Missed opportunity to speak of TITLES

[ccga3359]

Surely no one takes these titles seriously?

I assure you that as "Grand Defender of the Rubber Chicken" I most certainly took my role very seriously, and then there were all the trappings that came with it...

From my perspective, part of the problem with the past implementation of the titles was that they were taken seriously. If they had just been a tongue-in-cheek attempt at some gentle fun as you said, there would not have been a need to exclude some of the forums from one's post count. But some of the forums that are the most tongue-in-cheek and/or fun and/or directly friendly were the forums that did not count.

My title, as it were, was not based on post count but on association to rubber chickens. Before I was awarded this fitting title I was a "Grand Defender of the Kilt" for having over 4000 posts, some of which were accidentally almost quite profound! A count that I did take pride in as it showed that I contributed, I helped build this forum.

There are gentlemen like Jock Scot or Matt Newsome that can in a single post contribute more to kilt wearing than I could in 100 posts. So in that mind the post count based titles are irrelevent. They are very deserving of their special titles that they did indeed earn. Where I cannot add in knowledge I hope I've added in fun. How many have tuned in just to see that Panache thug give that handsome Grant fellow his come-uppance?

[BoldHighlander]

How many have tuned in just to see that Panache thug give that handsome Grant fellow his come-uppance?

Oo...Oo...I did! I did!

(...and might I say it was usually well deserved too! )

[Jock Scot]

Oo...Oo...I did! I did!

(...and might I say it was usually well deserved too! )

Me too!

Grant your contributions do, as far as I am concerned, help the fun element along in a major way. Gosh! Did I really say that? Should I have said that? Well actually --------YES I SHOULD!

[thescot]

Wouldn't the fact that this topic keeps coming back suggest that some gave them more attention than they were due?

. . .

Not necessarily. Perhaps it's just the opposite. Perhaps it suggests that the topic should be reconsidered by the powers that be due to the numbers who wish them to do so. Perhaps objections to our silly titlles suggests more importance assigned by the objectors than is due.

Arguments and assertions to the contrary, the titles were always taken as tongue-in-cheek by the vast majority of the forum's members. Anyone who took them seriously should reevalute things.

And if you somehow felt "excluded," I will personally assure you that you are welcome here, that you are full member, and that no one intends to exclude you from anything. See? You are not excluded at all. I can't imagine anything on this forum that a title--or lack of same--could possibly have excluded you from.

[Lady M]

And if you somehow felt "excluded," I will personally assure you that you are welcome here, that you are full member, and that no one intends to exclude you from anything. See? You are not excluded at all. I can't imagine anything on this forum that a title--or lack of same--could possibly have excluded you from.

I suspect that after being around for all of 30 posts (as of this particular posting by you) you may not have a very good feel for the ambience of the place. There are many personalities, and, like a family, it has developed a unique and somewhat complex relationship between its members. Often times, "traditional" things like titles take on importance way beyond the literal. You see, we all know that none of us is really a samarai, but it was part of who we were.

I'm pretty sure people on this forum have been judged by how man posts they have and have been left feeling excluded.

Alrighty, anyway, I'll throw my 2 cents into this. I'm a member of another forum of an unrelated nature. The forum has almost 30,000 members. They do not use a standard ranking system. No one receives a "rank" until they have reached 1 years time and 1000 posts. At that time, they can then set their own title.

The board has a "welcome" section as well as games and a few others that are irrelevant to the board, these sections do not count towards post count. I should also mention that this forum uses the same software as ours. Just putting it out there that it's worked very well for them. People get a fun title of their picking once they have been around long enough and have contributed enough. Gives people something to look forward to without a lot of "Nice kilt" and "I agree" posts clogging up the works.

[BobsYourUncle]

Surely no one takes these titles seriously? How can they? BUT, they do add to the tongue in cheek and gentle fun that I come to this website for. As a member of this website I was fortunate to be honoured with a special title, now some would say "big deal" and that is their right. Speaking for myself it was rather nice that "some people somewhere" had thought that I had contributed, unwittingly, enough "something" to warrant that gift. You know, getting a pat on the back from people from all over the world whom you had never met and in truth are never likely to, is rather nice and frankly, it meant something to me and it also does add, on occasion, to the fun and humour in no small way. Alright, perhaps its time to start with a clean slate, perhaps its time to streamline things, but let us not take away the opportunity for a wee bit of fun. Let us add to the fun, not take it away. Steve, I know you have a lot on your plate reorganising your, it is yours when all said and done, website, but can I ask you to reconsider the "Title" issue.

I agree with Jock Scot. In fact, I am in favor of Jock Scot. I will probably always agree with Jock Scot. Keep the fun. Please add my vote to the votes of others in favor of reinstating Titles on this forum.

[thescot]

I don't know about the "vendors supported by kilt wearers . . . ," but I do know that some of the heart has gone out of the community. At times, we--all of us here--remind me of a bunch of older frat boys trying to regain something that was gone a while back.

I just keep hoping.

I personally advocated for reinstatement of and mourned the loss of our titles before, and I again advocate for their reestablishment. Silly? Uh, huh. But it was us.

[tooltruckguy]

I concur with the reinstatement of titles. I never worried about my title but I was pleasantly surprised to see when I had achieved a new title. If the they are not brought back my world will not end, but as Jockscot said I think it brought a little fun into the forum.

Just my 2 cents.

Kevin

[A Hay]

As one can see, I'm not a frequent poster, but I am a regular reader, on a daily basis, in fact.

One of the things that drew me to this forum and kept me here for the last couple of years has been the friendly banter and the level of knowledge and information that takes place. One of the things that was important to me in the beginning was the message count and the titles, I admit. There were nights when I posted five or ten messages of welcome or I agree, just to raise the count, especially as I neared the next title level.

I say also that as I approached the milestone of 500 posts, I paused and reflected on my time here and posted a message to that effect, as well as thanking the membership for the pleasure of their company during the time I worked up to that level. I see now that I'm officially under 500 again, because some messages were weeded out.

That doen't particularly bother me because I have reached a point of maturity perhaps, where the count and the titles are of lesser importance than the comradship of the forum.

But they are still fun, and I would join my voice to those here who would like to see something of that nature come back, both to encourage newcomers and to recognize achievements of longer time members.

Seems like it would be a fun topic to explore new titles and milestones if members participated in the process, as long as it didn't put undue burden on the moderators or owner.

It won't drive me away from this forum if it doesn't happen. I've looked at some of the other websites and feel more comfortable here so I'll stay.

Thanks for listening.

Tom

[Jock Scot]

Ghostlight.

It appears that you may have missed my point. No matter and perhaps I should have been more clear with my thoughts. Your point of view is absolutely respected by me and in many ways I agree with you. However, I for one don't just visit this site to just talk about kilts, actually after a week of kilt talking there really is little else to say!

Yes, I enjoy helping others get themselves sorted out with kilt matters if that is what is wanted, yes I do still find things to learn, or re learn, no I do not need to come here to get kilt and kilt attire recommendations, no I don't come here with the intention of buying something, I mainly come here for some light hearted fun with like minded people and I am comfortable with the surroundings and people here. If the light hearted part ceases, then I will not have the fun that I have had and in the end I will not visit here.

Now that is not a threat, I am just one person amongst the many and life will carry on with, or without me, but I like it here and I want to stay and I would like the fun to be kept alive and I really do think that the "special titles" do add something to this website. As it has been pointed out, these titles do not make you an expert, they do not make you any better, richer, cleverer, poorer than anyone else(hence my first two questions on my previous post), it is just a recognition that certain people have contributed to the very special character of this website, nothing more.

It may take 500 posts,4000 posts, or 50 posts, or never, to warrant recognition for a genuine contribution above and beyond-------, that is up to whoever decides these things and the trust that we all give them. As we all know handing out "pats on the back" for contributing little or nothing is valueless and pointless. Recognition in the tongue in cheek way that some of us, I think, are asking Steve to consider, are for real effort and can only create goodwill and may reinstate some of the fun that is sadly hard to find, in places, here at the moment. Basically its a morale thing. Life will go on with or without these things, but without them, in my humble opinion, we are in a lesser place.