Introduction Posts and Total Post Count

[Macro]

I've been on a lot of forums and the opinion usually varies, so I ask here as I always do- Should posts in Introduction board not count towards one's total post count?

If someone posts 500 "welcome" posts, for example, they look like they are an active forum contributor. Do you all think that's true, or does it just seem like an easy way to abuse the post counter in order to effortlessly acquire badges?

 

[Micro]

Maybe not lol, I know a wealth of my posts come from welcoming people. I'm okay with it either way, but I can definitely see a fair argument for it being eliminated.

I'm really more neutral with it overall, so I guess I won't vote. It'd be impossible to get some of those post badges otherwise, since there simply isn't that much opportunity for discussion around here otherwise... it would take a very long time to reach a high post count/get those badges without welcome posts.

Still, it is a nice incentive to welcome people to the forum, so there's a definite benefit too.

Interestingly enough, I believe that posts in the Forum Games section do not count towards your maximum post count! That is a trend I see in many forums, and I guess it makes sense.

 

[Macro]

I just feel that badges should be an "achievement" for active forum contribution, and I'm mostly neutral with it myself. Just wondering how the forum here feels about it. I mean the Admins put work into making badges to strive for, so..like a good RPG, a reward after a grind just feels more rewarding in my opinion. :)

 

[Micro]

I mean the Admins put work into making badges to strive for, so..like a good RPG, a reward after a grind just feels more rewarding in my opinion. :)

Yea that's true too. This is why I can't cast a vote either way ha ha.... I mean, if I say no, then I'm part of the problem. If I say yes, I might be lying to myself...

 

[MinisterJay]

If you have been the member of a forum that did not receive welcoming messages, then you would really appreciate those that do reply to a new member introductions. It most forums, the new introductions forum is one of the vital signs of a growing and vibrant community. I think it should count as part of the member's total post count because of that vitality. Likewise, it counts towards the site's post count too. It is often that very first test if a new member will stay with a forum or not.

Stating that I support it staying as it is, counting towards the member's post count.

 

[LTN Games]

I don't see any problem with it counting towards it, I mean welcoming is important and I believe even if all you do is spend time welcoming members you are contributing to the community as a whole because it invites the new members and makes them feel comfortable being here. The way I see it is if your welcoming, then you're contributing to the communities growth and that to me is great.

 

[JibstaMan]

I know where this is coming from. There is this shadow lurking in the introduction threads, striking every new and old thread there is and he has a single mission! He has hit hard on my introduction for sure. However, it was fun... The shadow and I get along quite well.

Ok, in all seriousness, I agree with @LTN Games. Nothing else serious to add

 

[Xyphien]

Well, you're unable to just write 'welcome' as single word posts are against the rules. As well as most people post a good, meaning full welcome post on peoples post. I think it is important to welcome new members, and is something everyone should strive to do *Grant it I haven't been recently sadly* Being welcomed is the first initial look at the community and what it will be like. If you post an introduction and hardly get anyone welcoming you, chances are you might not come back, as it's either not active enough, or the community lacks the fact that you joined. I feel it's the first step in having a great community, and taking away post count from that section could detour people from posting in it as much as they should. Which, could have an effect on community as a whole.

 

[Macro]

Glad to know where the forum stands then. Personally, I make a welcome thread and move on to the juicy parts of a forum. But as I said, depends on forum. (Many forums think Intro posts shouldn't count to post count) thanks for responding Xiffy. ^_^

 

[Bizarre Monkey]

If you manage to get 300 responses to an intro thread I dunno what you did.

Personally I've only seen this kind of rule implemented for more relaxed off-topic sections. See our forum games and general discussion zones.

But ultimately since our members seem to know how to post responsibly I don't think we'll need to go enforcing post rating restrictions.

 

[Amysaurus]

I think having intro posts count is a good thing. It's a requirement for having your account be "complete" anyway, so it can be a part of that push to get a member active. It can be a problem if someone just wants to spam the intro threads with hellos, but, like Xyphien said, they'd be breaking the rules anyway.

That said, I can understand how some of the replies start looking pretty obvious that it's just someone looking to up their post count.

 

[Seriel]

Personally, i'm torn. It's good, but it also might discourage replying to welcome posts somehow.
Basically, I don't mind either way, so I won't vote in this poll~

 

[Bizarre Monkey]

I'm going to clarify more on what i was getting at since i didn't have a torrent of time to write my last response.

Firstly, we can discard the notion that post count means anything, can't we?

Essentially, it just means how many times you've spoken, it does not at all mean you are a good person, it only means that you haven't done anything bad enough to be banned.

Ratings are given by other members, and the giving of ratings is optional and mandated by opinion.

So we've immediately ruled out...
A: The necessity of a high post count for viewer approval.
B: The necessity of a high post count for any sort of quality check.

So the questions to ask are: Is there any positive reward for posting?

Answer: Yes. But a cosmetic title, nothing more.

So then, what do we do about Members of a repeat offending nature doing the 'post lots without any quality control'?

We personally deal with them, rather then bringing ourselves down to a level that cripples all new members. At the end of the day your post count is simply a number. If you wanna go far exploiting numbers, there's plenty of idle games to sate your needs.

Personally I've no problem with it, but I think for a welcome / intro area no one is going to spam just for post count, if they are spamming they likely have more of an agenda than 'a number'. If they do spam, we do what we think is fair action against that member, rather than changing something for a trivial issue.

I personally tend to make new introduction posts when I know I'm going to be on hiatus for a while, but it's going to be one thread in a blue moon, I'll easily make multiple times that post count by actively engaging in discussion that concerns my expertise, which is a lot of discussion!

tl;dr: Punish the repeat-offenders, not the general posterbase.