Announcement New Trophy Point Levels

[WannaBeHillBilly]

The rankings kind of help me figure out who is who. The badges are especially helpful. If someone is "ranked" higher, I take it to mean that they take this site seriously and are contributing. If they have badges, it means their opinions are valued. It's one way I can use to determine who will likely be more helpful, trustworthy, etc.

At least, that's how I look at it...

Exactly! - If i get conflicting answers to a topic, a look at the amount of likes, the »rank« and the date they've joined helps to decide whose answer to be prefer due to more experience.

 

[Cyprus]

The rankings kind of help me figure out who is who. The badges are especially helpful. If someone is "ranked" higher, I take it to mean that they take this site seriously and are contributing. If they have badges, it means their opinions are valued. It's one way I can use to determine who will likely be more helpful, trustworthy, etc.

At least, that's how I look at it...

Yeah, except some badges are very hard to get and even people deserving of them may not qualify. Educator, for example.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yeah, except some badges are very hard to get and even people deserving of them may not qualify. Educator, for example.

True.

 

[Shadrach]

I've found it extremely helpful to read carefully the description of why the particular badges are awarded, it's very revealing about not only the award system, but also the type of advice you are likely to receive.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/byc-recognition-medals.1214207/
Once you've combined the information from the above and then taken the time to digest the sites mission statement and it's underlying ethos, you may find that actually reading the advice given in the post and ignoring the badge and merit system may serve you and your chicken better. It does mean one has to think about what one reads though.
Some of the best advice I've read on BYC has come from people with no badges and a minimal post count. Unfortunately the system in place tends to discourage some of these people from further participation and the site loses their expertise.
As the site grows, assuming it will, the established personalities will tighten their grip making it more and more difficult for new ideas and knowledgeable new members from getting their views heard. This it seems is the nature of such systems.
The end result is often a two or three tier system where the 'experts' have no further incentive to learn and become primarily interested in maintaining their power base through points and badges, the regular contributors fading from the general forum due to advice fatigue (answering the same questions over and over) and the newcomers tending to post for a quick bit of advice and leave.
It's a difficult problem to address and I've seen a number of sites that were extremely successful crash and burn mainly because of what I've outlined above.

 

[featherhead007]

Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! Vaminos!
A quote From "blazing Saddles"
Classic comedy

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Agree with both of you @Shadrach and @featherhead007 !
Personally i am not after points trophys and status, yet it somehow happened…
But there will always be people getting spoiled by "Likes", "Points", "Kudos". Had a colleague once who told me »Yay! Just got my 10,000th FakeBook friend!!!« My answer was »I pity you!« - Followed by a long discussion about real life friends vs. virtual friends.
The only criticism i have in BYC's »reward system« is that there are absolutely no incentives for people to sit down and write comprehensive articles. And articles are the contribution to our knowledge base. Nobody, experiencing an emergency would dare to read through a 500 pages threat, they would (s

 

[Aunt Angus]

Badges? We don't need no stinking badges! Vaminos!
A quote From "blazing Saddles"
Classic comedy

Love Blazing Saddles, but this quote is originally from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

 

[Shadrach]

Agree with both of you @Shadrach and @featherhead007 !
Personally i am not after points trophys and status, yet it somehow happened…
But there will always be people getting spoiled by "Likes", "Points", "Kudos". Had a colleague once who told me »Yay! Just got my 10,000th FakeBook friend!!!« My answer was »I pity you!« - Followed by a long discussion about real life friends vs. virtual friends.
The only criticism i have in BYC's »reward system« is that there are absolutely no incentives for people to sit down and write comprehensive articles. And articles are the contribution to our knowledge base. Nobody, experiencing an emergency would dare to read through a 500 pages threat, they would (s

There is no getting away from the fact that people like points and prizes. The system has been a huge success for BYC in many respects. A quick read of the above posts shows that points and badges are extremely important for some people.
I would be a liar if I wrote that I don't get some pleasure from likes and the badge I was awarded. But, there comes a point for some it seems when this is what matters most and that is when the problems start.
Most Internet site owners I've had contact with complain that people often don't read the information they are given properly., sometimes not even searching for an answer to a problem and more interested in having a public platform on which to air some crisis or point. I think most of us understand this but it does make putting hours of work into an article as you use as an example a bit dispiriting.

 

[BY Bob]

Love Blazing Saddles, but this quote is originally from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.

You beat me to it. One of my favourite films.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I see your point about the unintended consequences of points and trophies. However, I don't know that there is anything wrong with recognizing folx for their contributions. BYC is like any other community in that way. You ask community members for advice, you'll get a myriad different answers. It's up to you to decide what to do with that advice. My next door neighbor has been in this neighborhood for years. He knows everyone and can tell you the history of most of the neighborhood. He also fits the stereotype of the guy who shakes his fist and yells at people to stay off his lawn. Yet he is well respected for advice on lawn care and home improvement. How did he become the local expert? Through word-of-mouth, a symbolic badge or trophy bestowed upon him by his peers. I imagine this encourages him to be more helpful and less curmudgeonly because he knows he's appreciated. That's how I look at it. The trophies and badges are a nice gesture that shows a person's contributions are appreciated, either by peers or for longevity. Maybe I'm too optimistic (gullible?), but I don't see any power struggle happening. I consider advice from everyone - just like the brand new neighbors across the way who recommended a good mechanic last week. I haven't seen evidence of anyone being hung up on badges and trophies.

Except maybe some greeters...