Why do people want to boost their post count?

[saskatchewanian]

Threads like “last one to post wins”, “100,000th Post wins” and “42nd one to post wins” keep coming up with no subject matter and as far as I can tell their only purpose is to boost post counts.

Why do people want to boost their post counts? Do you want recognition and think that people are more likely to listen to you because you have 700 posts written under your name but have a join date that was only few months ago? I have found that people with a lower post per day count have much better, more thought out posts compared to the turbo-posters.

Is it just me or is the huge majority of useless posts in useful threads posted by people with a high post count per day. Sometimes I wonder if these post happy members of our little community actually read the treads they post in.

edit: wah, I am over 1000, how did that happen?

[dudewithasock]

'Cause it's cool.

[hansc]

'Cause it's cool.

Seconded.
And people find it hard to use IRC, resulting in "subject less" threads. At least that's my theory.

[saskatchewanian]

IRC? I googled but I don't really get what it is, would all internet forums be considered IRC?

[Pdougherty]

Is it just me or is the huge majority of useless posts in useful threads posted by people with a high post count per day?


Yeah I definitely agree with you there and it's getting rather annoying. Like I said in Billy the Mountain's thread about JC being closed to members with less than 200 posts, it appears that it's the members who are more comfortable with more posts are the ones posting more pointless threads. Where as the majority of people without a huge amount posts don't seem to be pouring fuel on the fire for pointless threads. Just my 2 cents but that's kinda what I see happening.

[The UniSLAB]

Yeah well, I don't like really like those threads either but you can't do much about it. All of them are started by little kids who don't understand their being annoying. So you just have to live with it

[Jerrick]

I dont try to boost my post count. I just post a lot, in RSU, in JC, in other sections, getting into conversations and debates, so it all adds up. I never go online here and think "Im going to go spam around to get my post count up, cause the higher it, the better."

I think its funny that lots of people think that a lot of us are trying to get a high post count, and that we really think it means something.

Some of us just post a lot.

[dudewithasock]

IRC? I googled but I don't really get what it is, would all internet forums be considered IRC?

No. IRC is Internet Relay Chat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC). Forums are...well, forums.

[jamessd]

It's a number, c'est la vie.

[kington99]

To make them feel like they've achieved somehting with their lives.

[gkmac]

Yeah well, I don't like really like those threads either but you can't do much about it. All of them are started by little kids who don't understand their being annoying. So you just have to live with itAnother forum I frequent (with more sub-forums than this one) had similar problems in their "conversation" sub-forum, albeit not quite on the scale seen here.

Ironically, in that forum the "highest posts per day" users were also the ones who complained the loudest when their total posts suddenly dropped in number. That coincided with the admins' decision to make users posts in "conversation" not count towards their total.


Rather than blanket-blacklist posts in "Just Conversation" from counting towards total posts, I'd like to see it limited it on a thread-by-thread basis, so that "Most Replys", last one to post wins and other silly threads would not count.

Or perhaps even separate out those threads into a "Fun & Games" forum with non-post-counting threads put there and any similar threads started in "Just Conversation" moved into there.

At lease that's what would happen in a properly moderated forum.

[UniDudeDX]

To make them feel like they've achieved somehting with their lives.
haha....it makes me feel that way.....

[jamessd]

, so that "Most Replys", last one to post wins and other silly threads would not count.

It's hardly fair to call Most Replys a silly thread. People use it for conversation rather than IRC. But obvioulsy the line had to be drawn somewhere, and it is evident that all these last one to post wins (etc...) threads aree made by the people who don't have the maturity to introduce themselves in MR, where it's all at.

[Into the blue]

Rather than blanket-blacklist posts in "Just Conversation" from counting towards total posts, I'd like to see it limited it on a thread-by-thread basis, so that "Most Replys", last one to post wins and other silly threads would not count.

Most Replys?
Silly?
Tsk.
I shall be writing a strongly-worded letter to my local newspaper about this intolerant attitude.

In varying colours of crayon.

[James_Potter]

Rather than blanket-blacklist posts in "Just Conversation" from counting towards total posts, I'd like to see it limited it on a thread-by-thread basis, so that "Most Replys", last one to post wins and other silly threads would not count.
Gilby has already said before that if he had the ability to do this, he would.

[gkmac]

It's hardly fair to call Most Replys a silly thread. People use it for conversation rather than IRC. But obvioulsy the line had to be drawn somewhere.What people say on "Most Replys" isn't necessarily silly, but rather the fact it's used very like an IRC chatroom. To me that sounds rather clumsy. Having to refresh several times to see what people are saying, sometimes having to go back a page or two to see the gist of the conversations.

A chatroom is a great thing to have for many reasons, but why should a "chatroom" boost a post count simply because people type a single line and press Enter (effectively)?


Is it any coincidence that the top overall posters on unicyclist.com (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/memberlist.php?do=getall&order=desc&sort=posts) and the top posters on Most Replys (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/misc.php?do=whoposted&t=27264) seem to have the same people?

[James_Potter]

Is it any coincidence that the top overall posters on unicyclist.com (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/memberlist.php?do=getall&order=desc&sort=posts) and the top posters on Most Replys (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/misc.php?do=whoposted&t=27264) seem to have the same people?
So are you saying that having a high post count actually does mean something important to you?

[jamessd]

Is it any coincidence that the top overall posters on unicyclist.com (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/memberlist.php?do=getall&order=desc&sort=posts) and the top posters on Most Replys (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/misc.php?do=whoposted&t=27264) seem to have the same people?
Well no, it's not a coincidence obviously - but who said there was anything wrong with wanting to talk to your friends in the unicyclist community?

[forrestunifreak]

My postcount's name is mud.

[gkmac]

Gilby has already said before that if he had the ability to do this, he could.Fixed.So are you saying that having a high post count actually does mean something important to you?It does in most other (properly moderated) forums, yes.

People with higher postcounts tend to be viewed as more respectful by the average forum user, it's just the way it is. I can certainly name a view "wisdom" users who take their time to reply to common questions and have a postcount that's actually earned the right way.Well no, it's not a coincidence obviously - but who said there was anything wrong with wanting to talk to your friends in the unicyclist community?Nothing wrong with wanting to talk to your friends virtually instantly, but doing it via a forum thread is like trying to do a telephone conversation using only postal letters. And as I said before, why should a "chatroom" boost a post count simply because people type a single line and press Enter (effectively)?

[James_Potter]

Fixed.
What are you talking about?
He's said before that he can not do that, but if he could, then he would.

It does in most other (properly moderated) forums, yes.
Ha, well, I disagree but you just answered the original poster's question...if a high post count means that much to some people, then that's probably why people want a high post count.

[saskatchewanian]

I still don't really understand what IRC is and what it has to do with useless threads but that is besides the point.

There is a reason I did not include Most Replys in my original post. the key reason is that it is a thread that has evolved to have many uses (basically a chat-room) and also the first post statesspam? NAH!! chata!! Oh, coolso it was started as a place to chat instead of a place to boost post count.

The new threads, not so much.
(There are no rules, you can post alot, its just whoever gets the 100,000th post.
Alright heres the game the last person to post on this thread wins ready...
GO
winner gets this trophy
42nd one to post

they may put it in there sig

42nd one to post

That is not to say that there is not post boosting going on in MR or conversations started in the other post boosting threads once they are started but there is a difference.

This is not an attack on MR or an attack on community members with high post rates (unless they are mostly from posts for the purpose of boosting post count) but I can't see any reason to have a thread specifically for the purpose of boosting your post count.

[James_Potter]

I concur!
As for post count boosting in the Most Reply thread, we do actually have a specific rule against "turboposting", which is that a user cannot post more than twice in a row, unless they are all in reply to separate previous posts...so for example someone is not allowed to just post "hello" thirty times in a row.
I too have thought that all the "nth person to post" threads are dumb and a waste of space, but I haven't spoken up because it won't change anything...so I just ignore them.

[gkmac]

What are you talking about?
He's said before that he can not do that, but if he could, then he would.Sorry, a little misunderstanding there.Ha, well, I disagree but you just answered the original poster's question...if a high post count means that much to some people, then that's probably why people want a high post count.That's right, for the average forum anyway.

There will be users of many forums who will come to this forum, find out they (or more likely, see other people) can boost their post count immensley just by doing the equivalent of joining a chatroom and pressing Enter a few times, and then find out how much of a con a high post count is in this forum.

Interestingly, Gilby apparently has hidden postcounts before. Don't know much about it though.

[UniDudeDX]

im the last person before the 1000's haha 999th post..

[dudewithasock]

I still don't really understand what IRC is and what it has to do with useless threads but that is besides the point.

There is a reason I did not include Most Replys in my original post. the key reason is that it is a thread that has evolved to have many uses (basically a chat-room) and also the first post statesso it was started as a place to chat instead of a place to boost post count.

The new threads, not so much.




That is not to say that there is not post boosting going on in MR or conversations started in the other post boosting threads once they are started but there is a difference.

This is not an attack on MR or an attack on community members with high post rates (unless they are mostly from posts for the purpose of boosting post count) but I can't see any reason to have a thread specifically for the purpose of boosting your post count.

Well yeah, IRC has nothing to do with forums...not sure why it was mentioned.

As far as MR goes...like JP already mentioned, we have a specific rule against turboposting. Prominent MRIS members will jump on you immediately if you break that rule, and that's usually enough to scare the newbies away (if they don't wanna follow the rules, that is; otherwise, they're welcome to stay).

And GK: I don't totally see your point...if post count doesn't matter, why bother going through the trouble of coding something specifically to affect it?

As for the OP (my more serious answer this time), I think it has a lot to do with the e-peen contest. Anyone who's played an MMO knows all about this - the person with the most badass weapons and armor fancies themselves entitled to bragging rights (commonly referred to as e-peen contest), when really, all that means is you've got a different set of 1's and 0's than someone else. It's the same here - it's just a number.

I'll never truly understand people's obsessions with having high post counts, though I suspect it's all linked back to the whole trademark of human nature - greed. People always want more of something, even if it's as useless as the number of times you've typed a sentence and pressed enter on an online forum.

I'd be fine with post counts just being removed entirely. They're about as pointless as the rep point system was (though it was admittedly more fun to play with).

[James_Potter]

I'd be fine with post counts just being removed entirely. They're about as pointless as the rep point system was (though it was admittedly more fun to play with).
Hahaha, the rep system was sweet....

[habbywall]

Why does it matter why people want their post count higher?

[Hazmat]

Hahaha, the rep system was sweet....
Rep system??? :confused:

[dudewithasock]

Rep system??? :confused:

Few years ago there was something in where you could rate people's posts and give or take away their reputation points (or 'rep' points). It got pretty crazy.

[Hazmat]

Few years ago there was something in where you could rate people's posts and give or take away their reputation points (or 'rep' points). It got pretty crazy.
WHOA!!! that sounds kinda awesome. :p

[dtecum]

I agree with you. Seems like there are many people on this forum that live a contrived life that need instantaneous feedback on their 100,00 post wins.

So what. Is it cool? That's open to debate with facts and not knee jerk opinions/reactions. I feel we need another forum to handle that type of childish need.

[James_Potter]

Oh man, if there was a Childish Needs forum, I would totally post there.

[dudewithasock]

Oh man, if there was a Childish Needs forum, I would totally post there.

Well if they're young enough, children do need a lot of *this (http://www.beautyden.com/news/pics/big-breasts.jpg)*...

I could go for a childish needs forum too, if that's what you meant.

*NSFW*

[harper]

Oooh. There seems to be an unhealthy interest in postcount boosting. Lots of views and replies.

[beeper]

My outlook on it is that some people think it gives them more respect, and in some cases, it does.

I mean, if there was an awesome deal on a unicycle, and the person had 1 post, I wouldn't buy it, but if they had 400 posts, I would probably be more apt to trust them, as they knew how things worked.

[Naomi]

Some people post frequently, and their names will be seen and instantly recognised by regulars as a result. James Potter and Habbywall spring to mind. Others will be recognised by the quality of their posts, Gkmac, Mikefule stand out, amongst others. Or maybe being controversial gets you noticed? Can't think of an example though. Post count threads usually just waft by me, largely unseen. Usernames also will affect how you are seen. Dudewithasock, mad name though it is, tends to stick out on the page.

The post count thread syndrome is annoying, and a waste of everyone's time, but it will only go away if post counts are disabled or made unavailable for viewing. I would vote for removal of all reference to such counts.

My God, just looked at my post count for the first time...have I really spent that much time in here? Over 900 posts.

Nao

[James_Potter]

Or maybe being controversial gets you noticed? Can't think of an example though.
coughBillycough

[bennet]

i've done it once just to help issac "achieve" his goal.

[ivan]

I dont try to boost my post count. I just post a lot, in RSU, in JC, in other sections, getting into conversations and debates, so it all adds up. I never go online here and think "Im going to go spam around to get my post count up, cause the higher it, the better."

I think its funny that lots of people think that a lot of us are trying to get a high post count, and that we really think it means something.

Some of us just post a lot.
That's basically me. Also, if you didn't count my MR posts, I'd be around 5000. I don't post in MR to boost my post count, I post there to talk to people.

And I don't even click on those the "34th person to say pumpkin is a hobnob" threads.

[hansc]

I still don't really understand what IRC is and what it has to do with useless threads but that is besides the point.

It's a chat protocol, similar to for example MSN but not quite the same. With IRC, you connect to "channels", for example #unicyclist, and chat with other people there.

As jamessd and gkmac noted, the subjectless threads are used as chatrooms instead of IRC. And that's why I mentioned it - if people used IRC, they could have their conversations there instead of in the forums.

[GILD]

I'd vote for postcount gone and the rep system brought back.

[gkmac]

My God, just looked at my post count for the first time...have I really spent that much time in here? Over 900 posts.A slightly more relevant indicator is seen by clicking the avatar picture. Next to total posts is "x posts per day", which reveals just how much of a turbo-poster some people can be.The post count thread syndrome is annoying, and a waste of everyone's time, but it will only go away if post counts are disabled or made unavailable for viewing. I would vote for removal of all reference to such counts.I'd vote for postcount goneI make my vote for postcounts to be removed for this forum as well, as the turbo-posters and pointless-thread-makers have seriously skewed this statistic up.

Postcounts have been hidden before.

[Naomi]

A slightly more relevant indicator is seen by clicking the avatar picture. Next to total posts is "x posts per day", which reveals just how much of a turbo-poster some people can be.



Many thanks GK. 0.5 posts per day. One every two days. Phew. I feel much happier with that number.

I think anyone with a daily post count of more than 5 should be banned from posting until their average drops below that figure. This might enable them to "get a life". And enable them to post more wisely, less drivel. MR could be excepted from that maybe... I could post an incredible amount of junk before I was capped! ;-)


Nao

[Divebomber]

Any message board you go to people turbo post to gain instant respect. I've been to at least two different forums where people were made mods because they got 3,000 posts in like 3 days. So it does work. I'd say just ignore it.

[JJuggle]

i think its really stoopid that peeple boost there post count

[JJuggle]

i think its very stoopid that peeple boost there post count

[JJuggle]

i think its teribaly stoopid that peeple boost there post count

[JJuggle]

i think its truley stoopid that peeple boost there post count

[JJuggle]

i think its totaly stoopid that peeple boost there post count

[JJuggle]

i think its really dum that peeple boost there post count

[ivan]

wai u tink dat?

[ivan]

sirsly?

[ivan]

w?

[oneisenough]

i personally think that posting simply for post count is stupid, especially when its done in threads where meaningful conversations are taking place. people need to expand on there replys a little bit b/c replys like "oh those suck" get really annoying. if you think that, tell why, and what experience youve had with them. there are definatly people w/ much higher post count than myself that i do not "respect" at all, where there are others that have lower post count that i respect highly.

[UniDudeDX]

1002!!!

[forrestunifreak]

Isn't it odd that the people with the most post counts are the ones who care the least about it?

[monkeyman]

My post count/PPD are both so high because back when I joined, I just had a lot to say, and I said it all. Now, I've realized that few people actually care about most of the stuff I was posting, and so now I don't post much at all.

However, Naomi wants to stop people from posting who have a post count higher than 5. So, I'll see you guys in about 5 years. :(

[habbywall]

Any message board you go to people turbo post to gain instant respect. I've been to at least two different forums where people were made mods because they got 3,000 posts in like 3 days. So it does work. I'd say just ignore it.

Fortunately this forum has a lot of very intelligent people on it. That is one of the many reasons I like it.

Personally, when someone goes into MR and starts boosting their post count it really annoys me because I will have to go back a bunch of pages and read through their jibberish only to find part of the conversation.

[Jerrick]

Many thanks GK. 0.5 posts per day. One every two days. Phew. I feel much happier with that number.

I think anyone with a daily post count of more than 5 should be banned from posting until their average drops below that figure. This might enable them to "get a life". And enable them to post more wisely, less drivel. MR could be excepted from that maybe... I could post an incredible amount of junk before I was capped! ;-)


Nao

I hope you are not serious.

There are days I get home from work, or from a ride, and come home, grab some food, and get on this forums.

First thing I do is open MR, and ignore it. During that time, I go through every thread in RSU and JC, and the other sections. I find a lot of stuff I can comment on and add to, so I open those up in a new tab. Once im finished going through the forums, I go back to my tabs and type what I was going to about a certain uni part, a way to practice a trick and whatever, and within a few mins, ive already made 10 posts probably.

After im done with the important uni stuff, which gets visited everytime there is another post, I go into MR.

In MR, I briefly say how I am and what ive done today. I have two good friends in there, and both I have travelled so I can see them, and hang out. One of them, the best way to contact him is through MR. Lots of posts can go back and forth when trying to figure out directions, dates, time, locations.

Besides that, there are a lot of other people in there who instead of asking question in JC with a new thread, will ask it in MR. So more posts keep going, and then general discussion with the other members about their life, how they are doing, plans they have and all that fun.

Even without MR, there is no way I could only post 5 times a day or less. There are too many people asking questions.

Sicks days are fun, cause where I feel like vomiting by trying to walk, Ill just sit on here all day and chat away. I wouldnt be surprised if I could get 50 posts on a sick day.


Isn't it odd that the people with the most post counts are the ones who care the least about it?

I was going to mention that too. The top posters dont even care, and are just the ones on here that post a lot, for info and conversation. I dont know were a lot of the other members are getting the idea that so many of us are boosting are post counts. It kinda irks me when I read it, but the ignorance of it is funny enough for me to not care.

Ive only seen one thread in the years of being here that was for post counting. The others are just dumb and fun.

[isaac steiner]

I like having lots of posts....why not?

[Naomi]

I hope you are not serious.
.


No, not serious about the 5 portions of vegetables a day. ( That may mean something extra to the Brits ). But I would be pleased to see any recording of post totals removed from the forums. It would automatically also remove a lot of junk posting, and thereby lose us all some excess fat.



Nao

[uni57]

A few years ago, I became briefly concerned about my post count. I wanted to get my "posts per day" lower*. I felt I was babbling and I was starting to get tired of hearing myself "talk". Then for a while, I just posted in the spam bin ("answering" all the spam), then I lost interest and went away. Then I came back because I missed all my friends here.

I'm at 1.08 posts per day now, not that I care either way.



* - Yes, I'm usually the opposite of most people, not that I try. Right now, I'm trying to raise my cholesterol level.

[gkmac]

To answer the original question...Why do people want to boost their post count?...because they can.
What are you talking about?
He's said before that he can not do that, but if he could, then he would.Gilby has said before that he could assign certain threads to not count towards total postcounts, if he had the ability to do so. But I severely doubt that if that facility was presented to him tomorrow, he would still do it.

As for voting to restrict postcounts, does Gilby care about properly moderating the forum anymore? Look here (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showpost.php?p=964198&postcount=68) for the ultimate proof; I invite you to pay particular attention to Gilby's postcount.

[ivan]

Look here (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showpost.php?p=964198&postcount=68) for the ultimate proof; I invite you to pay particular attention to Gilby's postcount.
Wow!

Gilby's good at this!

[maestro8]

At lease that's what would happen in a properly moderated forum.
does Gilby care about properly moderating the forum anymore
Isn't "properly moderated" an oxymoron? Oh, that's right, you hate free speech.

[jamessd]

Isn't "properly moderated" an oxymoron?

Nope, it isn't.

:rolleyes:

[gkmac]

Isn't "properly moderated" an oxymoron? Oh, that's right, you hate free speech.I'm not going to explain why "proper moderation" doesn't restrict "free speech" all over again.

It's one of those things which is plain and simple, and yet some people will never understand, especially self-confessed twits who are the result of a science experiment gone wrong...

[Σddbmxdude]

People with more than one post are just retards!

[tobbogonist]

wow i am at 6.something posts a day and i have not been online for nearly two months.

[GILD]

I'm not going to explain why "proper moderation" doesn't restrict "free speech" all over again.

It's one of those things which is plain and simple, and yet some people will never understand, especially self-confessed twits who are the result of a science experiment gone wrong...
Whoa, I don't think there's any call here for getting personal.

Whatever your stance on moderation, proper or otherwise, nobody wants a flamewar.

Maybe explain it once, in a long detailed post and add a link to your sig.

If you want to make that post in MR, feel free.