Member Rankings/Titles

[kiltimabar]

First thing I noticed was that the XMarks tartan background was gone. I sorta miss it, but I'll get used to it I suppose. I've just never been a fan of the "Change=Improvement" idea.

[Tartanraven]

I would probably post more, but most of what I read is excellent info and I really feel it would be superfluous to add anything other than something inane like "Great Post" or "I agree". I do realize that credibility is based on post count...however odd that is. There have been some things that I felt needed my two cents, as there are a precious few things I do have expertise in, but mostly I'm here to read. I am sorry if I'm coming off as snarky, but I just feel that there is a lot of Americanesque imperialistic behaviour regarding rank and respect. Who really knows a poster enough to feel that they are respectful? I do know that some have "retired" in a "I'm taking my ball and going home" manner...that deserves respect? I also know many who are banned only because that was what their agenda was....which is also quite sad. I just worry sometimes about a gang mentality when it comes to new people making statements which are not in agreement with the older members. Everyone was new once..and you just dont know who is behind the name. I know of a person who is registered here, that has a very very high position in the Scottish community IN Scotland, and being a Scot is quite blunt and outspoken, as am I....I'm a bloody Aberdonian after all. When did Scots get sensitive?

[Tartanraven]

lol, well put Bradley....spot on! I get blunt way too often.

[mbhandy]

First thing I noticed was that the XMarks tartan background was gone. I sorta miss it, but I'll get used to it I suppose. I've just never been a fan of the "Change=Improvement" idea.

Quite Right. I SUPPOSE.
Bring back the Xmark tartan

MrBill

[SteveB]

The change in "title" of Kilted Historian replaced by Forum Historian, may be nice and dry, but the former put a little lightheartedness in the idea.

I am a relatively new member of the forum, but enjoyed some of the personality expressed by the title of Kilted Dragon (Raphael). Somehow I do not think that Forum Dragon would have the same cachet. I have never personally met Raphael, but feel I know him well through the posts on this forum. The title reflected well his respect for the kilt and his Chinese background.

I do not need the Kilted Legend, or other automatic title. I get them on other forums, and they mean very little. The fact that on one I have "Holy smoking keyboard" only means that my post count there is close to McMurdo's here.

The kilt count is only fairly recent, and if it goes away it will not bother me, for I can add my kilt inventory as my sig line if I really want it known. The only factor of the many kilts I do own is that they represent a sampling of the advertisers here and some that are not advertised here. I am able to give an evaluation of the wear and fit from experience when asked.

I have been dealing with some physical change that has delayed my kilt acquisitions, including a much desired Freedom Kilt (Steve already has the fabric) until my body gets stable again. I enjoy wearing the kilt every day, and the opportunity to spread a little Scot culture with it. This will still go on and the advise of many contributors on this forum has made that easier to do.

I still get eye strain after a fashion, with the new colour scheme. But it is improving. Let us be patient and see how it evolves as the coffee fueled owner reads it each day.

Slainte

[Raphael]

Thank you, SteveB. You get it.

[David Dalglish]

Steve I am a bit dissapointed--Your are trying to fix some that is not Broken, What was wrong with the titles & ranks

[Jerry]

I miss the titles too, including the automatic ones based on number of posts. Now I will never reach "Grand Defender of The Kilt, or any other title. I won't reach the custom titles for the same reason It would have been several years before I reached grand defender status. I do not post that much and do not do filler posts. Neither does Raphael, We have both been here since 2004 and neither of us has 3000 posts. My one exception for "filler posts" was when I was approaching "Kilted Elder" I discovered that if I increased my post output by just over 1 post per day, I could reach the post on my 65th birthday. So I do admit to filler posts a few times during those few months but I felt it was a special occasion. All of that said. I am not the forum owner, a mod, advocate, or any other official. I am a guest here, and I will abide by new rules or changes. I wouldn't go to anyone's place of business and expect them to run it the way I want it run. As for Steve turning this into a business. He paid good money to purchase this little bit of cyber space. I do not have any idea how much, but I'd be willing to bet it was substantial. It's also none of my business. I would also be willing to bet my monthly income tahht Steve did not buy it as a charity. He bought it as a business. All of that said, There are things I like about the new look and things that I don't like. I won't go into everything now, because others have already said them, and like I said, I don't do filler posts.

[Mark Keeney]

I always enjoyed being a Kilted Warrior. It made me feel good. It made me smile and proud when I finally became one.

Maybe letting people choose in their profile what they like, and not make it connected to number of posts.

That being said, I really appreciate all that Steve and the mods do for this forum.

[Semiomniscient]

It seems a great shame, and smacks of an insult, to drop some of the more descriptive honourific titles. Some folks went to a great effort to establish their "bona fides" as it were, and I really hope Steve, that you thought long and hard how some people might feel after losing a title that might draw attention to their knowledge and research. I fail to see the harm in leaving these titles up. The rankings mean very little to me, but the titles are another matter. Why would you choose to alienate long time members of this forum?

Best regards,
Sandford MacLean

Yeah, I'm with you Sandy. I thought the "rankings" were sometimes pretty silly. I didn't like the idea of a "kilted samurai" as it smacked of utter silliness, but the whole idea of rankings was kind of interesting because I could tell who'd been here a long time and who was "most dedicated" to the forum. I suppose post numbers suffice for this. But the honorifics being revoked seem to be over-the-top. I think it was cool to have "Grand Defender of the Kilt" and to knock those dedicated posters down to the level of myself who mostly lurks around and posts on only a couple of topics is a sort of demotion.
The kilt hails from a country where there are such things as nobility and rank in non-military society, I think it is a bit of a shame to do away with our little version here.