Member Levels / Avatars

[P_Scott]

Webby,

 

This is a cool idea although I must agree with Carl. The number of posts is only a good measurement if the quality or content is also considered. You also have members who were not aware of this Forum until recently and have been posting regularly since but are nowhere near the "watermark" to receive special recognition. There are probably too many things which could be consideration for special status in the Forum. Post count appears to be the simplest form of measurement of status. I know one thing for sure. Everyone in this forum is very helpful and I continue to strive to help others with their questions. The decision for recognition within the forum is up to the Administrators and board members.

[TheePres]

Amen. MFgeng!!!

[mold100]

Just ringin in to get that count up I guess.And to say Hi to everyone new.The forum has doubled in whats seems less than a couple months.

[PE @ IHS]

What exactly is the usefulness of "special recognition"? Let's get back to reality folks..this is a usergroup for CNC programming software....a tool....for doing a job...Is it useful in any way to spend the time and energy to categorize people who post here?

 

Is it really necessary to classify, elevate or judge people based on how much time they spend looking at emastercam.com?

 

This is not reality. Reality starts when we leave CNC behind every day and get home to our daily lives!

[JAMMAN]

Peter E, just because this forum is dripping with extreme professionalism doesn't mean the members can't have a little fun. We have had smileys for a while!!

 

Thanks Web Master (that's not his real name by the way) for the avatars- (500 is a little high), and how long till we have PM capability?

[Jack Mitchell]

I am Junior Member #53 - really, who cares!

To pigeon hole a members credibility through their post activity or their alleged expertise, can hardly be a measured by title alone.

The kind people at In-House Solutions started and maintain this group - we keep this growing, and grow it will.

 

I have always felt that viewing myself as a junior member as sort of a minor annoyance.

This isn’t the major call on my ability or preference – just a minor annoyance.

**** , I ain’t no junior by any means. - I’ll let it slide.

 

I will caution those that achieve the title of Avatar or Administrator. Are those few of you really worthy of the cheap trill of it all? Or, are you really a sincere in your approach.

There is no home page for you to peruse, there are no jpegs to amuse, there ain’t nothing but words here. I’m not selling anything nor standing upon the soap box. There is no gain for me personally. I am but a humble and lowly button pusher.

 

Hey, we are all faced with moronic questions and bona fide concerns everyday. This is our job or calling if you will. That’s the fun of it all.

 

I am tired of panti-waste responses about how good or bad somebody is - or worse, somebody who thinks he’s so much more that others. As a professional and an instructor I learned long ago, that if you give the professor the part and ask him to make it – he cannot. Sure he will talk about how he would approach it or how he would do the job, but; there it is – do it! Hey James, Hey Cadcam, I’m talking to you.

 

Please don’t be offended, that’s not the intent.

What burns my xxxx, is that you might be using the forum to propagate your expertise and I am lying in the shame of Junior member. Although I am slighted, I’m not the one to say that I’m regarded as an Admiral Emertis.

 

What is this crap?

 

Regards, Jack Mitchell

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...that if you give the professor the part and ask him to make it – he cannot.

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Bull Feces!!!!!!!

 

Well Jack, I don't know how to take it other than personally because the

quote:

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Hey James, Hey Cadcam, I’m talking to you.

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Kind of turns it personal so here goes....

 

You do not know me. You do not know what I do day in and day out year in year out. So hush it. I am a FULL time Mastercam Programmer that is a Machinist, meaning I can take a part from raw stock to first article and everywhere in between except for Outside Processing. 2, 3, 4, 5 Axis, whatever it takes to get the job done. My job is is what I do for fun and money. My passion is to teach what I know to the up and comers and whoever wants to learn; those that will take my position in later years (or sooner).

 

quote:

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Please don’t be offended, that’s not the intent.

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Then please learn how to express yourself more accurately.

 

Obviously you have not paroused BBs lately. They ALL have some form of member recognition, either by post count, member ratings etc... For those of you stupid enough to think I just sit in here to jack up my post count, you OBVIOUSLY don't know me well enough to pass judgement on me like that and should refrain from doing so publicly. It paints you in a bad light and it's not pretty. I don't care about titles. I come in here to pass on my knowledge, experience, and opinions. I like to get my Mastercam Tech Support fix. I miss doing it(Tech Support for the local reseller). plain and simple. 90% of the time I do not even get so much as a simple thank you. Yet I still post. Why? because I like to help people.

 

It would not bother me one bit if Webby stopped displaying Post Count and or titles. This is his BB that he's been kind enough to open up to the World to use and we should traet it as such. This BB is a PRIVILIGE not a right. Revokable for any or no reason.

 

quote:

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What is this crap?

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I don't know, what are you slinging?

 

OUT!

[Guy Arseneault]

Well said, James.

[Bullines]

quote:

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I will caution those that achieve the title of Avatar or Administrator. Are those few of you really worthy of the cheap trill of it all? Or, are you really a sincere in your approach.

---

There is no "Avatar" title. An avatar is an graphic associated with a given user. "Administrator" titles are not achieved. It is the title given to those who operate the forum (read: a few of us In-House Solutions employees).

 

While post count is not an accurate representation of skill or experience, it is a measure of participation within this forum. Therefore, please don't take these titles to heart outside the context of this forum. Members with high post counts have contributed a great deal to this forum. You can argue that some of their contributions may not be overly useful. But if you do frequent our little community here, you'll know that the forum does a good job of policing itself and usually punishes the trolls and spammers.

[Webby]

The Avatars are just a way to have some fun. Adding a custom Avatar as a perk at a higher post count limits the amount of manual labour for the poor Webby (while controlling what goes up), and encourages contribution here. The Levels of course relate in no way to your knowledge. Post count only. Why? It's automated (limits the amount of manual labour for the poor Webby), and it's completely non-judgmental. It's a pure measure of participation. With no posts, there would be no forum. So it follows that a board has to value participation. It's a completely common thing to do in a Bulletin Board community.

 

We actually do have the capability to do Member *ratings*, but will never go there.

 

We're thinking about this revised scheme:

 

0 - Entry

25 - Level 1

50 - Level 2

100 - Level 3

200 - [Custom Avatar privilege]

500 - Forum Elder

 

The term elder would imply that they've been around and know how things tend to run here. Many of the rules may be unwritten, but these people know them. Elder - an influential member of this forum community.

 

An alternative similar to the old scheme:

 

0 - New Member (dropping the Junior)

11 - Member

200 - [Custom Avatar privilege]

500 - Forum Elder (or Senior Member)

 

Just thought the MC product level tie-in would be fun...

 

Thoughts and comments?

 

[ 08-16-2002, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Webmaster ]

[Surface]

Although the quantity of posts is not representative of the quality of advice on any given subject, the avatar is a novel idea. Perhaps it may be an idea to allow members to show a company logo for a yearly fee to help support the forum and/or the people who make the forum work so well.

[David S]

0 - New Member

11 - Member

200 - Regular Member

500 - Senior Member

 

Sounds better.

 

Everybody is member, no worse no better.

[Zero]

David has the right idea, I think. Everybody's a member, no better, no worse.

[cadcam]

For Someone who claims not to care so much about the titles, you sure are ranting and raving.

 

Now;

quote:

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that if you give the professor the part and ask him to make it – he cannot. Sure he will talk about how he would approach it or how he would do the job, but; there it is – do it! Hey James, Hey Cadcam, I’m talking to you.

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Then you say no offense, I am very offended!! You are accusing me, and James, of teaching something that we ourselves can not do. You do not know me or what I am capable of. I work everyday just like the rest of you and I program everyday and make shapes everyday and YES I can do what I teach and more. So do not tell me not to be offended when you make a comment like that. James and I are here to help others and becuase we personally enjoy doing it, not so that we can be given some title or acknowldegement. If you knew us, you would know that.

 

[ 08-16-2002, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: cadcam ]

[Smit]

I love this forum!!!!!

One of the great things is that we can all share our views, but I don't like to see it get too personal. So I would like to express my great appreciation to all who post. I have no doubt that James and Jay are very competent programmers, and competent instructors also. You can't bluff for long in this forum.

 

 

[ 08-16-2002, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Smit ]

[McRae]

Jack,

 

Although you are taking a lot of heat here, I commend you for not hidding behind some goofy name and putting your identity to your comments. I have never met or spoke directly to Jay or James but they have my respect as they have provided some valuable advice and from the content of their posts show that they indeed know what they are talking about.

 

I have met the other type of "Instructors" that you mention and find that there is no value there as a technical resource but they do accomplish their end of Education in the dicipline of using a software package to generate GCode. If they could magically transform people into experts, then I would be easily displaced but as it turns out, they can't so I am safe...

 

I should like to continue a further discussion and personal meeting with you as we work in the same area. Are you at the plant on Elgin Street? If so, when do suggest we meet as I need a good tool shop to add to our AVL?

 

Regards

[David S]

quote:

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Just thought the MC product level tie-in would be fun...

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It is no fun. Please stop this kind act! Do you people try to destroy this fourm?

 

Everyone knows MasterCam Level up means: more features, more expensive and more advance. Do not divid members this way!

 

Don't you see members try to kill each other because your little fun?

 

I have no problem with you trying reorganize the forum. But, please do not play political joke. Some good members will get hurt.

 

Thank you!

[David S]

[ 08-16-2002, 11:06 AM: Message edited by: David S ]

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Dave,

 

quote:

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Some good members will get hurt.

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I think the only members that will get hurt are the members with thin skin. Those of us that are skilled in our trade stand on that. We don't come in here for recognition, just to help, and to be helped.

 

Even though I was offended by a forum member's comments, I look at this place as similar to a pub discussion. "Conversations" evolve, transform, migrate, get back on track, and fade. With a membership of over 3,000, tell you what, put 3,000 people in a room and see what happens. Pretty much the same thing, though I'm sure that people would be a tad more civil in person, only because there's always the threat of physical violence.

[Webby]

Set back to the way things were. Let's all calm down.

 

0 - New Member

11 - Member

200 - [Custom Avatar privilege]

500 - Senior Member

 

Once you've reached 200 posts, you are entitled to a custom avatar. You can email me with a max 96 x 48 pixel image, along with SIM number and company name to verify that you are a licensed user.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

Now we'll really know who's legit. If we see a bunch of posts hanging at 199 or a bunch of folks with higher numbers and no avatar, we'll know.....

 

He, he, he!

[chris m]

Jeez, I just read this thing from one end to the other (too many fires in the shop today); there must be a full moon or something out there!

 

I have to say; I was happy to get the "Junior" dropped!

 

TGIF (even though I am working tomorrow)

[biss03]

not neccesarily james. i'm a legit user and wouldn't even know how to generate a pixel image so if i ever reach 200 posts, you will probably not see an image. besides i'm not sure what an avatar is?

also here's my 2 cents on the main topic:

i come on here everyday to at least see what everyone is asking. occasionally i've had questions to ask and truthfully, i've looked at who responded with answers and what their count was at. to me someone with 2000 posts is more likely to be closer to the solution than someone with 10. this is only my observation and of course there is exceptions. but i look at it as a starting point. of course i want everyones input so please don't get mad and not respond to future questions of mine. thanks.

[cadcam]

biss03, when you hit the mark I will help you to make the image the right size for a avatar.

 

Hope this will help.

[MichaelJ]

I would like to thank James and Jay for there time and help to the forum. I don?t post too much here but find answer I need in the back post that is helpful or a call to the mc rep for a quick reply