Membership Titles

There are users that go back decades on this forum and those that are new. I have noticed that for new members the title (new member) shows up below their name, but for senior members there is just the title (member). I totally understand that we all are still learning and numbers and titles mean nothing but for due respect that I have for regular and non-stop help that some members like Acorn and Gary, Egg etc... are giving, I want to ask if we can apply different titles. Something in the effect of years being a member or number of posts and contributions. I myself go back 2 decades but I do not consider myself anything close to the above mentioned names as far as knowledge of xara program. @Barb asked me to post this so that we can all discuss and possibly come up with a few levels of user names.

Off the top of my head, how about using the names from of a pack of cards, perhaps in descending order of seniority, Ace, King, Jack, with possibly the Queen for females and the Joker for the likes of myself.
Bob.

Tarot cards, Major Arcania.
Bags Justice.

Acorn

Love those ideas.

the number of members that really qualify will be small, perhaps no more than half a dozen - one of them, Gary P, already has his own title

honestly I think it should just be done that way... give the big beasts their own unique label, decided by the forum admin/mods in cosultation with the member in question when it is thought someone qualifies, maybe consult the membership too

any other labelling system might might fun, but is going to be meaningful? I'm a high poster of 11.5 years, I only know certain parts of the program well and a great chunk of it not at all

I don't see an 'automatic' labelling system being of any more use than a like button

I would say the people deserving of respect don't really need titles to get that respect and the people who want titles generally don't deserve them.

That's not a snipe at people with existing titles, I'd expect anyone with a specific role to have some way of being differentiated, but does anyone really need some titled elite?

I consider this suggestion to be divisive rather than inclusive.

Give people respect for what they post, not make them wait 10,000 posts to get fake respect from a meaningless title.

well said haindrawn. much of this I agree with.

Outside of a few select titles for special persons on the forum (like admins, mods, Gary etc.) the titles mean very little. Join date in combination with post count already gives an indication about who's new or not. Outside of that, the title should not have any influence on the content of discussion and therefore putting more effort into making "special" titles only detracts from the actual discussion IMO.
As if people are going to (or should) view other people's arguments in different light just because they have a different title :rolleyes: "Oh this guy has a Super-Duper Member title so surely whatever he says is better than the New Member!"
It creates an unofficial hierarchy that can backfire with regards to overall quality. Plus, it can add confusion about the meaning of the title. "This person is a Super moderator, but what's the difference between that and a Moderator?"
In short, the way it is now is fine with me. Just my opinion of course.

we have super moderators - they have wider brief/privileges[aka 'power'] than 'plain' mods

I know. My point is that from the perspective of a (somewhat) new member it can be confusing.

I belong to quite a few forums, some of which have hierarchical labelling.. but I take so little notice of it I would have to go and check to recall what those labels actually are.. other than the obvious defining mods/admin

I really do feel a 'long service medal' system to be facile; labels should mean something specific if they are there at all

personally I think 'moderator' and 'super moderator' to be self explanitory, but I guess that depends on your background, and your perception of the meaning of 'super' in this context

I basically just look at the members post total for people I don't normally see post. Sometimes I look at the join date. Very seldom do I look at the titles.

Based on the age of our members it is getting to the point where the titles would be something along the lines of:

Old Fart
Really Old fart
Older than dirt.

:D

Ray

LOL, Ray care to put an age bracket in front of each farts?

why should such a thing matter ?

age brings experience - N'est-ce pas ?

How about titles like
1. Newbie : Brand new members who don't yet have PM privileges and who have not made many posts.
2: Regular Member: Someone who has PM priviledges and has shown that they are participating in discussions and contibuting in positive and helpful ways.
3: Dedicated Member: Some one who has been a Regular Member for a while and has been seen to be regularly mentoring newer members
4: Advanced Member: Has been a Dedicated Member for a long time, a long time user of the software and the forums.

Also going up in ranking should be based on number of posts and behaviour and bad behaviour that results in infractions should also result in lower ranking

Angelize - SUPER

who decides who qualifies for these labels?

can those who do not like the idea of all this opt out? - hey maybe they could have an 'uncatagorised by choice' label all of thier own

are you prepared for the extra effort and possible argumemt this may cause?

if you are going to judge [and that is what it is] people on merit, you had better make absolutely sure the system is rigourous...

Just let the person edit their own label if labels will be implemented. That way I can make mine like I do on a couple other forums...

Idiot in Training

Truly, that's what I use on forums that allow user-editable labels.

If it's going to be done, maybe come up with fun titles that add some flavour or humour to the forum and not so much serious titles that might divide members by status.

Delightful Designer - for new members
Devout Designer - for those around awhile
Distinguished Designer - for those around longest
Dissident Designer or Disgruntled Designer- for all those unhappy with the 365 subscription model :p

Mike we can sorta do that already by adding text to avatar should we wish to... ;))

We are a fairly small community and quickly learn who's who anyhow.

Acorn - Justice Member, Old Fart, Dissident, Affable Con Merchant, Seen it all before, man

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Originally Posted by Acorn

We are a fairly small community and quickly learn who's who anyhow.

Acorn - Justice Member, Old Fart, Dissident, Affable Con Merchant, Seen it all before, man

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+1 - well said Acorn

Stygg

In honour of retiring moderator. Attachment 122573

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Originally Posted by handrawn

Mike we can sorta do that already by adding text to avatar should we wish to... ;))

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Already have text on my avatar. It would be clearer as text under it...it would go along with the Dunce on my cap.