Trusted Members

[Aston]

Right before you read on its important for you to understand that this has been written because I care about this forum and I want it to remain the best for years to come...

I have been off the forums for the most part of the year and I have had a chance to see things from a distance regarding both forums. I have been able to look at what both are doing without being especially involved and there is no doubt in my mind that this forum will always be the no 1 because...

1. it has the most history
2. it has more top trades people
3. it is wayyyy more beneficial for newbies & diyers due to the sheer amount of advice, pics, vids etc
4. it has a bigger presence
5. it is much more well know and established

BUT the only one plus I think the other forum has is, it doesn’t have the Trusted members tag/area.

I personally think, in fact I know this is the one thing that creates a ‘them & us’ scenario which alienates people and makes them not feel as valued and that the key word, ‘valued’. I often think how tommyzoom, Spanish tiler, miss tiler and many many more who have been overlooked feel when they have been posting for years and won job of the month but are not classed as trusted advisors. Is it any wonder that they eventually drift off to a place where everybody is on the same level.

As for all the trusted members, don’t hate me for this, I am thinking of the bigger long term picture rather than my own personal status.

If we are all on the same level (with the exception of moderators) then I really feel we would create a newer fresher feel to the place and more people would feel part and therefore post more openly and more often! And also, people would eventually come back home.

keep the current format ie tilersforums arms etc but ditching the trusted members tag would create a better & equal harmony.


People will decide for themselves or they trust and rate. After all, a job of the month winner or an old school tiler who only posts a gem once a week will probably get more respect than a trusted member who been voted in by the establishment rather than the people...you see it’s the people that make this forum. You can build a forum but it’s the members who decide whether it rises of falls and I honestly believe that now is the best time to make some changes in order to push even further ahead rather than run the risk of falling behind.
You’ve only got to look at my beloved football club LFC to see what can happen!

Anyway, this could very well be my last post (my choice btw :0) so I wanted it to be a post that benefited the forum because I owe this place a lot!! If Dan and Neale know me by now they will realise that if I have taken the time to write this, then this is because I genuinely care!!

regards
TF ED

 

[Aston]

brilliant honest sincere post ali ;0) much respect to you

@doug
cheers mate, I appreciate that.

 

[Andy Allen]

ED mate, you got to much bloody time on your hands since you broke yourself...lol

 

[Colour Republic]

can i just add something
i am not asking anybody to choose between forums, you are free to do and go where you like and I would'nt put that on anybody.

this is just about a forum vote, to see what the masses think.

I knew weren't mate

 

[Gazzer]

one thing is for sure I aint going to be popular in here anymore

Oh Ed thats the first stupid thing you have said all day.
If improvements can be made then fine, if it aint broken, dont fix it yada yada etc and so forth.

I welcome any suggestion to improve the forum but it has to be for the good of all and not just a few.

I hope you dont go anywhere Ed, we have shared a few PMs over private matters and for that I am deeply indebted to you.

 

[Dougs Third Go]

should we have a vote on a vote then?

 

[Colour Republic]

I vote Ed gets banned

 

[Aston]

I vote Ed gets banned

i vote you stop being a ***** ;0)

 

[Colour Republic]

i vote you stop being a ***** ;0)

p

 

[Aston]

too kind,

shall we get back on track? keep it to the thread and leave a personal agenda's till another time..

 

[Dougs Third Go]

I think the prudent thing to do will be to let mods/admin discuss this first, then take it from there if any action ie vote or whatever is called for.

 

[nybor62]

ed your a top bloke , this is a great thread and will imo no way affect your standing on this forum

as for being a pool fan i would ban u for that

 

[White Room]

I was chuffed to bits when dave offered me the TA tag, i see it as a kind of reward for putting the effort in and posting on a regular bassis, maybe that sounds a bit selfish, but isn't it the regular posters that keep the forum going?

miss tiler, spanish tiler and a few others produce stunning work and are able to give good advice, but how often do they come on here, once in a blue moon.

imo the TA tag gives other members something to aim for, to keep posting on a regular bassis, and to give good advice.

I tend to agree with Andy, if someone is going to spend a large amount of time and energy posting great information and regular posting to help where they can then a tag to prove it is well deserved.

 

[bugs183]

Hiya all!
Sorry TF to hear that you're thinking about leaving, i know falling off a bike is embarrassing at our age, but you don't have to run off!!!
Seriously I've no idea whats been going on, so i can say no more than you seem like a good geezer and you'll be missed.
I've not tried any other forums, this one suits me fine and AliG words summed up my opinions on the Trusted Advisor topic. I think it is a good thing seeing someone who has been recognised by other members as a source of useful and accurate knowledge.
But i've only been here a short while, so i'll go along with everyones decision and take a vote.

 

[Aston]

thanks nybor
i'm fine with everything now, no problems here..

oh and just so everybody knows, i was thinking of leaving but i more determined than ever to stay on here now and fill you all full of my sH@tt!!!!! especially you colour rob, double doses for you daily from now on :0)

 

[Andy Allen]

if we are to vote, imo it should just be the TA members that vote...

or shall we vote on that first?

and then vote?

im getting confused, but i hope you know where im coming from...

 

[DHTiling]

Ed... you leave this forum and i will fill the internet telling peeps you are an Everton fan ...

 

[Colour Republic]

I missed the post where you said you were leaving!!!! really why??? silly sod!!!

 

[peteablard]

I'm thinking about setting up a website quite soon and I think that being able to advertise yourself as a trusted adviser on this site holds a lot of credibility....... Just a thought.
i also think it needs to be a mods/admin decision. I know this will sound like an us and them thing but that's really not my intention but it was mentioned earlier about all arms members being able to vote, I don't think it's fair that someone with a couple of dozen posts gets to decide if someone with anything up to 57k posts gets to keep a badge or not. Just another couple of my thoughts......

 

[Gazzer]

if we are to vote, imo it should just be the TA members that vote...

or shall we vote on that first?

and then vote?

im getting confused, but i hope you know where im coming from...

I say we give this until the weekend to get all your views and take it to the next step then.

 

[Andy Allen]

I'm thinking about setting up a website quite soon and I think that being able to advertise yourself as a trusted adviser on this site holds a lot of credibility....... Just a thought.
i also think it needs to be a mods/admin decision. I know this will sound like an us and them thing but that's really not my intention but it was mentioned earlier about all arms members being able to vote, I don't think it's fair that someone with a couple of dozen posts gets to decide if someone with anything up to 57k posts gets to keep a badge or not. Just another couple of my thoughts......

bugger, i got that on my website, with a link to the forum........thats it, its got to stay!!!!..lol

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

Hi Guys and girls,

First ED, it would be a shame for you to leave the forum.

I for one love this forum. I found it quite sometime ago but only really started using it actively at the start of this year. It's a fantastic resource, past posts to refer to, past advice to refer to and of course there is almost always a few established, trusted, time served and qualified tilers/friends that can help you out almost instantly with some advice etc.

I only got the green tag recently and i'm proud as punch. I've read nothing but this post as to what the badge means. But i've taken it that i've been here for a while, been active, helped out and have been helped, all of which has been recognised by you guys. I try to advise here to all as best as i can, if i can. I can't say much more other than i enjoy it. I enjoy tiling and have a passion for it, so like many of you i would like this forum to keep going stronger and stronger.

This topic is a bit of a catch 22 situation. I personally don't think we are alienating anyone. I must admit i never even knew there was a trusted advisors board until Dave (i think) prompted me to look at the colour of my name by PM. I then saw the post in the list welcoming me to the TA class. I have recently used this board for something that i wouldn't of ever posted in the Arm's. Why? Because the way i see it the green badge denotes someone that can be "trusted".
I think the best thing to do is look at the bigger picture. I for one believe the advice handed out on this forum is in most cases invaluable. That advice comes from members of all standards and walks of life. But before i got the badge i paid particular attention to the "ranked" members when reading, answer, and creating posts. It gives the person sat at his computer, DIY'er through to professional a gauge to work from. I think from the perspective of someone that perhaps has no idea and has come here for advice, good advice, then, and this is my interpretation, an additional badge tells that person that the poster is someone that has proved there worth. That has contributed and recieved recognition for good, sound advice on the forums subject, tiling.
I personally like the badges, not just because i had a few, i didn't have to hit a target for them, they were given, reward based. And why not. In an industry plaqued by cowboy's i think it's a very good idea if this is to be a forum for the Novice through to the professional to show some kind of validation of the advice given.
There's no reason why we cannot recommend some of the members mentioned in the very board for perhaps review etc and have a vote on wether people achieve these gradings? It's a difficult topic to discuss without coming accross the wrong way, but as an ex-serviceman hierarchy is essential in life imo. I was given rank in the Army, and i had it taken away from me as well. I personally think it gives people something to strive toward, and while they're heading in that direction, people to look up to.

I looked up to a lot of you guys, and some of your work amazes me. Aspiration to be better and achieve higher is what makes me get out of bed in the morning.

Could not agree more.

 

[AliGage]

I think the prudent thing to do will be to let mods/admin discuss this first, then take it from there if any action ie vote or whatever is called for.

Agreed.

ed your a top bloke , this is a great thread and will imo no way affect your standing on this forum

as for being a pool fan i would ban u for that

Agree also!

I tend to agree with Andy, if someone is going to spend a large amount of time and energy posting great information and regular posting to help where they can then a tag to prove it is well deserved.

The only thing to perhaps consider here is ensuring those large amounts of posts are useful to the forum and not mainly consisting of "Hi and welcome" and "As above". I know we all use these, and there's nothing wrong with that, certainly nothing wrong with welcoming new members. But as this is a very popular forum, i'd say you could rack up quite a few posts in welcoming new members and agreeing with what other members have spent the time to post.

if we are to vote, imo it should just be the TA members that vote...

or shall we vote on that first?

and then vote?

im getting confused, but i hope you know where im coming from...

In my opinion how i would see it working is for a mod or admin to nominate. As these are the members that view the most posts presumably. They would therefore be in the best position to say if the members "advice" can be "trusted". Admins and Mods decide amoungst themselves and if agreed put a poll to the TA's? Current TA's could give an admin or mod a nudge if they believe someone might warrent a green badge, and then as above.

 

[Aston]

I missed the post where you said you were leaving!!!! really why??? silly sod!!!

i'm not leaving
i said this might be my last post on the very last paragraph of war and peace on the opening post lol
it was a bit of sarcasm, meaning if this post didnt quite get received the way i intended it to, then i might have to leave lol

thats all.

i was going to have a break to focus on the plastering so i didnt think about tiling but i have broke my hand and i am off for 8 weeks now..

 

[The D]

If I am honest I no longer deserve the tag as I do not offer much in the way of advice anymore. I have become very cynical about some of the people asking for advice and with the way work is at the moment I do not want to help people take work from struggling tilers. I spend most of my time on this forum but I do go on other forums but the fact of the mater is this is home to me tag or no tag.

 

[AliGage]

i'm not leaving
i said this might be my last post on the very last paragraph of war and peace on the opening post lol
it was a bit of sarcasm, meaning if this post didnt quite get received the way i intended it to, then i might have to leave lol

thats all.

i was going to have a break to focus on the plastering so i didnt think about tiling but i have broke my hand and i am off for 8 weeks now..

Oh, so we've all been sucking up to you for nothing!

 

[The Legend; Phil Hobson RIP]

can i just add something
i am not asking anybody to choose between forums, you are free to do and go where you like and I would'nt put that on anybody.

this is just about a forum vote, to see what the masses think.

one thing is for sure I aint going to be popular in here anymore :yikes: but if this thread proves something really positive going forward, then it'll have been worth it...... i rate you lot because when i read something, i know its right. the green tag doesn't alert me to that fact, its my own personally opinion that forms my judgement. I also respect an awful lot of people on here who are not green aswell.

ps rob, thanks for teaching me to spell clique, i knew i'd spelt it wrong lol

Ed you will never be unpopular on here imo you are just what a forum needs, but dressed in green.

 

[Andy Allen]

Agreed.



Agree also!



The only thing to perhaps consider here is ensuring those large amounts of posts are useful to the forum and not mainly consisting of "Hi and welcome" and "As above". I know we all use these, and there's nothing wrong with that, certainly nothing wrong with welcoming new members. But as this is a very popular forum, i'd say you could rack up quite a few posts in welcoming new members and agreeing with what other members have spent the time to post.



In my opinion how i would see it working is for a mod or admin to nominate. As these are the members that view the most posts presumably. They would therefore be in the best position to say if the members "advice" can be "trusted". Admins and Mods decide amoungst themselves and if agreed put a poll to the TA's? Current TA's could give an admin or mod a nudge if they believe someone might warrent a green badge, and then as above.

ali, i was on about voting to keep the TA forum and tag...

 

[AliGage]

Oh, i'm tempted to show my hand nopw but i'll wait and see if there's a vote..

 

[kilty55]

ill keep my opinion short ...if it aint broke dont fix it:smilewinkgrin: im away for some soup

 

[Aston]

i have been trying to find the right words to say all my TA friends tonight but for once I am stuck so, Who better to express the way I feel towards you all other than our very own deano..

please play this video clip, speed in up to 1 min and 5 secs and get close to the screen lol ;0)

[video=youtube;JkbWj4Jqvus]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkbWj4Jqvus[/video]