Who is a member of NCWW? The easy answer is anyone who has registered. But from the standpoint of providing services to our "members", that really is not the answer. For example. I offer free website hosting to our members, if the site is woodworking related. Assume for a moment that this option is very popular(it isn't). My resources to do this are somewhat limited, so at some point I would have to stop. So, to whom should I give these websites. The person who registers, requests a site and then after it is up and running, goes away and shows no interest in NCWW after that.
A few weeks ago, I was visiting a store in the Raleigh area and asked about getting a NCWW member discount. They asked how they could verify membership and would I provide a membership list including addresses. They were also concerned about the scenario above. They even cited the Hartville Tool discount offered on WoodNet. Everyone knows about it and you don't even have to be registered on WoodNet. The comment made was something like,"Maybe Hartville doesn't mind, but we would."
Then a few days ago came the unsolicited request to provide a way to offer to sell items with very good discount, but somehow keep it confidential. Well, we figured out to do it, but again it involves definition of "member" being something besides just registered.
vBulletin has a built in ranking system. You've it seen before, just joined, Newbie, Jr Member, etc. That was intended to provide a solution to these problems. But it doesn't 't because the only criteria is post count. That is not sufficient, some very good and deserving people on this forum don't post a lot and they shouldn't get penalized. There are some people who have been major contributors, but sort of disappeared for quite a while. Should they get all the same benefits as the people who are active now?
So what I am going to do is create a new ranking system based on the following:
But right know the criteria will have to be something vBulletin supports now. Post count and membership. So for now, the criteria will be 30 days and five posts, which is rather arbitrary, but it is the best I can do.
The first thing to be added will be a private for sale forum. This forum will be invisible to guest and members who have not yet meet the criteria. The reason for the invisibility is so that word of the sale or special offer does not get spread out all over the web. Or in other words , keep the sale of service confidential.
A few weeks ago, I was visiting a store in the Raleigh area and asked about getting a NCWW member discount. They asked how they could verify membership and would I provide a membership list including addresses. They were also concerned about the scenario above. They even cited the Hartville Tool discount offered on WoodNet. Everyone knows about it and you don't even have to be registered on WoodNet. The comment made was something like,"Maybe Hartville doesn't mind, but we would."
Then a few days ago came the unsolicited request to provide a way to offer to sell items with very good discount, but somehow keep it confidential. Well, we figured out to do it, but again it involves definition of "member" being something besides just registered.
vBulletin has a built in ranking system. You've it seen before, just joined, Newbie, Jr Member, etc. That was intended to provide a solution to these problems. But it doesn't 't because the only criteria is post count. That is not sufficient, some very good and deserving people on this forum don't post a lot and they shouldn't get penalized. There are some people who have been major contributors, but sort of disappeared for quite a while. Should they get all the same benefits as the people who are active now?
So what I am going to do is create a new ranking system based on the following:
- How often do you visit the site, last x weeks
- How often do you start threads. last x weeks
- How often do you post replies. last x weeks (includes pictures in the gallery)
- How often do you add links to the links DB. last x weeks
- How often do you add downloads to the download library. last x weeks
- How often do you refer people to Web Site who become members. last x weeks
All of the above in totals - How long have you been a member?
But right know the criteria will have to be something vBulletin supports now. Post count and membership. So for now, the criteria will be 30 days and five posts, which is rather arbitrary, but it is the best I can do.
The first thing to be added will be a private for sale forum. This forum will be invisible to guest and members who have not yet meet the criteria. The reason for the invisibility is so that word of the sale or special offer does not get spread out all over the web. Or in other words , keep the sale of service confidential.
Actually they can be anything we want. I'm not sure I want to use names. Plenty of time to figure that out, it will take a while for me to but the better system in place
