Posting for numbers?

Tom · Jul 13, 2005

thenosyone said:
Your introducing did not received many answers. Whats wrong, nobody is intrested in a family with 3 kids... is this to normal...

Thenosyne, I don't understand your comment. Laura did not ask any questions in that message, so it's not surprising she didn't receive "many" answers.

Take notice, most of the writers here are very senior, don't known if this has anything to do with the response on your Newby...

I don't know how you definie "very senior", but I sure don't consider myself in that category. In any event, most of the folks you consider to be old have had young children of their own and have young grandchildren.

...some of the posters on this forum are likely only interested in just adding a higher number of posts after there name. It looks sometimes, writing some intresting answers is not really a necessity.

Please realize that nobody here has an interest in every subject and few have a broad enough knowledge or experience to accurately answer every question. But, collectively the forum staff and forum members have a vast breadth and depth of knowledge and experience. Therefore, you'll see most folks responding to questions they feel comfortable answering.

As the person with the highest "number of posts after my name ", I sure hope your comment wasn't talking about me. I'll usually welcome new arrivals, help with navigation of the forum and deal mainly with administrative issues. If I've goofed and think that others might benefit from my mistake, I'll share that experience and try to make it a funny story. I'm sorry if you feel my postings are merely trying to increase my message count, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Although I've been an RVer for 20 years, have performed most of my own repairs, and have a technical background, we have folks on the forum staff and others who I feel do a more competent job of responding to questions regarding problems with RVs. Many folks have travelled much further than I, so I leave questions about destinations and routes to them. I've owned only two brands of RV, so I leave questions about other brands to other people. I've only owned class A motorhomes, so for the most part I leave questions about other types of RV to others with more specific knowledge.

We also have a lot of folks here who don't post any messages - affectionately known as "lurkers" because they lurk rather than participate. Personally, I wish some of the lurkers would share some of their knowledge and experience in exchange for the information they receive from others here. But I also understand that some folks don't feel comfortable posting in a public place.

In summary, I think you are misjudging many people here and their intentions. I have met many of the "high posters" in person and feel I have a reasonable understanding of their knowledge, skills and intentions.

Betty Brewer · Jul 15, 2005

thenosyone said:
Your introducing did not received many answers. Whats wrong, nobody is intrested in a family with 3 kids... is this to normal...Take notice, most of the writers here are very senior, don't known if this has anything to do with the response on your Newby...Thenosyone from Antwerp?

Hi Thenosyone,
I wonder what you mean by writers on this forum being very senior?? I am newly retired (two years) a full timer (two years, not eligible for most senior discounts, will never receive social security and have no idea how many posts are by my name.? I am a participant on this forum to share RV ideas and stories.? If I know anything I want to share or I think would be of interest I share it.? I have responded to many families with young children when a direct question was asked that I felt I had some information or insight.? Please keep visiting the site and you will learn how much we have to offer to all? who ask and share.

Betty

dneighbo · Jul 16, 2005

thenosyone said:
Take notice, most of the writers here are very senior, don't known if this has anything to do with the response on your Newby...

Half full or half empty. Being 30 I feel like a young pup around here. However, I think that is an extremely POSITIVE thing. It means there are a lot of people here with a WEALTH of information on RVing and life in general. Asking where a good camping spot is and having one person be able to give me personal experience on 5 different campgrounds in the same area. Means they have been there at least five times.

Sometimes you have to take things with a grain of salt. For example, many people mentioned that a particular campground was nice, but a complete zoo. We ended up staying there and loving it. It was a zoo as it there were hundreds of rowdy kids there. Having 3 rowdy kids we fit in perfect.

thenosyone said:
You have to consider, well, thats how i see it, some of the posters on this forum are likely only interested in just adding a higher number of posts after there name. It looks sometimes, writing some intresting answers is not really a necessity.

I think they are just being friendly. As those with the most posts generally post to ALL newcomers. I don't think it has anything to do with status. I consider them the welcoming committee. If they hadn't replied to my newcomer post, I don't know if I would have ever returned and I would be missing a valuable resource.

To those that take the time to post. Thank you!

;D

thenosyone · Jul 18, 2005

Betty Brewer said:
Hi Thenosyone,
I wonder what you mean by writers on this forum being very senior??

Hi Betty,

I must admit, "very senior" was maybe not the best fraze to use. Hope you will give me some credit, English was the second language I learned, and its a long time since those days. Most forum members are retired, making them some 20 years older than Laura.
A week after Laura had introduced herself, only Ron and Tom, as allways had wrote a reply. As laura stated, she liked to meet some "nice" people on line, I wandered why there where not more replies. I certainly did not want to upset anybody over his/here age.
Hope I haven't upset anybody this time. (joke)

thenosyone Antwerp

thenosyone · Jul 24, 2005

Tom said:
Thenosyne, I don't understand your comment. Laura did not ask any questions in that message, so it's not surprising she didn't receive "many" answers.

As the person with the highest "number of posts after my name ", I sure hope your comment wasn't talking about me.

In summary, I think you are misjudging many people here and their intentions. I have met many of the "high posters" in person and feel I have a reasonable understanding of their knowledge, skills and intentions.

I will try to answer fraze by fraze.

Laura did express she would like to meet nice people on line.
There where only two replies at that moment. The more replies, the more people think this is intresting and the more views.
I was just playing the system, I did new, when I wrote the frase about "number of posts after their name" somebody would come after me.
More replies... more views... Before writing, I had read "Hi from Bert" 30 replies, most has nothing to do with Bert but resulting in more than 200 views. A lot of people must have been disappointed about the timewaist, reading those replies.

Please do not take it personally Tom, I certainly didn't meant it personally.
BTW if my thinking is right, and you have made this site congratulations I am most impressed.

You could be right, but whenever you reward people with a higher status, even if it is only a star after their name, some of them will be tempted to reach the next star.

With this reply I bring Laura back to the top of the list and maybe up to 200 views. (playing the system)

Tom · Jul 24, 2005

thenosyone said:
BTW if my thinking is right, and you have made this site congratulations I am most impressed.

Thenosyne, thanks for the kind comment, but I don't run the forum to impress anyone. I can't take credit for the software itself as it's open source; All I did was customize some of it.

I think you've lost me with your other comments. I really can't figure out what you mean by "playing the system".

thenosyone · Jul 24, 2005

Tom said:
I think you've lost me with your other comments. I really can't figure out what you mean by "playing the system".

Difficult, Tom, hope to explain...
"playing the game... working the system... fiddeling the system...I am running out on my English...
I could manage to improve the number of views after Laura's introduction by writing something witch had nothing to do with her introducing.
I found it a bit unfair Bert did get all the attention at that moment.

Sorry Tom but I can not explain better

Tom · Jul 24, 2005

thenosyone said:
I could manage to improve the number of views after Laura's introduction by writing something witch had nothing to do with her introducing.

Why would you consciously do that? It's much better to start another topic with a more appropriate title if your desire is to have more people view it. However, folks on this forum (and RVers in general) are renowned for taking a discussion in different directions and talking about something other than the subject - what we affectionately used to call "thread drift". They don't do it consciously, but it's sometimes fascinating to watch.

thenosyone · Jul 24, 2005

Tom said:
Why would you consciously do that? It's much better to start another topic with a more appropriate title if your desire is to have more people view it. However, folks on this forum (and RVers in general) are renowned for taking a discussion in different directions and talking about something other than the subject - what we affectionately used to call "thread drift". They don't do it consciously, but it's sometimes fascinating to watch.

My only idea was, when Laura gets more replies on her introduction, she get more views and a bigger chance to meet nice people.
She had 40 views, Bert was far ahead with much more than 100 views at that time.
I didn't knew a better way, I couldn't see how starting a new topic would result in more views at Laura's intro.
This was a one off, just ones, to proof that you can bring any intro to the top and give it plus 200 views if you want to.

Tom · Jul 24, 2005

I guess I don't follow the logic. If the title of a discussion doesn't bring folks to view it, why would adding more replies to the same topic cause more people to view it? A new topic with a different title has more chance of attracting new viewers. Adding a link in the new topic to the old one could possibly send more people there to view it.

Karl · Jul 24, 2005

Thenosyone,

Perhaps there is a misconception at work here. While I have 'hero' after my name, the title means nothing to me and it shouldn't to anyone else either. It is (and Tom can correct me on this) something that is automatically done by the program based on the number of messages a person posts. It has nothing to do with how many times a posting is read. While my numbers are high compared to others', keep in mind that I have a high speed connection, spend a lot of time on the computer, and find many topics I feel I can contribute to (other members may argue that point ;D). That's not to say that I don't get off-topic, and it certainly doesn't mean that my posts are any more important than anyone elses' posts - quite the contrary; there are some members who post very little but contribute a wealth of knowledge and interesting stories and views. Once a thread gets off the main topic, Tom or other staff members will start a new thread if the new topic warrants it. On the other hand, some threads seem to drag on and on with little or no new exchange of ideas. It's then when it's perhaps better to let it die gracefully, and not 'flog a dead horse' as we say.

I hope this helps.

Karl

Tom · Jul 24, 2005

Karl said:
It is .... something that is automatically done by the program based on the number of messages a person posts.

That's correct Karl. I haven't changed the defaults put in the software by the developers. However, in this message, Thenosyne was suggesting that some folks here post useless messages merely to increase their message count. Personally, I haven't seen it here, which is why I took exception to the comment.

Gary RV_Wizard · Jul 24, 2005

And meanwhile, Laura must be dumfounded - and perhaps rather put off - by the debate generated by her introductory message. Let's knock it off or split the thread.

Tom · Jul 24, 2005

RV Roamer said:
Laura must be dumfounded - and perhaps rather put off - by the debate generated by her introductory message.

Good point Gary. We sometimes get carried away, forgetting the source and intent of the original message.

Let's knock it off or split the thread.

Well, yer has the tools, but I went ahead and split if off anyway.

Ron · Jul 24, 2005

Posting For Numbers??? I just don't think there is anybody on this forum that really cares how many postings they have made. I know I don't. Like Karl I also have a high speed connection that we have available all the time most anywhere we go making it easy to access and make comments on the forum.

The RV Forum provides a way to meet new friends and communicate with old friends, exchange ideas, and help others by answering questions or making recommendations in response to their inquiries. While we have meet many of the framily in person there are others we have not yet had the opportunity to meet in person. It is through this form that we keep in contact with old friends and get to know new.

Posting for numbers ........ No I don't hardly think so. Its friends communicating with friends getting to know one another, exchanging ideas, and helping where we can, contributing knowledge, friendship, and assistance to others in the framily. Making new members feel welcome making them feel part of the Framily, providing answers to questions where we can.

Gary RV_Wizard · Jul 25, 2005

Well, yer has the tools, but I went ahead and split if off anyway.

Yeah, but with the Wizop the main participant in the thread, I figured I'd let him make the call. ;D

Gary RV_Wizard · Jul 25, 2005

Surprisingly, Ron, some people do "post for numbers" and seem to get very concerned about post and view counts and their "karma subtitles" (e.g. Hero). We may never understand why, but it does happen and not all that infrequently either. I takes all kinds to make the world go aorund, I guess. ???

Tom · Jul 25, 2005

RV Roamer said:
with the Wizop the main participant in the thread.....

LOL understood Gary, but sometimes I'm too engrossed in the discussion and don't realize I'm off at a tangent. Feel free to split/move stuff if you see me doing that or, as you did in this case, get out the 2x4.

BernieD · Jul 25, 2005

RV Roamer said:
Surprisingly, Ron, some people do "post for numbers" and seem to get very concerned about post and view counts and their "karma subtitles" (e.g. Hero). We may never understand why, but it does happen and not all that infrequently either.

I'm not sure a lot of that concern hasn't really been confusion. There are all those labels, numbers and statistics shown with each member's postings, many of which are unfathomable to the newbie. Curious minds ask curious questions.

Tom · Jul 25, 2005

BernieD said:
There are all those labels, numbers and statistics shown with each member's postings

I could eliminate the stars now that you've made it to Hero Bernie ;D

Posting for numbers?

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