I like the reorganized ECF structure, but...

[DonDaBoomVape]

Rolygate,

I like the revised structure and new forums of ECF, but:

• You say you "Moved the ECF Veterans forum to below the main boards." I can't find it anywhere. [Is that because I ain't a veteran? If so, when does one become a veteran?]

• I am unable to post (i.e., start a thread) in the Site Feedback forum, e.g., to post what I am saying here.

Thanks for all your efforts (and accomplishments) in making ECF even better and better!

 

[rolygate]

Don,

The Vets board is probably invisible until you become one. I believe that is after 6 months or 1,000 posts or 100 whinges, whichever is the least. I heard they are offering a Masters Degree in ECF Site Management at MIT next year, I may have to take it. Of course, you have to be a Philosophy major in Machiavellian Politics to qualify, but I'm not up to that level yet.

Can't post in the Feedback board? Hmm. Well - we wanted to suppress any feedback and make things look perfect, in the best traditions of government.

Um, sorry - should be fixed now! Thanks for the heads-up. Keep digging, I moved about 20 boards today so there should be quite a few more 'interesting' effects...

How about a test post in the Feedback board please?

 

[rolygate]

"Further to my last post..." - I think that's what they say.

A quick doubletake on the ECF Veterans qualification. I got it wrong of course:

---------------------
[if] Full member - either 180 days registered and 1000 posts made
-or-
365 days registered and 75 posts made.

[if] Subscribing Member - as above [no shortcut there I'm afraid]

[if] ECF Approved Supplier - or 365 days registered and 75 posts made [ie currently the same as an ordinary member]

---------------------
So in words of one syllable, 6 months and a lot of posts, or a year and just a few posts.

 

[DonDaBoomVape]

So I'll make a lot of short posts like this. [Darn, this is hard being so brief!]

 

[Richie G]

So I'll make a lot of short posts like this. [Darn, this is hard being so brief!]

6 months and 1000 posts for Veteran status is absurd. It encourages thoughtless posts.

It's not even 6 months either. Members who joined in December of '08 and have less than 1000 posts, less than 500 posts even, are automatically granted Vet status. (6 months + 1 day in '08) It's a calendar year thing in that case.

Not that it matters, (to me, anyway) but it's poorly thought out.

 

[Oliver]

Yes - it is poorly thought out (by me, I should add), and needs to be changed - but that's how it operates currently.

The issues you, correctly, point out exist because it was not only poorly thought out, but for the first week or so, poorly implemented - so it didn't even work as it was (poorly) supposed to.

That's since been sorted and I don't think anyone else has been admitted to the usergroup who shouldn't have been.

Sorry 'bout that - we'll have something more sensibly worked through asap, but there are a lot of changes going on right now, and it's hard to get everything worked through.

SJ

 

[DonDaBoomVape]

Actually, I was just teasing about short posts (thus my wink). 'Veteran' means having gone through an experience for an extended period of time. For example, I am a Vietnam War Veteran. I would resent that status being conferred on someone who just visited there briefly (not that there were many people making short visits there during that time period). I appreciate being able to earn ECF veteran status in under one year by active participating.

There has to be some objective criteria. Otherwise, it would all smack of favoritism. For example: Well, we like DaBoomVape, so we'll make him a Veteran. We don't like Richie, so he'll have to wait. Or vice versa.

Yes, there is the potential for abuse: 1000 posts of "Hi, how are ya!" But such behavior does not really earn the respect of one's peers (which is all what such honors are about, anyway).

[As you can see, I will not be giving up verbosity in the quest for Veteran's status.]

 

[Oliver]

As you can see, I will not be giving up verbosity in the quest for Veteran's status

And nor would I want you to!

The veteran status isn't something I really expected people to aspire to as such - rather I wanted a forum to exist where members who had been part of ECF from the early days could shoot the breeze for a bit.

I think we need to have a good think about what the Veteran status/area is for, and also how people get there. I really don't want it to become a bone of contention.

I think I will remove the 6 months and 1000 posts element now anyway, since that does seem a bit absurd.

SJ

 

[CJsKee]

Excellent move, SJ...what is criteria for veteran status now?

 

[beckah54]

SJ,

Wouldn't that it itself be unfair since you have already promoted quite a few 6 month members to ECF veteran status. Wouldn't it be better to change the rule at the beginning of the month or beginning of the year instead? Or are you going to demote those with less than a year?

And nor would I want you to!

The veteran status isn't something I really expected people to aspire to as such - rather I wanted a forum to exist where members who had been part of ECF from the early days could shoot the breeze for a bit.

I think we need to have a good think about what the Veteran status/area is for, and also how people get there. I really don't want it to become a bone of contention.

I think I will remove the 6 months and 1000 posts element now anyway, since that does seem a bit absurd.

SJ

 

[BigBaddBossyDogg]

My goodness! Veteran Status based in part by post count? A separate forum just for them? Yes, that will encourage pointless babbling. If Veterans want to shoot the breeze, perhaps they should use the pm feature.

 

[Oliver]

Yes, I accept it is a bit unfair, but like I said before, I set it up a bit foolishly originally. So now it kicks in when you've been a member for a year, and is not based on post count.

As for encouraging pointless babbling, I don't think it makes a difference to whether people babble or not!

Look, the Vets board isn't exactly a hive of activity - we have masses of forums here. Check the "social groups" out, for example.

 

[BigBaddBossyDogg]

Being a forum owner myself, I can understand the work and how things need to be changed as time goes by. When you set it up, you were probably sitting there vaping your heart out wondering if this new toy would ever catch on!

That was your first mistake. lol!

 

[umop apisdn]

Well, I do think there should be some sort of post count requirement for Veteran status. 1000 is a bit excessive though. But should someone who isn't active for the year be labeled as a Veteran? Surely someone who was drafted but flew the coop shouldn't be called a veteran.

 

[Travis798]

I've been a member of many, many forums over the years, and any special "veterans" board that I have seen is tied to post count. I believe the reason for that is simply because someone that has been a member for 2 months, yet actively participates is by far more of a "veteran" than someone that has been a member for a year and does not participate.

Don used the Vietnam war as an example. While I'm not old enough to have participated in that affair, would someone that spent 2 months there, saw lots of action, and came home due to injury be any less of a veteran than someone who was posted somewhere and saw little or no action, yet was there for 2 years?

Post count for a veterans board does not encourage random babbling, as far as I've ever seen. Post count for the sake of post count sometimes does, however. I can understand why some people would want so aspire to become a member of that board, however they are typically not what people think. My experience shows very little action on the boards, and it's typically just chit chat that, after say 1,000 posts of helping people, you simply aren't interested in. Typically after spending that much time on a forum, your interest leans more towards staying in the general areas and helping people than hanging out in a "private" forum.

For a forum of this size, 1,000 posts really isn't unreasonable. With the multitude of posts per day, it would be fairly easy for one to hit 1,000 post fairly quickly while doing their part to help the community. It was better thought out than you give yourself credit for SJ

 

[Lightgeoduck]

I am new to the whole forum scene.. and from lurking around this seems to be a touchy subject like abortion and illegal immigration..hehe

yeah status on posts won't necessarily spark senseless babbling... the babblers will babble no matter what....

of course time alone doesn't mean a hill of beans either... I mean since I got on ECF I signed up on a couple other forums as well... but decided to make this my home... so I guess my vet start date on the other forums is ticking....

yeah I put a few senseless posts out there.. but I know I have helped as well and would like to think I contributed to ECF .. now I can't put 5 posts dissertations(I wish I could...BOOM be my mentor ) but I still participate..... besides I feel some of the senseless posts helps members get to know me... so if I did post some advice or info.. it would most likely be read (in my mind at least hehe).

I don't know the solution.. or even if there is one that is needed... I know the meaning of Veteran status.... and on forums like this... the members subconsciously nominate them... and for the wanna bees that reached "status" with nothing to back it... Their true colors will be shown... if they want it to or not....


not exactly sure of the point that I am trying to get at ... I guess I just felt like I needed to chime in............

What ever is the turn...This forum has grown in strength for the past 2 years... so something is being done right

 

[olderthandirt]

Hey Roly, SJ
All in all I'm thinking it's shaping up rather nicely around here!

The Commercial Reviews Forum struck me as a brilliant idea. I'm surprised it hasn't gotten more activity in the time it's been available.

One thought for ya'll.
Perhaps each time there is a forum move or addition you could post a notice to that effect in the Announcement forum.
I know users eventually find things 'round here but it would be nice to be able to see notice that there is now a new forum for polls or a sandbox etc.

thanks

EDIT: For cryin' out loud. I just realized that there is a notice regarding the new forums and such. gawd but I hate being old and slow

 

[CatVTTV]

I dont really understand what the problem is. A Veteran is just someone who has been a member of the boards for a set time, post count is of no importance.

I have only been a member for 9 months, but as this industry moves so fast, that is a long time in vaping terms.

And for me its lovely to be able to chat to those who remember those early days, and the equipment available at that time, which has changed drastically in the meantime.

The Vets who respond in the Ask the Expert forum, they are nominated for their particular skills, so someone who had not posted regularly and was not very well known for helping or advising new vapers, would not be chosen.

Posting in the Vets Forum, is as SJ says, no big deal, just a bunch of old so and so's commenting on who they have seen or who they haven't etc., nothing very interesting....

When I first came here, there were what seemed a lot of members, but nothing like the amount that are here now, and because of that, we all knew one another fairly well, and helped each other out quite a bit, with encouragement etc., so when we see an old face its like meeting up with old friends, SJ recognised that and gave us a forum, and for that we are grateful to him.

 

[rolygate]

OlderTD:- Hey Roly, SJ
All in all I'm thinking it's shaping up rather nicely around here!

Well thanks OTD! Some hard work gone in to it. Mostly, what you can't see, like an iceberg.

The Commercial Reviews Forum struck me as a brilliant idea. I'm surprised it hasn't gotten more activity in the time it's been available.

Well - you're right. But we haven't pushed it or anything, just so busy that some details get forgotten. We should try to ensure Suppliers know about it.

What we really need is a Newsletter because there are so many things happening here now. Needs an Editor though and it won't be one of us just now due to pressure of work.

One thought for ya'll.
Perhaps each time there is a forum move or addition you could post a notice to that effect in the Announcement forum.
.............
EDIT: For cryin' out loud. I just realized that there is a notice regarding the new forums and such. gawd but I hate being old and slow

Yep! But it's not you, OTD. There is a principle of forum use, it has no name so I'll title it now. What do you mean egotistical?

Rolygate's Principle of Invisible Forum Advice
Forum users will never read the Stickies, Announcements or News, no matter how prominent, and no matter how big their problem.

What d'you reckon?

 

[olderthandirt]

...
Rolygate's Principle of Invisible Forum Advice
Forum users will never read the Stickies, Announcements or News, no matter how prominent, and no matter how big their problem.

What d'you reckon?

Something I'm never guilty of