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Designated "Expert" Forum Users?

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thinkfat:
Put a "Thanked" counter next to the "Posts" counter.
If you absolutely must do something.

nctnico:

--- Quote from: thinkfat on February 16, 2022, 12:05:26 pm ---Put a "Thanked" counter next to the "Posts" counter.
If you absolutely must do something.

--- End quote ---
I don't think that is a good idea; it has no statistical relevance. Either as an absolute or relative number. The more people post, the more they get thanked. On top of that there is the echo-chamber effect. Some thank when people agree even though what is written is questionable.

Just see a thanks as nodding your head you agree. IIRC thanking was originally added to get rid of 'I agree posts' that added nothing to the discussion.

m k:
The basic problem is always those who are expressing themselves for what ever other reason than massages in hand.
Unfortunately they also have many times the possibility and stamina to be a volume.
Eventually they will also flood the place, SNR is very important but so is the mood of it.

You're also always limited with only few options.

Howabout a dotted line where one dot is one area and its level is being dynamic.
A dot, small and big letter, underline, overstrike and bold, quite many levels.
What letters, Analog, Digital, Metrology, Power, Other, AP, DM.
Maybe large enough group of elders enabling/disabling those.
So all it needs is a user statistics for elders view.

BTW,
I'm usually browsing offline and didn't mind losing one yellow square.

Fraser:
I thought I would add my own personal view of contributors to forum posts.

There are specialists (I prefer that term to “Experts”) in a particular topic who may have very insightful comment on their specialist topic and this is to be welcomed on any forum that is fortunate enough to have such membership. That said, some specialists know their topic but are not always great at instructing or helping others in a way that may be easily understood by ‘mere mortals’. I have also met some very clever scientists who are specialists in their chosen field, BUT they lack real world experience and sometimes, even common sense ! This forum has an excellent compliment of members with specialist knowledge who are willing to help others by sharing their knowledge. We are indeed fortunate :)

There are forum members, such as myself, who do not consider themselves “Experts” in any particular field, even if we possess specialist knowledge of very narrow topics. I was repairing electronics at age 7 and went on to be trained as a Merchant Marine Radio Officer before joining an employer who needed my particular set of skills for land based activities. That employer provided me with a broad range of specialist skills that have enabled me to help others over a broad spectrum of topics….I do not consider myself an Expert in those topics however and do not like the term anyway ! I am a technical officer with a broad range of formally trained knowledge who  is a specialist in a few, well defined, topics. So how would I be categorised under the “Expert” system ?

There are forum members who are still learning and absorbing knowledge as they study in educational establishments or in work place apprenticeships. They may have questions on all manner of topics but they may equally have good, modern, knowledge of certain fields within this forums coverage. They may not be an “Expert” but they have much to contribute and should not feel that they should not because an “Expert” will answer a question. Answering questions can carry risk…. a person may be wary of providing input to a topic if they are concerned about being challenged by an “Expert”. On other forums there are some pretty obnoxious “Experts” who sometimes believe that they are Gods in their realm and cannot tolerate any alternative viewpoints. Thankfully I see no such behaviour on this forum, at least in the areas of it that I frequent. Basically, just because a person is not an expert, it does not mean that the Experts view is the only one that matters. For a newbie, it is sometimes important that a fellow newbie shares their personal experience or knowledge as that may be at a level that can be easily understood. ‘Team working’ amongst techs to solve a problem, even via a forum, can generate good questions and equally good answers along the way. If an “Expert” just gives the answer on ‘day 1’, a learning opportunity may be lost. As has been said before….it is not always the result that matters, it can be how you got there that matters most.

Public forums contain a vast array of knowledge repositories in the form of its memberships brains. It is good to receive a broad spectrum of responses to a question, even if incorrect !, as discussion follows and many people learn from the original question. A good discussion will result in the best possible full answer to the question that has effectively been peer reviewed by the forum membership. Even “Experts” can be wrong sometimes ! Giving them an “Expert” badge can provide undeserved ‘never wrong’ status to some knowledgeable forum members.

Then we get to the forum members who may be somewhat less helpful to those asking questions. At the least harmful level there are those who are self declared “experts” who just possess decent Google-Fu but do not possess the essential knowledge to spot when Google searches result in incorrect, or darn right misleading, information. They then present that erroneous data to a person on the forum. That recipient might take that information as from an “Expert”, so uses it without question. Not a great idea and people need to do their own checks and balances on answers provided via forums, Google searches and Wiki pages. As we know…. Just because it’s on the internet does not mean that it is true or accurate. There are also those who frequent forums who have a little knowledge and are dangerous ! They may claim “Expert” knowledge of a topic yet be misguided or malicious ….. Flat Earthers ?  ;D Thankfully such persons are normally spotted pretty quickly and may be ignored or banned, if malicious.

In life there are many people with greatly varying levels of knowledge and expertise who come into our Orbits. They have much to offer and often enjoy the interaction on forums such as this great platform. It would be a pity to do anything that potentially made these forum members contributions appear less valuable than the opinion of an “Expert”.

As I have alluded to earlier…. I have worked with some really clever “experts” in their particular specialist field who I would not trust to tie their own shoe laces, let alone give me any advice on a topic that did not sit dead centre of their specialist field of knowledge  ;D

This forum is filled with members who possess “Specialist” knowledge, even if they do not have a particular Degree or Certificate to say so.

I do not feel the need for an “Expert” badge system on this forum. To me it has the looks of creating an ‘Elite’ membership and is a real can of worms. Where you have an “Expert” status, there will always be the challenge of determining who gets that status and whether the Status may be challenged or revoked. A bit like being a GP or Lawyer ….. you are answerable for your mistakes and can be ‘removed’ for negligence  ;D

Me? … I know a little about a lot, and and a lot about a little  :-+

Fraser


Gyro:

--- Quote from: thinkfat on February 16, 2022, 12:05:26 pm ---Put a "Thanked" counter next to the "Posts" counter.
If you absolutely must do something.

--- End quote ---

Agreed on the "If you absolutely must do something".

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