seen a random mention someones post count unless it was to indicate one had no life.

Good information will still be good information regardless of the nubmer of points. Regulars will still know who the regulars are.. I just fear for a future where we want people to post pointless crap that means nothing istead of warning and bannign them if they forget to check google first 10 times an hour... It gets hard to wade through the crap now. I can't imagine how it will be when people find out they get extra star power for posting crap they were always told not to in the past.

I just don't want the forum to be 99.9% "How do i turn on my monitor"

Hi,

Yes. I am in the USA. As for taking away rankings that people have already earned, I agree that is stupid. That is why I sent an e-mail asking to fix this. Unfortunately, France is 6 hours ahead. No one is at work now, I won't have an answer till tomorrow (if then).

Justin

Remember Justin, none of this is directed AT you, but to you, in efforts to sum up our disappointment/disapproval of this, and to give you some fodder in this stupid decision

How many points do I get for starting this thread??? ... Just Joking....

As other people have said... Justin... thank you for taking the time and trying to explain why people do what people do. We are fear change and we can't make everyone happy. I agree with daedalus685 ...

I have found these forms to be very useful and I take pride in providing my feedback with the goal of maybe a little of my knowledge will help someone out. I just wish there was a better way of "Grandfathering" in the regulars and not putting them in the same class as people that triple post or start two or three threads on the same topic but now have the same points. I take all feedback but I look for feedback from the regulars I see posting everyday.

No system is perfect... We can only hope to improve upon it when faults are found.... Maybe we'll get SP1 for the New Member Listing after Justin talks to the people in France....

Hey,

I have received feedback from France. Basically, what they feel (and will be willing to adjust if necessary in a few weeks time) is that, scores will rapidly improve with the system after a few weeks. The reason that older scores are so low is to not have the system negatively affected by old members who are not active anymore. They are confident that, given a few weeks of normal participation, your scores will be very accurately reflected.

Justin

Well, in the end, its what we know, and how we share it. Accuracy on a faulty system? TY Justin

Thanks for your continued sharing of the info as you get it Justin.
I'll stop whining now.

Yeah





















Or, just tell em we'll start a war " o noe, we loze agin"

Don't do any more hurtful French jokes. They have experienced enough hurt for one nation. Since Saddam is gone, they have been paying a hefty premium for their energy needs.

When have you seen snakes use crude alternatives/