Ranks, Thanks and Titles

[shadow6162]

You think it's just spam? I'm pretty sure that some bots have started to bust into the forums. I got a PM off one a few weeks ago and I noticed some posts looked like they'd been written in a bot...ish style.

[Mystara]

There are bots. We usually have one or two posts and accounts to delete every day.

The bigger problem is human constructed posts. Since they actually take 3 minutes to craft a post and, often, ask a sensible question or make a sensible point, I usually feel obliged to spend 10 minutes emailing them to tell them that they're welcome to join in, but they're not welcome to spam.

Inevitably they argue and refuse to change and then I delete their accounts anyway. But it's a waste of my time.

[Canadanne]

Sad to see this feature go - I quite liked having the ability to 'thank' people while it lasted, I just wasn't sure about the idea of linking it with a ranking system. Still, we're all capable of using words to thank people for their posts, and indeed that's probably a better way of doing it.

I can't remember if there's a page about forum rules when you create an account. If not, maybe there should be? Write a big clear warning about how your account will be deleted if you post spammy links. Then you needn't send them individual emails if they do it anyway - just go ahead and delete. They can't say they weren't warned.

[SpectralScorpion]

Have you considered little 'Award' pictures or banners? Like a little image you can stick on your info bar or signature when you post? You could make a little ceremony out of it: at the end of the year stuff gets awarded to the funniest, most insightful, etc.

[Canadanne]

Nice idea, SpectralScorpion. We used to have annual award ceremonies on the newsgroups I frequented, and then in one of my LJ communities - stuff like "poster of the year", "newbie of the year", and the examples you gave there. It can be quite time-consuming to organise, though, and doesn't really work if not many people bother voting.

[SpectralScorpion]

It can be quite time-consuming to organise, though, and doesn't really work if not many people bother voting.

I thought so. The KM forum doesn't really have that many regular contributors (off the top of my head I count 7) so voting could be a waste of time. Maybe Mystara could just decide them? He runs the forum so he probably sees the most of it. *shrugs*

I could always try and design little badges in Paint.Net. I'm not an artist by trade but I use it regularly and have made various little creations in the program.

[Mystara]

Have you considered little 'Award' pictures or banners? Like a little image you can stick on your info bar or signature when you post? You could make a little ceremony out of it: at the end of the year stuff gets awarded to the funniest, most insightful, etc.

That's basically the system I'm looking at, at the moment.

[shadow6162]

Speaking of bots...well you can see for yourself