So, you're a farmer? A post farmer? I see.

[Cuchulain82]

Re: Viscun

It's mostly because I think there is a growing misconception, especially among newer members, that your "status" in SYM is somehow determined by your post-count. This is simply not true, and reflects badly on both the board in general in the form of reduced quality of posts, and on those who have the misconception. We'd be all better off if this myth were to die

I think that post count actually does matter, but only because post count and join date are both visible.

In the forums, especially SYM, people earn respect or reputation based in part on the number of posts and also on the quality of those posts. Some people manage to post a lot and still be very helpful, i.e. Fable- every time I see that little chess piece (chess piece, unicorn... what is that thing anyway?) next to a comment, I make sure to stop and read it because usually the post is of very high quality.

However, when people post alot in a very short period of time, it seems like they are just spamming alot, so thus far I actually tend to take them less seriously.

I also think post count has a lot to do with one's day job- I work in a cubicle now and so checking SYM a zillion times a day is a good distraction, and I have the time to sit down and put my two cents in to a discussion (like right now...)

[Luis Antonio]

Originally Posted by Cuchulain82

However, when people post alot in a very short period of time, it seems like they are just spamming alot, so thus far I actually tend to take them less seriously.

I must disagree. Why taking them less seriously? Take CM, for example. He posts a lot, everywhere and anywhere. And whenever I see his posts, I'll stop to read it, either in a serious or an unserious thread. I dont give a **** how many posts he have.
In the last weeks, I'm very stressed, and that can be seen in my posts. But I dont deny reading all posts, regardless of how annoying or pointless the answers are, nor the postcount of the person posting. I annoy many people, and I know I post a lot - but that doesnt mean the things I post are empty.
Also, there is no reason to take someone less seriously, even if the thread is spam based, like the Heathen Citadel, for example. The posts show you a bit of the persons ego, and of the persons soul. And that bit allows you to know when a friend/poster is passing through a hard time. Or not.

But, of course, thats me. I even believed that Fas would have left the board.

[Magrus]

Originally Posted by Luis Antonio

I must disagree. Why taking them less seriously? Take CM, for example. He posts a lot, everywhere and anywhere. And whenever I see his posts, I'll stop to read it, either in a serious or an unserious thread. I dont give a **** how many posts he have.
In the last weeks, I'm very stressed, and that can be seen in my posts. But I dont deny reading all posts, regardless of how annoying or pointless the answers are, nor the postcount of the person posting. I annoy many people, and I know I post a lot - but that doesnt mean the things I post are empty.
Also, there is no reason to take someone less seriously, even if the thread is spam based, like the Heathen Citadel, for example. The posts show you a bit of the persons ego, and of the persons soul. And that bit allows you to know when a friend/poster is passing through a hard time. Or not.

But, of course, thats me. I even believed that Fas would have left the board.

Excellent point Luis. I've just slowly started posting here more and more as I've gotten more fed up with video games of late. It's a way to amuse myself and as such, I tend to avoid the more serious threads unless I'm in a serious mood. My making the SYM forum as my homepage tends to make me forget whatever it was I was originally doing and check out whats gone on here as well. I'll occasionally get lost doing things here for hours before remembering my original task.

I don't know, in that this is more a "social" forum rather than one for a specific purpose, such as a particular game people will tend to simply be social between members here. The effects of that will vary depending on the people involved with ages and temperments greatly affecting that.

[Cuchulain82]

I must disagree. Why taking them less seriously? Take CM, for example. He posts a lot, everywhere and anywhere. And whenever I see his posts, I'll stop to read it, either in a serious or an unserious thread. I dont give a **** how many posts he have.

I understand that some people post more often than others. I myself am posting waaaaaaay more often than I ever thought I would be. I try not to focus on specific members, but since you brought it up I know you post alot Luis. In fact it was reading some of your posts that made me become a member- this isn't just flattery, it happens to be true. I was reading some of your comments and I thought they were well thought out and articulate, and I wanted to repond to some of the things that you said. This goes for many other members/moderators, mostly the more visible types- Fable, Aegis, CM, dragon wench...

I don't think I expressed what I meant well enough if it caused this confusion. I didn't mean that people who post alot are not worth reading. I did mean that looking at post count is relevant largely because you can look at join date as well and get a feeling for the member doing the posting- how often they read the forums, whether or not they like to post, etc.

[Grimar]

OMG what have i started!!? i haven't read the posts in this thread, but i catch the point.. But as i said before, what would SYM be without spam? i say we spam becouse we are bored and want something to do, not just boost our post count...

[fable]

Spam is the small talk of the Web. On the other hand, some threads give the impression of post farming. They involve no conversation, just mindless replies. That's arguably not spam, at least not the kind that's made SYM a fun place to be.

[Grimar]

Originally Posted by fable

Spam is the small talk of the Web. On the other hand, some threads give the impression of post farming. They involve no conversation, just mindless replies. That's arguably not spam, at least not the kind that's made SYM a fun place to be.

must agree on that point... but the three word game thread is enjoyable!

[jopperm2]

I have a few opinions on post count.

I do think there is some importance. People will tend to read your posts more if you have more than say 2 posts. It's not necessary to have 10,000 though. For those that have been around I think it does show that they have been able to spam to their heart's content and not get banned. A minor achievment perhaps.

I have a friend that uses a board that has a rating system. You can rate every post you read and people have a score that shows how values they are. Basically, the way to get a high score is to post a pic, post lots of good posts, and have a decent profile. Many posters here should be glad we don't go by that system.

[Vicsun]

Originally Posted by jopperm2

I do think there is some importance. People will tend to read your posts more if you have more than say 2 posts.

Really? How come? If I see a new face in SYM I will be much more likely to read their post carefully out of curiosity alone. If I find their posts interesting, funny, or otherwise enjoyable to read, I will be reading their posts with great interest regardless of their post-count.

If I have judged someone to be, as CM gently put it, a retard, after reading several hundred/thousand of their posts, however, I will either be putting them on my ignore list or just skimming over their posts.

I pay attention to interesting posters, not to ones with a high post-per-day ratio. As a matter of fact, the worthwhile-to-read:posts-per-day relation is usually inversely proportional...

[jopperm2]

I'm not saying that having more than a few posts makes you more worthwhile, but generally it takes x number of posts before you are recognized around here.

[Tower_Master]

Wow. Talk about a deep thread.

Well, in defense of all the new people (among whome I'm quite easily numbered), it's really easy to arive at SYM, look at your post count of, say, 25, and then see the older veterans who rank in the thousands and several thousands (and that's not even mentioning the likes of Aegis and Fable! ), and assume there's some direct correlation between the number of posts one has and the recognition and acceptance that is being striven for. And, in a way, it contains a grain of truth - I mean, you DO have to post to be recognized, right? You can't become "known" without saying SOMETHING. I always thought it was fun to go back to your last post in Word Association and look forward to your current one, to see just how the heck you had ended up where you were!

Ultimately, though, I've (only in the past month or so) realized that SYM is unique among internet forums in that it's not the NUMBER of posts that constitutes your standings here, it's the STYLE and message of the posts. Then again, I'm not very bright, so most people probably pick up on that faster then I did!

Luis said something really interesting in the "Terminator" thread the other day, about removing the post count, and I wonder if that wouldn't be a bad idea. But, then again, it DOES sort of let you recognize just how long certain members of the bored have been here. Is it a necessary evil, then? (kind of like Fas? ) ?

edit: Oh dear me...I was re-reading this, and I realized I may have just posted something semi-serious...the horror, the unspeakable horror. What shall I do? Where are the pills purple when they are needed? *cries*

[oozae]

Originally Posted by Grimar

must agree on that point... but the three word game thread is enjoyable!

Why is it that people always seem to discuss my sex life?

[Xandax]

Postfarming is bad, mm'kay?
Postcount means nothing, mm'kay?

Seriously though.
On this board postcount means nothing and it is by no means an indicator of how "seriously" or respected a person is. It was not until I became a moderator that my postcount "increased" dramatically, but one (albeit a small) of the reason I did became a moderator was that I was respect irrigardless of my "lowish" postcount. People would also notice that I rarely participate in many of the chit-chat threads for a prolonged periode of time.

If anything a high postcount can count against how a person is "viewed" by the generel population, if they spam their way into a high postcount.


Thus, as a preemptive (well - afteremptive) strike - I've also closed 2 of the 3 postfarming threads that lived, because 1 of these threads are *more* then enough on a board which dosen't really permit such posting as is done in neither Word Asscociation or This-That.
The 10letter (I think) limit on posts should also indicate this to people.


What Buck and the community wants is constructive and sensible posts on this board. SYM is a little different form the rest of GameBanshee, in that it allows for a higher degree of socializing and chit-chat posting, but going from that to simply posting one word posts or ridiculous smilie posts et al is a huge leap, and should not really be made.

The forum rules are as well a good reminder for the mindset that should govern posting:

5 - Please do not spam. We are more lenient on spam in the Speak Your Mind forum, but excessive amounts will not be tolerated.

#8 - Generally, if a thread has no useful content for other members, or may offend someone, don't post it. Let common sense be your guide.

[Macleod1701]

I just view the post count as an indication of how much rubbish can spew out of our minds , it doesn't indicate superiority or status, if it was removed from the display it wouldn't matter at all.

[Brynn]

Originally Posted by Macleod1701

I just view the post count as an indication of how much rubbish can spew out of our minds , it doesn't indicate superiority or status, if it was removed from the display it wouldn't matter at all.

You know that's a good idea So Weasley wouldn't earn repsect that easily, and Maxi wouldn't be crazy about his post count either

Anyway, total posts - posts in SYM = real post nr Take Moltovir, for example. I dunno how much posts he has exactly, but not as much as the spammers - still, he's the most helpful guy at the BG forums, contributed much more to GB than any spammer