Registration dates

[The Man]

<font color=38e897>I just thought of something. We already reset everyone's post counts to zero permanently, which got rid of one class-like system that sorta existed at EoFF. Would it be possible to set the registration date of everyone already on EoFF and everyone who joins in the future to some fixed date, such as August 12, 1983 (my birthday :D)? I'm sick of seeing people get judged on how long they've been here, because in my view, it really doesn't matter how long they've been here as long as they're making decent contributions. Registration dates, in my view, are just another way for people to prejudge other users. Most of them aren't accurate anyway.

Dunno. Just a thought. Respond as you will.

Peace
Stuffed Manny<font size=2>

[Alpha]

We've already taken enough away but I won't get into that.


I don't believe I've ever seen anyone judged by how long they've been here, (or post counts for that matter :cry: ) those numbers are only there for personal reference. And I don't think that would be fair to future members because they just might want to know when they came just like all of us.

[The Man]

<font color=38e897>I hear people dismiss other users as newbies all the time. "I've been around for longer than you," they say; "you don't have a clue how this site really works." Which is a big load of crap; you don't learn things by being a member for a long time, but by talking to people and asking questions, or merely by looking at the fora and observing how things work. You can register, post twice, not come around for a long time, and then come back and you'll have "been around" for longer than other users. Silly, I know, but things like that happen, only in slightly less exaggerated form.

Along similar lines, I know several users who disliked me merely because I had been at EoFF for four months and had more posts than most of the people who'd been around since the vB reset. That may be a very silly reason to dislike a user, but certain people have said as much in as many words. Now that post counts are gone they can't judge me for having a higher post count than others, but they can judge me for being a frantic newcomer. I personally think registration dates don't matter.

But woteva. It's not my call; it's just a thought.

Peace
Stuffed Manny<font size=2>

[Big Ogre Umaro]

Hi people can spot a newbie from a mile away. They'll will be dicks no matter what.

And The Man...no, nevermind.

[The Man]

<font color=38e897>There are occasional newbies who don't act a thing like newbies and still get newbie treatment from veterans. I don't think that's really appropriate, and perhaps removing the registration dates would prevent that from happening. Or perhaps not. It's just a thought.

Peace
Stuffed Manny<font size=2>

[Yamaneko]

Oh no, you're not taking my Custom Rank away from me, since everyone would have one, if the registration date would be fixed to nine months before or more. Newbs are supposed to be called N00bs(or whatever). It's there job not to be called that by posting intelligently and productively. Just like you Manny, nobody thinks you were a newb like a month after you came here because... well you know why. We've already taken away post counts, which is very very good, but please leave the rest alone since it doesn't do nearly as much harm as post counts.;)

[Dr Unne]

Yeah, the registration dates are necessary for custom ranks. It's kind of obvious when someone is new anyways, because they come here and post a thread saying "Hi I'm new", or else they post and you notice that you've never seen that person before (i.e., it's common sense). It doesn't matter. I know generally how long everyone here (that I care about) has been here, and I've never looked at the registration dates. I generally don't care at all how long someone has been here. Judging someone on something like that is judging them on nothing at all. I don't judge anyone until I know them. There are "oldbies" I don't know at all, and "newbies" I know very well.

Registration dates DO matter a little, because how long a person has been here is an indication of how well they know the place. If someone who's been here a long time and who knows the rules does something very dumb, well then, they're a jerk. If I new person does something dumb, well, they're just new. Also, how long you've been here shows dedication. If someone has been here a year and still posts, I respect that person for staying so long and contributing. If someone has only been here a month or two, I hold off my judgment until later.

Well, my point is, removing registration dates is pointless. We removed post counts because people were being dumb. No one is being dumb about the registration dates in the same manner they were about the post counts. At least, not overly dumb. I have nothing else to say about it.

[Sakura Yume]

<font color=#AFEEEE>I think that it would be pointless making some sort of hack to change everyone's join dates. The term newbie is used mostly on new people who haven't really got a grasp of things yet or type in n00b speak. Once they stop, they're just like everyone else, they are simply newer people. In any case, joining a forum and making a newbie thread sorta labels you a newbie. In any case, some people have never been newbies, or just newbies for a little while. I think I never was one in the forums. I was in chat though for the first fortnight or so. It's about the way people act that influences what other people think of them, I don't actually know anyone who'll mention join dates unless provoked.

[Zypher]

Well, my point is, removing registration dates is pointless. We removed post counts because people were being dumb. No one is being dumb about the registration dates in the same manner they were about the post counts. At least, not overly dumb. It doesn't really seem like anybody's making a big deal about it, so I'd say just leave it. Man: I don't think many people make a big deal about registration dates. And if they do, they're basing their judgement of you on virtually nothing; do you really desire or care about their respect or judgement?
Most of them aren't accurate anyway.Another reason why it's stupid to judge based on such a thing. There may be people who posted at the older boards and took a break from the boards after they moved, and have recently rejoined. There are many people who have regetration dates far back, but rarely posted or have stopped coming. And, like myself, there are several active members who haven't served all the time their regestration date would suggest they have actively posting. /rambling

[Citizen Bleys]

Registration dates are too useful to do away with. Although I will agree that some people have been lording it over new people, those are very few--especially compared to the postcount whores--And that sort of behavior can be feasibly handled on an individual basis.

[The Man]

<FONT COLOR=38E897>That'll do, I guess. I am sick of people saying that I haven't been there for "as long as" they have and then implying, or even explicitly stating, that I couldn't know as much about EoFF's workings as they do. In fact, I've probably been here for longer than many veterans if you count number of hours logged in rather than number of months being a member. And I've reviewed the archives and even old non-archived threads rather carefully and spoken with the staff about many important issues related to the fora, so yeah, I would imagine I know the ropes pretty well. As far as I'm concerned, join dates are just a big load of crap, at least for the things certain people are using them as "evidence" for. All they're important for, in my opinion, is a small amount of personal information and a determinant of when you get your custom rank. That's it.

But Unne's right about how, if someone sticks around for an entire year and remains a dedicated poster, that shows, well, dedication. I know for a fact that I'm not going to be able to continue posting at the same rate at which I have been posting once the new school year starts, but that doesn't mean I'm going to disappear.

Peace
Stuffed Manny<font size=2>

[Loony BoB]

Just because your registration date changes doesn't make a difference to how long you've been here. It's obvious to those who arrived before you, no matter how you disguise it. I have no clue when some people registered. But I know who was here before I was, and I know who joined around my time, and I know who joined this month, and inbetween. *shrugs* I never look at those things. So it's pointless to try to change that. Asorie joined before pretty much everyone. Try to get THAT out of her join date.

[Del Murder]

Next up: Let's change everybody's screen name to the same thing, like 'Registerd User'. Or just 'User'. Or just 'U'. Not my call.

[I Love Shoyku]

*sigh*. I've been here for 9 months, and I still feel like a newbie. :sweatdrop:

Later
Cheffie

[Shlup]

Oh shut up. Why don't we all wear rubber gloves and paper bags on our heads, type in one color font of the same size, remove signatures, and all use the same Rinoa avatar while we're at it. Hell, lets tell all the oldbies to change their names to something with no caps and a couple of numbers so no one'll recognize them as having been here longer the some other people.

*bites Del Murder while she's at it* I was going to make that thread.