Member Rankings/Titles

[BoldHighlander]

I have a quick question about the member rankings/titles. I can still see the title/rank of other members on the forum, but as of yesterday afternoon mine (Kilted Elder) is not visible to me anymore. Is there a reason for this?

Please understand that its not really a big deal, I was just curious why I can see everyone elses but not my own.

Thanks.

[cessna152towser]

Interesting point. I see quite a few other members besides yourself also no longer have a rank/title on display, while some others still have one. Maybe something to do with the changing format of the forum. No doubt one of the mods will come along and explain all.

[piperdbh]

The ones that were earned by number of posts are gone.

It was decided that titles and ranks divide us, so they were taken away.

[pdcorlis]

Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!

[Steve Ashton]

I guess I should answer this comment and question as it is my responsibility and all the blame should go on me.

Since I took over the forum I have asked myself; "With a forum this large that has members who have posted thousands of times, do titles based on the number of times you post really have the significance that they had when we were 100 members and we never thought anyone would ever post 5000 times about the Kilt?"
Little did we know back then that we would have some members who be approaching twice the number of posts of our highest post ranking title.

Well, we currently have over 11,000 members who have created almost 3/4 of a million posts. We are one of the largest on-line communities in the world.

So, are Post Rank Titles really helping to bring us together or do they just provide yet another thing to separate us?



And then there is the issue of vanity titles. Like vanity license plates for your car, they were very popular for a while. Some are humerous, some given for some service to the community, and some are there simply because the person asked for it.

What if you are a new member? You come here to join this community and then you notice all these titles under peoples names. You first wonder what they are. Then you wonder how you can get one so you can be special too.

This community has always been about this thing called the kilt that we all share. It is the kilt that brings us here and makes us part of this community. Not some special title.

When I was taking a good hard look at the structure of X Marks and making the decisions about a new "look" for our forum I made a decision to eliminate the Post Rank Titles and the Vanity Titles.

You can blame me.

I want X Marks to be about the thing we share, the thing we have in common and what brings us together.
Deleting Post Rank Titles was simple. A quick click in the Admin Control Panel and they were gone.
Deleting the Vanity Titles will take a little longer. Each one was entered by hand into the person's profile. Each will need to be removed by hand the same way.

[auld argonian]

Ah...from Grand Defender of the Kilt to anonymous peasant in one fell swoop!

Life can be so cruel!

...oh well, it was fun while it lasted...

Best

AA

[billmcc]

Steve,

I think you made a good decision. Thank you for all the work you do on this forum.

[beloitpiper]

This is a great idea! Maybe you could remove post count as well? Or just display it in the person's profile if they/somebody else really wants to know.

[Sammac]

My wife asked me what my old rank and/or title was and I honestly cannot remember. Guess that shows how much I paid attention to it!

[David Dubh]

Great idea Steve I read alot of posts but don't add anything if I'm just repeatimg what others are saying.