To reward active members who contribute so much to the site, I would like to propose a points system where users can collect badges and small prizes. This is an initiative in beta phase and I would like to ask members for their input.
Keep in mind that point system is a computer algorithm. As with any computer program, we as users need to fine tune it over time to get a qualitative outcome. With that said, what site contributions/actions we should value and give points to?
A very rough draft of what I have in mind
We can most likely capture any action you could think of, such as comments, likes, or even captions. So feel free to suggest any helpful actions that you would like to see more of in the community.
Please add your suggestions below.
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i really like the idea! badgesare a cool way of making people aware of things, they definitely are better than the old boring "congrats on your fp" frenzy that everyone was going nut on here every time someones oicture made it to be the site'sone day eye catcher.
i think you could go really creative on the badges idea. they could mark all kinds of stuff, the funniest blog entry, the cutest pet shot, the sweetest baby, the most colors, the best b/w scene, the most dramatic portraits, the weirdest abstracts, etc... all voted for by the members, so everyone gets involved.
how about rewarding people with badges who write the most comments (not by entries, but by words)? or those with the most pictures in yellow, with round things or from abandoned houses? how about a badge for the most consistently used tag? or a badge for the "friends collectors" (you get it in bronce, silver and gold after 100, 500 and 1000 followers)?
there is loads of possibilities for this. make it fun and challenging! it'll definitely liven up this so called "community" of coffee table debutants here and, hopefully, mix new interesting members a bit with the gerontocracy. :-)
oh, and btw... the mostly dismissive comments here are not representative. this is all from people who have been on photoblog for years and feel like it should stay the f*ck like it was. really... if you can, tey to get the voice of those who are new here and dont know the ancient crypt of the "true" photoblog from the last century. they might love the idea.
I don't necessarily think that Photoblog should remain exactly the way it was...but certainly it wouldn't hurt to preserve the positive and beneficial aspects that made so many members turn, over the years from average to good photographers. If everyone here is looking for a "fun and games" photography website as the one described above, then by all means, Ram, implement it. I have a feeling many more serious photographers who are looking to improve and learn by sharing photos, as well as engaging, connecting and collaborating with others in a meaningful way would turn away.
that's a very odd line of argument. do you mean to say learning, engaging and collaborating in "meaningful ways" needs to be deprived of "fun and games"? about every paedagoge and psychologist would disagree. ;-)
if anything, badges could help in all those meaningful things you seek. it really all deoends on the kind of badges, doesnt it? and i, for one, would be proud to wear one about the least discussed philosophical blog entries on photoblog. and i know several, semi-pro photographers here who would KILL for more photography related, even technical topics - id say, put a badge on your blog indicating that you are part of that interest group - to everyone's advantage.
why do so few people here see the possibilities of photoblogs changes? its sad... the developer obviously has done a mountain of a job here and still has more interesting ideas, and all we are doing is picking on changed features, lament missing watermarks or futile privacy and wish we get back that stone age page with its massive spam bot problem.