How about a MERIT system on POTN

I think it might be good to have some kind of a way to credit POTN participants for good things they do on the forum. In this context 'good things' would include giving helpful responses to posted questions, and accumulating Likes. The number of threads started might also be included. The credits would be best calculated as a fraction of the total posts, so that quality rather than quantity gets emphasized. Still, total posts are a useful measure and could also be included in the formula. Getting banned would lose points.

Some forums, photo hosting sites, and other organizations like eBay have merit systems in place and those seem to be very successful.

One could think of many ways to compute merit scores. The rules could be fixed and published, but could also be kept secret, and even changed every day, or points awarded ad-hoc at times, in case members try to game the system.

Besides a Like button, a Helpful button could be added to posts.

A merit system at POTN could be useful because it should encourage helpful replies and might reduce less useful banter. Members who garner points or have stars or badges to display might get more well-deserved respect, and attract fewer silly challenges from greener members.

OK, that was just an idea that I thought I would raise that might be worth discussing.

Personally I would find that to be a detraction. PotN is already a pretty decent forum as is. Given its size (386K members, 17.8M posts, 2B thread views), it's a solid community. It doesn't take a long time to figure out who is helpful and who isn't. If you post something and someone responds, it's pretty easy to tell if the person is giving a decent response, even if different from your expectations, or is responding as a troll, which is actually quite rare here.

Banter is okay. Many of us don't care for small talk, but small talk is part of the nature of society. I'm fine with it, even if I tend to ignore it.

As regards gaming the system, if it is possible, people will game it. I'd rather have someone post something honest than post something that will increase the poster's reputation.

Merit system? I think merit already comes through.

mathogre wrote in post #17988704
Personally I would find that to be a detraction. PotN is already a pretty decent forum as is. Given its size (386K members, 17.8M posts, 2B thread views), it's a solid community. It doesn't take a long time to figure out who is helpful and who isn't. If you post something and someone responds, it's pretty easy to tell if the person is giving a decent response, even if different from your expectations, or is responding as a troll, which is actually quite rare here.

Banter is okay. Many of us don't care for small talk, but small talk is part of the nature of society. I'm fine with it, even if I tend to ignore it.

As regards gaming the system, if it is possible, people will game it. I'd rather have someone post something honest than post something that will increase the poster's reputation.

Merit system? I think merit already comes through.

Agree with this. I also think that it would demean the value of contribution. Someone with 50,000 merits replies and everyone else decides to not challenge the 'great one'. Don't see that as encouraging participation in the community. I would rather give a totally incorrect evaluation and feel stupid after I get schooled by someone that knows their stuff, than not even bother replying because they have mega 'merit points'. I would cease to learn, at that point.

Your thoughts are sound - but personally I dislike the way we (society) have a way to turn everything into a competition.

For example, at an airline I worked for they single out people in each department for special award for their work.

That leaves everyone else thinking "what wrong with my work?"

Whats the criteria for "special merit?"

What might indicate special merit to you might indicate too aggressive to me.

Anyway, thanks for putting the idea forward. Looking forward to seeing the discussion.

WaltA wrote in post #17988745
Your thoughts are sound - but personally I dislike the way we (society) have a way to turn everything into a competition.

For example, at an airline I worked for they single out people in each department for special award for their work.

That leaves everyone else thinking "what wrong with my work?"

Whats the criteria for "special merit?"

What might indicate special merit to you might indicate too aggressive to me.

Anyway, thanks for putting the idea forward. Looking forward to seeing the discussion.

The recognition that I get, at work, is: Hey! You need to do this guy's job, too!

Recognition ain't all it's cracked up to be.

I agree with Graham (mathogre).