# Definition of "active member"



## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

I just saw a post that bore all the hallmarks of a new CC user, but apparently he's an active member. 

@User pointed out it was only his second ever posting.







Perhaps we should modify the criterium for active to be a little more than 2 visits in 4 years?


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## psmiffy (31 May 2017)

So what - there are probably loads of people that visit that don't post often - and whats in a name anyway? - pretentious moi


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

psmiffy said:


> So what - there are probably loads of people that visit that don't post often - and whats in a name anyway? - pretentious moi


I find it really useful to know if someone has just joined. I tend to give them a bit more leeway.

If it has no meaning, can we have a feature so I can turn it off so I am not mislead by it?


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## numbnuts (31 May 2017)

With the amount of backstabbing and vindictiveness on this forum I can see why some member don't post.


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## psmiffy (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I tend to give them a bit more leeway.



So "active members" are fair game for a bit of a lashing? I try to always give people leaway - its called respect 



jefmcg said:


> so I am not mislead by it?


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

psmiffy said:


> So "active members" are fair game for a bit of a lashing? I try to always give people leaway - its called respect


Seriously? If someone says something really stupid as their first posting, I don't want to frighten them away. If someone has been here for months and says something really stupid, I will call them on it. Either way, I will do it with respect.

Do you really do anything different?


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## Jody (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I find it really useful to know if someone has just joined. I tend to give them a bit more leeway.



They can look up to you as you are a guru


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## psmiffy (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I will call them on it





Anyway - are you not a bit of a relative newcomer to be throwing your weight around



jefmcg said:


> Do you really do anything different?



yup - if I cant post something either, neutral, positive or constructive then I don't post - I'm only human so I have lapses (like now) but it seems to me that some make a career out "calling out" people


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

psmiffy said:


> Anyway - are you not a bit of a relative newcomer to be throwing your weight around
> 
> 
> 
> yup - if I cant post something either, neutral, positive or constructive then I don't post - I'm only human so I have lapses (like now) but it seems to me that some make a career out "calling out" people


I think I am mostly constructive ... though I just called someone an idiot, so not always  ... but if I joined a forum, and my first post attracted a dozen "constructive" posts explaining all the ways I were wrong, I might just chose to slink off and and find another place to share my views. I had that happen to me after I'd been here a few months, and I stuck around.

(Edited to change from 2nd to 1st person)


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## psmiffy (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> I think I am mostly constructive



A matter of opinion


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

psmiffy said:


> A matter of opinion


Hence the use of the word "think"

And are you seriously claiming your response above is constructive?


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## Mugshot (31 May 2017)

I liked it when your post count was on your avatar, you could immediately see who the forum elders and therefore your betters were.


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## Venod (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Perhaps we should modify the criterium for active to be a little more than 2 visits in 4 years?



It says the member has made 2 posts in 4 years, she/he could have been highly active reading the forum everyday.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

Afnug said:


> It says the member has made 2 posts in 4 years, she/he could have been highly active reading the forum everyday.


Hence my question.


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## Crackle (31 May 2017)

It's pretty simple isn't it. You click on their profile and see when they joined and how many posts they've made.


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## smutchin (31 May 2017)

I use the smokescreen of a custom status to deflect attention from the general idiocy of my posts. Judging by the vast number of likes I get for my posts, it works.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

Crackle said:


> It's pretty simple isn't it. You click on their profile and see when they joined and how many posts they've made.


Obviously. But until today I thought that if it didn't say "new member" they'd posted a few times.


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## Crackle (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Obviously. But until today I thought that if it didn't say "new member" they'd posted a few times.


I never take any notice of that. If I'm not sure of a poster and how I should reply, I read their posting history to get a flavour. This happens with old and new members because you don't always interact with everyone so sometimes when you do, you need or I need, to remind myself of their style, that way I can reply appropriately; though not always, we're none of us perfect.


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## smutchin (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Obviously. But until today I thought that if it didn't say "new member" they'd posted a few times.



You mentioned that the post in question "bore all the hallmarks of a new CC user". I'd suggest you should have trusted your instinct and checked their history, rather than allowing yourself to be misled by the status.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

smutchin said:


> You mentioned that the post in question "bore all the hallmarks of a new CC user". I'd suggest you should have trusted your instinct and checked their history, rather than allowing yourself to be misled by the status.


Well, I thought status and number of posts were equivalent. Now I literally don't know what status means. 

Hence my question.


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## smutchin (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Now I literally don't know what status means.



I've never thought of it as meaning anything. Your status as 'Guru' certainly doesn't convey any useful information to me that I can't glean from just reading your posts.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

smutchin said:


> I've never thought of it as meaning anything. Your status as 'Guru' certainly doesn't convey any useful information to me that I can't glean from just reading your posts.


To me there were three categories.


New member - means, usually, has only made a few posts (there are new members here that joined in 2007)
Active member - has made more than a few posts
Everything else - they've been around long enough to get to pick their own epithet - or accept the default, *guru*.


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## steveindenmark (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Seriously? If someone says something really stupid as their first posting, I don't want to frighten them away. If someone has been here for months and says something really stupid, I will call them on it. Either way, I will do it with respect.
> 
> Do you really do anything different?



Do you really feel as though you have the power to frighten someone away over the internet? I think you need to have power meter check I think.


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## classic33 (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> To me there were three categories.
> 
> 
> New member - means, usually, has only made a few posts (there are new members here that joined in 2007)
> ...


Guru isn't the default. It's just one in a series of five, unless you change it yourself.


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## Jody (31 May 2017)

steveindenmark said:


> Do you really feel as though you have the power to frighten someone away over the internet? I think you need to have power meter check I think.



Some people get savaged on this forum for saying the wrong thing. I could easily see some new members not coming back.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

steveindenmark said:


> Do you really feel as though you have the power to frighten someone away over the internet? I think you need to have power meter check I think.


Not on my own, but if I joined bike forum like this and said "only an idiot would cycle without a helmet", that would probably be my last post. Being attacked by a dozen smug members would make me find somewhere else to go.

Not everyone is like me, but I think it's nice to make new members feel welcome until they get the hang of things.


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## BrynCP (31 May 2017)

A "New Member" could be a first time cyclist, or a bike mechanic of 30 years who never posted here before. So it's irrelevant as to their knowledge and experience and so you should assume nothing.
I read a lot, but I don't post a lot - maybe others do too. In fact, one of the last times I posted you objected me to posting a fact from my experience, making me wonder why I bother to begin with.
A long term member deserves the same respect and no hostility as anybody else. They may still be a novice and lack confidence no matter how long they've been posting.


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## steveindenmark (31 May 2017)

Jody said:


> Some people get savaged on this forum for saying the wrong thing. I could easily see some new members not coming back.


You need to be a bit thick skinned to be on here


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

Wow. My communications skills are averaging around zero today. Even the simplest thing I say seems to be misunderstood. Time to go do something else.


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## marshmella (31 May 2017)

Cyclechat
A fun and friendly cycling community.


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## Shaun (31 May 2017)

They are frivolous titles, based on equally frivolous totals of trophy points, for a bit of fun and silliness :

0 - New Member
50 - Member
100 - Regular
250 - Active Member
500 - Well-Known Member
750 - Senior Member
1000 - Über Member
1500 - Veteran
2000 - Guru
2600 - Legendary Member
3800 - Forum GOD!

When I moved CycleChat to the new Xenforo forum software I wanted to change the previous decade's focus on post count as the primary marker of an informed and knowledgeable member, so I removed post counts from view and did away with post counts as a user title escalator - because people can visit often, post occasionally or rarely, but post gems of info and experience that are really helpful to lots of people.

It's simple enough to click on a username to see the info, and now that you know the titles are a bit of meaningless fun you can treat them as such.

Of course if you feel mislead or cheated by them, other, more serious cycling forums are available (that's a joke BTW - you know, just in case you'd thought I was being serious ... ).

In truth I never put much thought into it, just threw them up and they've been there ever since; besides, members who've been here a while can add a custom title now so it's easy enough to swap them for something more fun, witty, obscure or inventive. 

Cheers,
Shaun


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## Pale Rider (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> . Being attacked by a dozen smug members



Which happens time and time again.

All because the poster has the temerity to articulate a different view.

What makes it worse is that those who gang up are very keen to preach tolerance when it suits, but in reality they are intolerant cyber bullies.

None of which does anything to persuade those who post infrequently to post more, or to encourage new members to join and participate.

Both of which the forum needs to survive, let alone flourish.


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## Ian H (31 May 2017)

Is 'active' the same as 'upstanding', in terms of members?


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## Jody (31 May 2017)

Just given myself a promotion


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## Crackle (31 May 2017)

Jody said:


> Just given myself a promotion


You've spelt that backwards.


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## Jody (31 May 2017)

Crackle said:


> You've spelt that backwards.



Feels like it sometimes


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## Jody (31 May 2017)

OK @Crackle I have just demoted myself


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## Crackle (31 May 2017)

Jody said:


> OK @Crackle I have just demoted myself


Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel woof. You should re-promote yourself , after all, no one else will, might as well claim it before Shaun does!


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## hopless500 (31 May 2017)

Jody said:


> Some people get savaged on this forum for saying the wrong thing. I could easily see some new members not coming back.


Yep. I've seen one or two do exactly that.


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## Pale Rider (31 May 2017)

User said:


> As someone who has had the temerity to disagree with you in the past, I resent your passive aggressive bullying here. If a number of people disagree with you, it is because a number of people disagree with you, and wish to say so. You might choose to see that as a gang of people, when it is no such thing, because that gives you something you can see as a reason why you are not able to persuade those who disagree with you by the force of your argument.



I refer to other members, not me.

Being savaged by the dead sheep on here doesn't bother me, but some people who get that treatment don't like it.

You are fooling yourself if you cannot see the ganging up which happens on a regular basis, and others have remarked on it.

My view is it reflects very poorly on those who do the ganging up.

But you might disagree with that as well.


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## Inertia (31 May 2017)

The mere act of several people disagreeing with one member is not ganging up.


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## Cycleops (31 May 2017)

User said:


> As someone who has had the temerity to disagree with you in the past, I resent your passive aggressive bullying here. If a number of people disagree with you, it is because a number of people disagree with you, and wish to say so. You might choose to see that as a gang of people, when it is no such thing, because that gives you something you can see as a reason why you are not able to persuade those who disagree with you by the force of your argument.


Dear old Adrian. If we didn't have him we'd have to invent someone.


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## davidphilips (31 May 2017)

Lol when i first seen this thread i though doctors/blue pills but its seems its only when one posts. 

(I will get on my bike)


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## classic33 (31 May 2017)

davidphilips said:


> Lol when i first seen this thread i though doctors/blue pills but its seems its only when one posts.
> 
> (I will get on my bike)


You do that!

From a Leg End Member.


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## Cycleops (31 May 2017)

Must say I do like the Xenforo software @Shaun .


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## Tim Hall (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Wow. My communications skills are averaging around zero today. Even the simplest thing I say seems to be misunderstood. Time to go do something else.


FWIW, I get exactly where you're coming from.


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## Pat "5mph" (31 May 2017)

Cycleops said:


> Must say I do like the Xenforo software @Shaun .


Me too, I think that's why I like reading CC, the interface suits me.
Time and time again, on a search for something bike related, Bike Radar had answers when CC had none, but I would not join BR simply because I find the lay out not so easy on the eyes.


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## SpokeyDokey (31 May 2017)

Jeez - it's a simple cycling forum (quite a nice forum too) but life's too short to fret about member classification.

The statuses/trophies etc are just a bit of light hearted amusement surely? Or do some members get their rocks off when they get a new 'award'?


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## classic33 (31 May 2017)

SpokeyDokey said:


> Jeez - it's a simple cycling forum (quite a nice forum too) but life's too short to fret about member classification.
> *
> The statuses/trophies etc are just a bit of light hearted amusement surely? *Or do some members get their rocks off when they get a new 'award'?


If you look at it from someone who's just joined, could they be an incentive to stay and post.

More available for newer posters, those here longer possibly don't bother with them.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

Thanks Shaun.


Shaun said:


> 250 - Active Member



Right. So what I saw is actually a bug.
_Edit: not a bug_

Cool. 


(and the way people have impugned my motives in this thread or told me things it was obvious from the screen grab in the OP that I already knew, makes me feel even more justified in asking the question. I hope the same people wouldn't pile on a newbie who asked about trophy points or member status. )


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## winjim (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Thanks Shaun.
> 
> 
> Right. So what I saw is actually a bug.
> ...


It's not really a bug though is it? It's just that you get a few trophy points now and again for being a member for a certain length of time. Enough over five years to rack it up to "active member" without even having to post a single thing.


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

winjim said:


> It's not really a bug though is it? It's just that you get a few trophy points now and again for being a member for a certain length of time. Enough over five years to rack it up to "active member" without even having to post a single thing.


You're right. I misread the what Shaun wrote. I thought the numbers were numbers of posts, not "trophy points" which are completely opaque to me. I have literally no idea what 250 trophy points means.


** he won't actually be notified


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## jefmcg (31 May 2017)

@Shaun** can you explain trophy points now?

(wanted to edit the above post, but @Shaun wouldn't get notified if I did that).


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## winjim (31 May 2017)

jefmcg said:


> @Shaun** can you explain trophy points now?
> 
> (wanted to edit the above post, but @Shaun wouldn't get notified if I did that).


You can see what trophies and points people have via their profile pages. I guess the boss will have a comprehensive list somewhere.


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## classic33 (1 Jun 2017)

jefmcg said:


> @Shaun** can you explain trophy points now?
> 
> (wanted to edit the above post, but @Shaun wouldn't get notified if I did that).





or via Help in the bottom righthand corner


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## Welsh wheels (1 Jun 2017)

Didn't realise you could change your title, have to go and do it now!


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## jefmcg (1 Jun 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Not on my own, but if I joined bike forum like this and said "only an idiot would cycle without a helmet", that would probably be my last post. Being attacked by a dozen smug members would make me find somewhere else to go.
> 
> Not everyone is like me, but I think it's nice to make new members feel welcome until they get the hang of things.


Oh, here's an example

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/n...z-lack-of-lights-your-opinions-please.219176/

(not a newbie, but still, piling on ensues)

Edit: Not a newbie, but apparently driven away from this site in 15 posts.


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## classic33 (1 Jun 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Oh, here's an example
> 
> https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/n...z-lack-of-lights-your-opinions-please.219176/
> 
> ...


Which poster?


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## jefmcg (1 Jun 2017)

classic33 said:


> Which poster?


Which poster what?


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## winjim (1 Jun 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Oh, here's an example
> 
> https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/n...z-lack-of-lights-your-opinions-please.219176/
> 
> (not a newbie, but still, piling on ensues)


My responses to that thread have been careful and considered, given the context and tone of the OP.


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## classic33 (1 Jun 2017)

jefmcg said:


> Which poster what?


From the thread you linked to driven away.

OP was on today.


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## jefmcg (1 Jun 2017)

classic33 said:


> From the thread you linked to driven away.
> 
> OP was on today.


He was on today starting that thread!

and by post 17, he had flounced off https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/n...ghts-your-opinions-please.219176/post-4824568


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## classic33 (1 Jun 2017)

And you've read their first reply. The last part.

You seemed to agree with the popcorn & drink, waiting to see what happened.

Maybe it doesn't show the better side of the site. But only put downs, of which the OP wasn't too slow at doing either. I don't try to "try and look like a worker" when wearing Hi-Vis, that choice is mine to make.


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## smutchin (1 Jun 2017)

classic33 said:


> Maybe it doesn't show the better side of the site.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litotes


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## jefmcg (1 Jun 2017)

classic33 said:


> And you've read their first reply. The last part.
> 
> You seemed to agree with the popcorn & drink, waiting to see what happened.
> 
> Maybe it doesn't show the better side of the site. But only put downs, of which the OP wasn't too slow at doing either. I don't try to "try and look like a worker" when wearing Hi-Vis, that choice is mine to make.


Totally. It matches my example perfectly "only an idiot would cycle without a helmet".


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## Tin Pot (1 Jun 2017)

numbnuts said:


> With the amount of backstabbing and vindictiveness on this forum I can see why some member don't post.



Ha ha


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