Suggestions and Feedback

**jeter4982** · 09-18-2004, 03:51 PM

How about adding some kind of forum dollars, for posts onto WT, and add a store? That would be pretty cool.

**Christopher** · 09-18-2004, 04:18 PM

I never liked the store hacks for forums like these. I don't think they fit, seems useless to me. Reputation (where users rate each other for useful posts, helping them etc) is worth while IMO. We'd have to disable the negative rating option to protect against abuse, though.

**jeter4982** · 09-18-2004, 05:13 PM

ya, just something to reward people to post quality posts would be cool.

**Ark** · 09-18-2004, 05:39 PM

Yup, I think so too...

**DaveMo~** · 09-23-2004, 12:25 PM

We had a store in the past, but it seems it had some security flaws. I don't know that they have all been corrected, but it probably won't be considered until it is a secure "feature".

Dave

**Christopher** · 09-23-2004, 02:44 PM

The store for vBulletin3 is pretty secure AFAIK. But I don't think a store fits in the webmaster forum environment.

**jeter4982** · 09-23-2004, 06:18 PM

ok, i dont know, i just have seen it on other forums, and it has worked pretty good, but you probably have a lot more knowledge about forums anyways.

**cjvj** · 09-24-2004, 12:18 PM

I think a member rating system would be good, where other members could praise good posts/threads

**Kyrnt** · 09-24-2004, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjvj

I think a member rating system would be good, where other members could praise good posts/threads

I totally disagree. These things are a slippery slope toward acrimony, conflict and hurt feelings. Next we'll hear that users want to know how other users rated them. Then we'll want to know which users rated them how. Then you have PMs and email wars flying around and guess what -- no one is talking about webmastering anymore.

And then the community will die.

**Christopher** · 09-24-2004, 04:26 PM

I don't think so. We would obviously take away any negative rating options, so users would just rate posts on how helpful they were. If you help someone out, it's nice to get a "Good job" or "thank you", with a simple post vote you can achieve that. There is no rating levels, it either "Yes, I found this post helpful" or nothing. I'm thinking of a little thumbs-up button down in the lower-left corner of each post where users can just click to mark it as a "helpful post".

**Anacrusis** · 09-24-2004, 04:28 PM

I think the "store" is a good idea. Maybe get a few sponsers to provide store items. I for one would be willing to give free months of hosting or other services in exchange for "forum dollars"

**cjvj** · 09-24-2004, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chroder

I don't think so. We would obviously take away any negative rating options, so users would just rate posts on how helpful they were. If you help someone out, it's nice to get a "Good job" or "thank you", with a simple post vote you can achieve that. There is no rating levels, it either "Yes, I found this post helpful" or nothing. I'm thinking of a little thumbs-up button down in the lower-left corner of each post where users can just click to mark it as a "helpful post".

What I was thinking...

If enough people would contribute to the store (e.g free hosting,text links,services) which were webmaster related then it would work. However I don't think enough people would...

**Kyrnt** · 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chroder

I don't think so. We would obviously take away any negative rating options, so users would just rate posts on how helpful they were. If you help someone out, it's nice to get a "Good job" or "thank you", with a simple post vote you can achieve that. There is no rating levels, it either "Yes, I found this post helpful" or nothing. I'm thinking of a little thumbs-up button down in the lower-left corner of each post where users can just click to mark it as a "helpful post".

Chroder, your suggestion is inherently different than what cjvj was advocating in which users themselves carried the moniker "good" or "bad." Your suggestion of doing so with individual posts themselves is something I can advocate.

But the problems I've seen in communities when these ratings systems start is they often become the central focus of the entire forum instead of the intended subject (webmastering).

In the end, I have to ask: Other than the "cool" factor, what would be the purpose of all this? Would you trust others' ratings and not read a "bad" post? What about a member who often disagreed with the group? Would he or she be labeled a "bad" member even though the group may have been wrong? How could he get rid of that label? What is the point of all these labels? Is it so we "know" who the good members are and who the bad members are? With no negative labels (social engineering at its best), do we just use "good," "better" and "best?"

Most of us have formed opinions about one another based on our experiences in the forum. Reading dozens of posts almost everyday leads to you building your own assumptions and judgments about other members; who knows what they are talking about and who doesn't. Isn't that so much better a system?

**cjvj** · 09-24-2004, 05:19 PM

I think we should let the chief decide, afterall he is in charge.

IMO a system where useful posts/threads could be 'praised' would help. You would though have to find the balence in saying that if a post is not marked as 'good' then it is not bad and still contributing to the community.

Quote:

users themselves carried the moniker "good" or "bad." Your suggestion of doing so with individual posts themselves is something I can advocate.

If a user makes a good post then ultimatly the user will be praised, not the post. Likewise if a user SPAMs then they will be critizised (by the post being moved to the SPAM can).

Quote:

Most of us have formed opinions

Some people may want to express those opinions (within reason)

**jeter4982** · 09-24-2004, 07:39 PM

I definitely see all of your opinions, and now am changing my mind. It can be good if you use it the right way, but if one person abuses it, then the whole thing and the forum, falls apart.

**Christopher** · 09-24-2004, 08:33 PM

We could even go as far as making it private or something.

I'm beginning to remember why I turned it off on DBF though

**jeter4982** · 09-24-2004, 08:36 PM

whats DBF

**Christopher** · 09-24-2004, 09:25 PM

DevBoxForums of course!

**DaveMo~** · 09-25-2004, 01:37 PM

I've seen the Reputation system used and abused. If used properly, it can be a great system. We're still discussing this!

The store that we previously had was a way for members to get the "special" things on the forum. After accumulating enough forum dollars, the member could buy a different user title, custom avatars, some highlighting for their username, etc. We had a washing machine in there for 16 billion forum dollars, (just a joke).

Dave

**jeter4982** · 09-25-2004, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chroder

DevBoxForums of course!

How could I forget? lol