Karate Belt Suggestion

Please, please, please get rid of this "white belt", "yellow belt" thing.

To me it gives the impression that this site is not very serious... We can already see how many posts somebody has made and for how long they have been members - why do we need this?

Grow up! Get rid of it!!!

I agree completely what the world O yea status I guess. heck I had to go into hidding got rid of any connection to my site because sneeky hackers will find good sites to steal content scrape pr and everthing else. Keep the belt off as well or give me a donald duck or a mickey mouse how about a yoga bear

Have to agree with jz.

Even though it looks quite funny, and I DO like the odd graphic indicator, it doesn't really serve a purpose or show us anything new (unless I'm missing something).

If anything, it can lead to people not being taken seriously (maybe even all of us - LOL)

And it messes up my catch phrase too

Seriously, SEOChat has a very clear presentation of posters' stats already. I for one don't think the white belt / black belt icon adds anything but a possible schism.

But let's see if there are more - maybe different - opinions. Could be just a matter of taste....

I don't like it either...

Well I'll chime in here and say something 'on-topic' but different.

Prior to becoming a moderator and before DevShed took over SEOChat it also has no paid for advertisements.

When the change occurred - I took great offense to it, thought it detracted from the discussion forum value, irritating, distracting, and was of the mind to leave and never come back.

I was ask to give it a chance...

I'm still here and don't notice it at all now [at least from an irritating, distracting vantagepoint].

My point - change is often NOT welcome but often for the betterment.

That said - show evidence that it is factually harmful to SEOChat - I'm sure Admin will listen... but without facts it is merely a guess that is right of center where DevShed is on the left side of center. ;)

I didn't thing of anything negitive when I first saw it, just noticed a change...

Change is often important...

Some may not like it - some may not care.....

Doesn't make much of a difference to me.... :-?

The belt system is not really rewarding the desired behavior. It is simply a question of what the forum would want most from its users (aside from clicking on the damn banners): quality, thought-provoking, intelligent posts.

The current system just looks at # of posts. If it were a search engine, I would backlink spam my way to success -- since I don't get anything out of that, I'll continue on with hopefully helpful posts.

And another thing...you're going to confuse the hell out of newbie's. They might think Wit is the resident expert here.

Base it on that quality vote thing you recently added instead...that's more indicative...that way the EGOLs and Randfish's will rightfully show the appropriate levels.

Quality, not quantity.

Cygnus

I think they are ugly and distracting.

Whereas they are kinda cute, I'm inclined to agree with Cygnus. It could give the wrong impression regarding knowledge and skill.

Man Wit, you've been picked on this week. First you were called fat and now this :-)

My two cents....

I don't like it. It's distracting (why I never bothered to put a avatar back up) and I believe it's been nailed that it serves absolutely no constructive purpose. Basically it adds nothing and infers everything.

While I'm certain there will be those that think it's cool, and obviously the powers that be thought it was "neat" enough to add, I think it is worthless and of no value to the purpose of the forum and vote to get rid of it!

Cheers

I'm usually very calm and try to express myself very clearly...
BUT GET RID OF THE ******** BELTS!!!

They look awfull in addition to making this forum look like a childrens playground (I have 3 kids so I know something ;) ) .
Please, remove the belts...

Well - I agree there's no fooling the belt system {grin}

Seriously, that's what I meant by schism: between experts (sorry - "big posters") like myself and those less prolific when it comes to SEO forums. It doesn't MEAN anything.

It's the same like starting to post at another forum, when you get the words "SEO junior" written under your name. SAYS WHO!?

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Just to add... for those used to looking at avatars (to see who they're dealing with), all our <100 posts members now look alike at first glance. Very confusing/distracting.

Sometimes I get the idea there are people talking to themselves, because the nicknames are overshadowed by huge white belts

I used to be a red belt at karate - was a few years ago though

Now I am a white belt lol

I don't really like them.

Why don't we open another thread or area to nominate and vote for the best contributors, moderators etc.

This way everyone would get a much better view of how everyone feels rather than trying to present the same data in different ways.

Hmm, we already have the rep system for that. Just remember that your comment will be visible (which is great), unlike on other forums...

I get what you're saying though, I DO like a decent voting or any other bit of subjective stuff...

Still, even the reputation system isn't moving very fast, but maybe that's just BECAUSE the votes are public...