Discuss: Is it unethical to initiate a topic in the Lobby solely for the purpose of padding one's total post count?
Edit: Corrected capitalization of "lobby"
I'm not sure its "unethical", it's just a waste of everyone's time. It's not like you get more money or a power-up or something for being at the top of the list.
ONE MORE FOR ME!
This probably affects cadets more often than seniors. The way that is usually kept at bay is by not having a structured forum post/grade alignment. A forum I used to be a member of went from recruit to 4 star general based on post count. You can bet all the young folks had a lot of spam posts to up their counts. Upwards of 60+ posts a day on average...
Why on earth would anyone care?
Even Whuffie is based on quality vs. quantity.
What, praytell, is Whuffie?
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on August 11, 2010, 03:07:27 PM
Discuss: Is it unethical to initiate a topic in the lobby solely for the purpose of padding one's total post count?
Maybe, and maybe not!
Well, there's another post. >:D
.. posting to stir post count?
... like this whole thread? ;-)
Quote from: a2capt on August 11, 2010, 04:11:28 PM
.. posting to stir post count?
... like this whole thread? ;-)
pretty much.
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on August 11, 2010, 04:06:08 PM
What, praytell, is Whuffie?
The currency of a reputation-based economy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whuffie
Which, based on sites like FaceSpace and MyTwit, etc., is where we are headed.
I'm not sure but, isn't it against CAPTalk rules to post purely for the purpose of padding your post count?
Quote from: jeders on August 11, 2010, 05:24:46 PM
I'm not sure but, isn't it against CAPTalk rules to post purely for the purpose of padding your post count?
Gee, I have always wanted to do this: Cite, please?
Quote from: HGjunkie on August 11, 2010, 04:27:53 PM
Quote from: a2capt on August 11, 2010, 04:11:28 PM
.. posting to stir post count?
... like this whole thread? ;-)
pretty much.
Hey, this is a high-level ethical discussion, thank you very much. The fact that, for no reason whatsoever, I am trying to get up to my 100th post in fairly short order had NO (ok, very little--well, maybe some) bearing on the reasoning behind initiating this thread.
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on August 11, 2010, 05:47:59 PM
Quote from: jeders on August 11, 2010, 05:24:46 PM
I'm not sure but, isn't it against CAPTalk rules to post purely for the purpose of padding your post count?
Gee, I have always wanted to do this: Cite, please?
Closest I could come was
Quote
- Members will only discuss matters on topic for the forum in which they are posting. Members will not make blatantly off-topic posts or attempt to derail legitimate discussions. All topics must relate and be of interest to CAP members in a professional aspect.
- snip
- The administration and staff of the discussion board will be the sole judges of whether or not any conduct violates these rules. These rules are not comprehensive and the administration or staff may deem any other behavior or content to be inappropriate as they see fit.
Emphasis mine.
What say you lords of CAPtalk?
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on August 11, 2010, 05:47:59 PM
Quote from: jeders on August 11, 2010, 05:24:46 PM
I'm not sure but, isn't it against CAPTalk rules to post purely for the purpose of padding your post count?
Gee, I have always wanted to do this: Cite, please?
Not asserting, asking. However, the code of conduct can be found here. (http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=13.0)
EDIT: sinn beat me to it by mere seconds.
Quote from: davidsinn on August 11, 2010, 05:59:40 PM
Closest I could come was
Quote
- Members will only discuss matters on topic for the forum in which they are posting. Members will not make blatantly off-topic posts or attempt to derail legitimate discussions. All topics must relate and be of interest to CAP members in a professional aspect.
- snip
- The administration and staff of the discussion board will be the sole judges of whether or not any conduct violates these rules. These rules are not comprehensive and the administration or staff may deem any other behavior or content to be inappropriate as they see fit.
Emphasis mine.
That was where I ended up also.
My thought is that any discussion of ethics, even if done with flair and humor (or even whatever it is that I use), is a viable discussion as ethics are one of the things that separate professions from other occupations (using the classic definition of "profession" as opposed to the colloquial).
Mike and I compiled the MCOC, and I think we both look down on post count threads. In fact, I've deleted quite a few of them.
Unethical? Eh, not really. Lame and annoying? You betcha.
Unethical:
1: not conforming to approved standards of social or professional behavior; "unethical business practices" [ant: {ethical}]
2: not adhering to ethical or moral principles; "base and unpatriotic motives"; "a base, degrading way of life"; "cheating is dishonorable"; "they considered colonialism immoral"; "unethical practices in handling public funds" [syn: {base}, {dishonorable}, {dishonourable}, {immoral}]
I don't see how doing something pointless and harmless fits these definitions. Is there some benefit to someone doing this that I am unaware of? Green stamps? Time off purgatory? Karmic solvency?
Major Lord
A sense of self-importance by being "Salty and Seasoned" even if the majority of their posts were "+5" and :clap: ?
^^ What he says.
A crapton of posts simply plussing a number, or dropping a face, and for that matter - quoting the whole dang post again just to do that - is darn near worthless, IMHO (and probably not just my own) serves no other purpose than to run the post count up, and be annoying.
Quote from: Pylon on August 12, 2005, 09:49:44 PM
The forum ranks for most of the membership are based on the number of posts you make. There are some exceptions to this, including nonsense posts and people who post a bunch of crap just to up their post count will get their count reduced accordingly. Based on your post count, you can earn these forum ranks:
It doesn't particularly matter if it's ethical- taken to extremes, it will be dealt with.
Quote from: Pylon on August 12, 2005, 09:49:44 PMCapice?
Quote from: USAFaux2004 on August 11, 2010, 03:57:05 PM
This probably affects cadets more often than seniors. The way that is usually kept at bay is by not having a structured forum post/grade alignment. A forum I used to be a member of went from recruit to 4 star general based on post count. You can bet all the young folks had a lot of spam posts to up their counts. Upwards of 60+ posts a day on average...
Not sure which forum you're referring to (I know there are plenty military-based forums that use "rank" to reference post counts), but many who try this on the one I currently post on (and have moderated in previous years) think that the more posts you have (regardless of whether or not they're crap) will automatically get you the keys to modship.
Pretty funny when a noob posts a ton of stuff, then pops a question akin to "What does it take to be a mod?" They usually vanish shortly after asking questions like that....
As to padding your count with posts... I wouldn't say "unethical". It's just a forum. Simply, annoying and pointless. If you need a high post count on a forum to make you feel worthwhile... you need a life.
Quote from: DakRadz on August 11, 2010, 10:43:07 PM
It doesn't particularly matter if it's ethical- taken to extremes, it will be dealt with.
Quote from: Pylon on August 12, 2005, 09:49:44 PMCapice?
It
must matter if it is ethical, as the original question dealt only with the ethical ramifications. Please see the original post.
^ Point.
I was addressing the wrong question on the same topic.
Quote from: PhoenixCadet on August 11, 2010, 11:08:24 PM
Not sure which forum you're referring to (I know there are plenty military-based forums that use "rank" to reference post counts), but many who try this on the one I currently post on (and have moderated in previous years) think that the more posts you have (regardless of whether or not they're crap) will automatically get you the keys to modship.
O Rly? >:D
No, I won't really try that. My first post was met with a mod comment, so I'm being especially good now ^_^
Quote from: PhoenixCadet on August 11, 2010, 11:08:24 PM
As to padding your count with posts... I wouldn't say "unethical". It's just a forum. Simply, annoying and pointless. If you need a high post count on a forum to make you feel worthwhile... you need a life.
Agreed- I think they all look equally shiny ;D
On here, I admit I wanted to stop being a Member- now, I've corrected that attitude with help from a few choice SMs ( :-[ :))- plus, eh, not much time since school started, so why annoy the people I generally try to get advice from?
This forum is one of my lowest post count forums. I do more reading than posting. :)
Posts: 817 (0.638 per day)
Quote from: FlyTiger77 on August 11, 2010, 03:07:27 PM
Discuss: Is it unethical to initiate a topic in the Lobby solely for the purpose of padding one's total post count?
Edit: Corrected capitalization of "lobby"
In the end, doing so really means nothing. Posts for post's sake negate any meaning in the post. A post should exists to 1) present a topic, 2) ask a question, 3) respond, 4) opine or 5) serve as a saluation/farwell. Posting just to get posts is a fruitless contest, there is no prize for MOST POSTS on CAPTALK.
Quote from: Major Carrales on August 12, 2010, 02:20:51 AMthere is no prize for MOST POSTS on CAPTALK.
Sure there is. The "too much free time award." If that's not an incentive, I don't know what is! >:D
There should be a ribbon, with clusters for most uniform threads.