If you could choose just one...

[Cornish Steve]

...new feature to improve how these forums work, what would it be? (I'm asking this in light of the recent 'anarchy' thread.)

 

[DotNetWebs]

Hi Steve

Thats a very good question!

Mine is easy, something I have thought about for a long time, and something I would implement immediately if I owned these forums:

Exclude posts in the introductions forums from counting in the member's post count.

Just about every day you see somebody join and post a string of 'welcome' messages solely with the intention of a quick boost to their post count. Very often the people they are welcoming have actually been members longer than the person making the 'welcome'.

Taking this action would have bring a two-fold improvement:

1. People would not be able to artificially increase their post count to try and obtain further privileges.

2. 'Welcomes' would be far more genuine since there would be no instant benefit to the poster making the 'welcome'.

Off course this would not stop new members from trying to boost their post counts by making multiple posts to other forums. However these sort of posts are usually easy to spot. It takes a bit of effort to make a meaningful reply in the other threads and spammers normally stand out a mile.

'Welcome' thread spammers are normally far harder to spot. Even a spambot can get away with posting "welcome to the forums" for the last ten posters.

I honesty think UKBF would be a better place and moderators would have an easier job, if this was implemented.

Regards

Dotty

 

[Brian McIntosh]

I may be being a bit thick here but, what's the thinking behind showing the number of posts a person has made? Is it to show the more "experienced" members and those that have been here for a while?

 

[cjd]

Stickies or some way of keeping valuable posts.

 

[Ozzy]

Hi Steve

Thats a very good question!

Mine is easy, something I have thought about for a long time, and something I would implement immediately if I owned these forums:

Exclude posts in the introductions forums from counting in the member's post count.

I like this one too

 

[RayB]

Welcome to the forums.....................

Thanks for sharing.................

 

[estwig]

Exclude posts in the introductions forums from counting in the member's post count.

me think this is a bad idea, why??

Because as a new member it is good to be welcomed by lots of new people in the intro section. Saying hi to someone in the intro section is a very quick and easy way for a newbie to get their post count up a bit. A lot of people are shy about posting on forums and just a post count of 10 makes them feel less intimidated and less of a newbie.

The world is not full of spammers and people looking to self promote, there are some good eggs out there....................Somewhere!!!

 

[Calibre Designs]

Who cares about post counts anyway? Its the information and help received here is most valuable in my opinion.

I couldn't care less about my post count as long as I am contributing to the forum and getting good advice from within. Am I silly in thinking this way?

Kay

Oh and may I add....I do not like spammers and to find a way to stop this would be good. This will result in building a better and longer lasting forum community.

 

[DotNetWebs]

Who cares about post counts anyway?
...

The spammers trying to quickly reach the magic 15 (or whatever it is) in order to start posting links.

Regards

Dotty

 

[DotNetWebs]

...A lot of people are shy about posting on forums and just a post count of 10 makes them feel less intimidated and less of a newbie..

Very true but if my idea was implemented the welcomes they received would be much more genuine.

With regards to shy posters perhaps my idea could be amended to allow introduction posts to count only if the posts are in reply to a thread they started. That way they could engage with the people welcoming them and still build their post count up.

Regards

Dotty

 

[simonswords]

My idea would be to give forum users more ways in which to filter new posts. This week I've been very busy so I've only been able to check the forums a couple of times. I clicked the New Posts button yesterday and had to Sift through 325 posts. I didn't have time to analyse each one in depth so I know I missed a couple of good posts I'm sure.

Ways to filter could include:

- Highlight threads that include posts added by my "Buddies"
- Allow me to exclude specific forum area posts (for example I don't want to see posts from the Franchise area)
- Only show threads with posts that I have created

I'm sure there are more variations but you get the idea.

 

[UKSBD]

I would like to be automaticaly be re-directed to new posts when first visiting,
would save on a click, as that is first thing I do every time I come here.

 

[estwig]

Free 'cup of Tea' for all the good members of UKBF!!!

 

[simonswords]

Tea is great but if we're talking freebies I can think of a number of other more expensive items I would like for free