Add a post count to user names / accounts....?

[DragonWithAGirlTattoo]

I was thinking that to see if someone is a real 'long term user of MN, you know penis beaker and penguin bollards..." we could have a post count added to user names / accounts....?

so mine would say [DragonWithAGirlTattoo (350)] or [OneOfMyOtherUserNames (350)] using my active name and counting ALL my posts, but without linking to any of my usernames

just a thought...

Thanks for all your thoughts - as some of the "older" Mnetters will know, this has been raised a few times and on balance we've generally collectively preferred to work on the basis that posts should be judged on merit rather than whether someone's been posting for a bit - every poster is equal and it's what you say not who says it that matters etc.

I also agree that it ultimately wouldn't deter the really destructive trolls - those very special ones who invest loads of time concocting elaborate back histories.

But there are some things I think we could do to address some of the points raised on this thread - such as a more a of welcome/ guide for newbies - what do folks think of a newbies corner?

We could also do more to encourage lurkers out of their shells - maybe with random prizes for posting, a lurkers week? - and also more to let people know about profiles (as well as streamlining and improving the UX of the whole profile thing).

We'll get to work on some of that. Meantime this isn't a categorical 'no' but I do think we'd need a groundswell in favour to intro no. of posts/ red dots for newbies - as it feels a bit antithetical to what we're about - and so far there doesn't appear to be large and clear majority who want change?

Most other forums do this - keep track of how many posts etc, and you get 'membership levels' next your avatar eg. Newbie/not so newbie/been around a while/old-timer

MN is an unusual forum in this way. Most other forums you can edit your posts. have favourite 'links', 'like' posts, quote people properly etc

I have a similar thought as pickled. I am a lurker of several years, but with a post count of maybe 20 or so. What does that mean? What will posters think when they see a post count of 20? Might be a troll? Not a regular user so posts not valuable?

Justine - as a "regular lurker" (!) prizes wouldn't lure me to post. It's a combination of not being able to keep up with popular threads, eg when at work, so never catch up with conversation in time to post, and some interesting threads going bad or changing course before I get to the end and can post! Can I ask why you want lurkers to post more? If we're visiting the site and enjoying the debate but not joining in all the time, is that a bad thing?

I have been here a very long time, but rarely post. I really enjoy lurking, but I don't post all that often as I don't feel I have anything much to add.

I don't think that red dots or post counts are particularly needed - a newbies corner would probably be a good idea for the poor souls who post to introduce themselves and get a pasting.

Definitely no. I don't want my posts to be considered not worthy due to lack of posting. Also will some posts count more? eg I play the word association game thread at times. That'll up my post count but I'm assuming that's not the kind of posts you would want to include in the count.

Whatever else you do, please don't go down the road of supposedly funny labels to indicate how long/much a person has been posting. I'm thinking about this kind of thing:

Revered Elder of Mumsnet
Graduate Chatterbox
100 nappy sleepless Mum

Maybe have 'date joined' as public info rather than a post count, because I could have joined two weeks ago, gone mad with posts and have 3000 in that time, where as people like potatoes are the opposite.

00100001 i can see a lot of people de-registering and re-registering so that they can safely name change.

My personal opinion is that making it more obvious who is new and who isn't is going to aid the construction of the mn royality that we are regularly reassured don't exist and not actually stop the trolls and goaders who quite frankly are either flash bang thus obvious or long runners who would put the work in to build up their posting history before they cause trouble.

MN is an unusual forum in this way. Most other forums you can edit your posts. have favourite 'links', 'like' posts, quote people properly etc

but this is what makes it unique. I am here precisely because it is not like other places. Everything does not need to be like everything else, different is good and sometimes better

"such as a more a of welcome/ guide for newbies - what do folks think of a newbies corner? "

Isn't that covered by the FAQ/Acronyms section?

What would really be useful is a user links section so you can have some personal shortcuts to boards.

I agree dark it is what makes it unique, but it is also what limits it and is quite frustrating! Sometimes, I just want to 'thumb up' a post or edit my stupid typos!

Yep me too but I like the fact that it means that you can read something, comment, and be certain that unless HQ step in that it is not likely to be changed making you look a prat. If I am going to look a prat from my post I'd like to do so with my own mistakes not someone else editing their to change things iyswm

yes - but on all the other billions of forums it's not a huge issue at all really

I have encountered it, and watch it blow things apart. A long time ago and people are more savvy. But unless there is also a way of tracking the changes it does leave a new route for trolling potentially. And there are a number of mn trolls who have tripped themselves up due to being unable to edit their posts.

*people are more savvy now

I think its one site, if I wanted only one user name, or a post count, I'm free to use another forum.