forum ranks
I have just reviewed the "Rankings discussion thread" from the consultation process - its 8 pages long.
There was a big dynamic between keeping the 'rankings' the same as what was in the old forums and changing to something 'new', 'exciting' and 'fun' which would encourage people to make more posts! As a result there are a fair few roles to work one's way through now, which personally I feel convey nothing of too much worth.
Winning is not what's important - its taking part in the process which counts. 
Plusnet have said that time logged in also affects ranks.One can only guess but perhaps this has more influence through early history leading to apparent inconsistencies between rank and the numbers we see.
What is clear is that ranks change quite quickly in early days and maybe the words used shouldn't be taken too seriously. 
@spraxyt wrote:
What is clear is that ranks change quite quickly in early days and maybe the words used shouldn't be taken too seriously.
Easy enough for you to say... but I agree with Penny... "hooked" is not a very nice term, when associated with a new member or customer... it kinda smacks of "Ya.... Gotcha.... MUG..... Welcome to the world of suckers. ."
Somebody could take offense at a Rank 'Old Codger' but you seemed happy with that
Come on, think of a better name then that fits. Here's the current list (approximately I think).
- Just Looking 0 posts (unconfirmed email?)
- Browser 0 posts
- Hooked 1-5 posts
- Newbie 6 posts to ?
@shutter wrote:
Easy enough for you to say... but I agree with Penny... "hooked" is not a very nice term,
So you post how indignant you are about having that label .... and discover you don't have it any more.
Edited to clarify which post my reply refers to.
Sorry, to be clear he never had it, he's what he's got, but didn't sound to happy with it in his original thread about that rank 
and Old Codger was one of the suggestions he could replace it with 
There were others but we won't mention them
Well, I've now got the Label of 'Grafter' and that's not been true for many a year. 
Still as long as I never get called late for Dinner - I'm not that fussed. 
Maurice, you should be a Community Veteran 
unless you prefer something else
So why do you need three "ranks" for posting less than 7 times? seems a bit "extravagant... I would have thought that "newbie" would have covered them all...
As for being an "Old Codger"... perhaps I should change my "user name" to that... .... 
How's that Fixed eh!
@Anotherone wrote:
Hi Penny, I've seen one poster that had hooked upto five posts, when it changed to Newbie. I can see what you mean about it possibly being offensive. New sign-ups seemed to have been given "Just Looking" but that might be before email confirmation, as I've also seen "Browser" with 0 posts. I think it changes to hooked after the first post.
I did suggest during testing that Newbie should remain for at least the first 10 posts, but I'm sure Plusnet aren't going to tell us. Have you a better suggestion than Pilgrim, not too keen on that?
yes I'd seen "Just looking ..." after making the edit to the first post, didn't want to edit the post yet again and muddy the waters even further not seen "Browser", though.
liked "Just looking ..." , seems so much more friendly. "Newbie" is passable, bit like an L-plate.
As regards a possible replacement for "hooked" - no idea. "Pilgrim" clearly won't do : / just did a search for "forum ranks" on google and found some interesting stuff, however.
... I already like "Community Gaffer" for the top PN admin guys.
... and maybe "Community Guru" in place of "Community Veteran", if people don't like that.
Interim ranks are a whole lot more difficult, though - I'm guessing you guys had fun trying to sort all this lot out, initially : D
Trailblazer, Guide, Adept, Wayfinder, Mentor, Associate, Star ... the nearer-the-top ranks are probably easier, but us lower-down-people (I mean me, not you!) are difficult to label without perhaps causing annoyance - I wasn't quite saying "hooked" was "offensive" rather that it's not a label anyone would enjoy carrying, or aspire to : )
Most of the existing ranks seem fine - there would be alternatives like "Level 1" (series) or colours (series) - but less interesting, probably.
... about the only thing I can think of, as a replacement for "hooked" would be "First Level" ... (or maybe "Mezzanine Level", between "Newbie" and whatever currently follows "hooked"). I'd be surprised if someone on here couldn't find something better than either of those ; )
footnote - hadn't expected there would be so many replies since I first started writing this post! - I think Shutter summed up best what I was trying to convey, with
"hooked" is not a very nice term, when associated with a new member or customer... it kinda smacks of "Ya.... Gotcha.... MUG..... Welcome to the world of suckers. ."