Replies to post #10951 on The Question and Answer Board (IHUB)

[RunninAmuck]

Agreed about the Top Member thing. I've said before that it serves no good purpose. I don't need someone telling me that so-and-so is a Top Member ... as if I'm not capable of determining that on my own. Duh, what a moron I must be. ;o)

...AMUCK

[Bob Zumbrunnen]

Interesting.

A few database queries confirmed for me that what is being reported to Matt about attempts to manipulate placement in the Top Members list is really happening. A lot! I had the queries only give me counts, but I bet if I had it tell me the ID number of each sender of such a message, it would match up closely with a list I could write before checking.

Lovely.

That list is toast until I figure out a suitable replacement.

I think a list of people that new members can check to see where the action is can be a valuable tool. But this manipulation of it is utter BS and I ain't having it. I don't know yet whether I'm going with a simple (non-scored) list that Matt and I assemble, or perhaps another permutation of the existing (former) list with tools to remove anyone from the list who has been caught manipulating it.

I *want* such a list on the site, and most of the users of the site are grownup and sincere enough to be included in it, but I simply won't have it be used as a tool of manipulation for the immature or the crooked.

[NorthWesterner]

if the admins really just want to highlight for new users the posters they think new users would be interested in, then the admins should just decide who goes on the top posters list. And if it's a popuarity contest with them, fine, they own the place, they have an incentive to put the good posters there and leave off the bad ones.

So my vote is drop it entirely, and have the admins put up a "recommended list of posters" list for newbies to see who best represents what the owners want the site to reflect.

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Funny thing, but it seems that the harder I work, the luckier I get.