"Good Samaritan" badge.

[Liska]

Someone asked me to make this a poll/thread.

Since the removal of post counts and post counts, it's been suggested that we have a "badge" for forum users who have been noted for excellent and helpful behavior.

It's totally up to the community if you'd like this implemented; I'm staying neutral now. Any suggestions, thoughts or concerns can go here. Have a friendly debate about this.

Any other suggestions like "likes" or "thank you" buttons do not belong here.

Also just in case: the badge will not grant you any moderator power - you will still be a regular user, it will just show you're trusted by the community with a little fancy badge.

[Link]

Hehe, it's tied now. Equilibrium complete 

[snarfgsnor]

i vote no. becuase i think it will still make up some elitist feeling around the forums which a forum shoulndt have at all. the only thing we need is moderators to keep controlls. but implating something like this may couse people do what ever to aquire that "badge" to just have it. which would miss use everything about it. and on the way to get that badge may also make people just post random non-sense to just show that they are around on the forums and hoping for it.
but ofcourse the idea behind is good. it would be nice to know who to turn to if you got problems etc. but we got mods for that aswell.

[Link]

I vote yes because a mod is not always present to help newcomers around (they're busy enough as it is), and they should be able to see someone who's earned an award for just being themselves; kind, helpful, and welcoming. So that way they can be asked for help. 

[Zygrograxgra]

Unfortunately, the requirements are vague. How good do you need to be to get it?
This will also possibly cause false good doing, and other such stuff.
Rage could happen, incessant requests for the badge, etc.
From what I've seen, it's better to have personal achiev... Lemme go suggest that...

[snarfgsnor]

I vote yes because a mod is not always present to help newcomers around (they're busy enough as it is)

well if the mods are having trouble i would probably imagine they would get a few mods more. and the new people dosent require immediate help either. so they would just have to be patient to be honest.

[The Wandering Magus]

Not voting just yet, but the idea behind it is admirable.

But on the mod helpers and such, to ME at least, even now to an extent , mods are less the "friendly helpful ponies who understand you" and more the "big bad banhammer weilders who are scary and might get upset at silly questions from ponies like me".  I would personally be more comfortable asking well-liked and contributing non-mods if i were a newbie...

Please don't hurt me...

[snarfgsnor]

mods are less the "friendly helpful ponies who understand you" and more the "big bad banhammer weilders who are scary and might get upset at silly questions from ponies like me". 

if a mod would get upset over a stupid question, he/she woulndt be fit for beign a mod then. atleast the way i see it. a mod is a person who is going to help others with their problems, bugs and issues and at the same time try to remain controll on forums and thread and make sure things are okay and not going out of hand. so a mod should be tolerable with bad/stupid question and should treat them as serious questions and actully help the person solve them.
thats atleast how i view a mod

[PrincessButton]

I think this is a good idea, I know there are both pros and cons that are being debated and I agree with both sides to an extent, but like Magus said, it might be really handy for newer ponies to have some pony to look up to on the site, and somebody to make them feel welcome. I mean I know this already happens on the intro boards but it still seems like a good addition, especially with the removal of the post count and other things.

[Lary]

I would have said 'No' to this, but then I saw that post count was removed.

I'm all for this, so long as the badge is easy to get clear on what it's for instead of being a tool to show off.

[Crystal Chaos]

I used to be afraid of mods, since I was treated unfairly by one once, but then I came here where mods are angels.  For a newbie, a normal user seems nicer than a mod, but if somepony starts acting elitist, the badge WILL be removed. It's just common sense. I vote yes.

[Book Smarts]

I feel like there should just be a post count, there hasn't been any major problems with it

[The Wandering Magus]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

[Equestrian]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

[The Wandering Magus]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

maybe a nomination by somepony other than the individual, with ponies debating the pros and cons and reasons to give or not give the badge, culminating in a serious, non popularity based poll that hides the results?

[Equestrian]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

maybe a nomination by somepony other than the individual, with ponies debating the pros and cons and reasons to give or not give the badge, culminating in a serious, non popularity based poll that hides the results?

I completely agree?

I think popularity is a factor though. The more popular somepony is, the heavier their statements will be. You can't have a nobody walking around as a nominee. Nopony will know who they are and it's hard to accept that.
((Of course, almost all ponies here are popular. Anypony who posts like, around 5 posts a day is popular))
Not a high standard, but it's still a standard.

[The Wandering Magus]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

maybe a nomination by somepony other than the individual, with ponies debating the pros and cons and reasons to give or not give the badge, culminating in a serious, non popularity based poll that hides the results?

I completely agree?

I think popularity is a factor though. The more popular somepony is, the heavier their statements will be. You can't have a nobody walking around as a nominee. Nopony will know who they are and it's hard to accept that.
((Of course, almost all ponies here are popular. Anypony who posts like, around 5 posts a day is popular))
Not a high standard, but it's still a standard.

well yes, but that's a part of being a contributor and good samaritan.  A nopony wouldn't really qualify as much of a contributor, for instance.

[snarfgsnor]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

maybe a nomination by somepony other than the individual, with ponies debating the pros and cons and reasons to give or not give the badge, culminating in a serious, non popularity based poll that hides the results?

I completely agree?

I think popularity is a factor though. The more popular somepony is, the heavier their statements will be. You can't have a nobody walking around as a nominee. Nopony will know who they are and it's hard to accept that.
((Of course, almost all ponies here are popular. Anypony who posts like, around 5 posts a day is popular))
Not a high standard, but it's still a standard.

well yes, but that's a part of being a contributor and good samaritan.  A nopony wouldn't really qualify as much of a contributor, for instance.

but if we were to actully give out this badge it would be have to be someone who actully helps out other with issues and give out directions. and then popularity should _NOT_ have any plays in that decision becuase that would completley destroy the whole thing again. and and posting everywhere would not qualify either for such a thing. becuase if i were to ask someone with this badge. i would want help/directions not some popular guy/girl giving their 2 cents. of course they would most likley help me. but still i would give this badge to who people actully giving out help.

[Equestrian]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

maybe a nomination by somepony other than the individual, with ponies debating the pros and cons and reasons to give or not give the badge, culminating in a serious, non popularity based poll that hides the results?

I completely agree?

I think popularity is a factor though. The more popular somepony is, the heavier their statements will be. You can't have a nobody walking around as a nominee. Nopony will know who they are and it's hard to accept that.
((Of course, almost all ponies here are popular. Anypony who posts like, around 5 posts a day is popular))
Not a high standard, but it's still a standard.

well yes, but that's a part of being a contributor and good samaritan.  A nopony wouldn't really qualify as much of a contributor, for instance.

but if we were to actully give out this badge it would be have to be someone who actully helps out other with issues and give out directions. and then popularity should _NOT_ have any plays in that decision becuase that would completley destroy the whole thing again. and and posting everywhere would not qualify either for such a thing. becuase if i were to ask someone with this badge. i would want help/directions not some popular guy/girl giving their 2 cents. of course they would most likley help me. but still i would give this badge to who people actully giving out help.

If you give good advice, you'll be popular. Not as popular as some ponies, but you'll be noticed by the community.

[snarfgsnor]

This comparison will probably not work quite as well outside certain countries, but Snarfgsnor, think of my perspective as this:

If you were new in a town/city, and wanted directions, and there was a bunch of normal citizens, a policepony, and a citizen wearing a shirt given to her specially by the town/city that said "i help other ponies" on the front, who would you more likely go to to ask for help?

But what if the shirt just said "I spam posts" with this directly below it

I went a bit off track, but it's still there. What will the badge say and look like if it would be implemented?
--edit--
And how do you get it, that's the most important part. It's the only question I have really, and the only thing preventing me from voting.

maybe a nomination by somepony other than the individual, with ponies debating the pros and cons and reasons to give or not give the badge, culminating in a serious, non popularity based poll that hides the results?

I completely agree?

I think popularity is a factor though. The more popular somepony is, the heavier their statements will be. You can't have a nobody walking around as a nominee. Nopony will know who they are and it's hard to accept that.
((Of course, almost all ponies here are popular. Anypony who posts like, around 5 posts a day is popular))
Not a high standard, but it's still a standard.

well yes, but that's a part of being a contributor and good samaritan.  A nopony wouldn't really qualify as much of a contributor, for instance.

but if we were to actully give out this badge it would be have to be someone who actully helps out other with issues and give out directions. and then popularity should _NOT_ have any plays in that decision becuase that would completley destroy the whole thing again. and and posting everywhere would not qualify either for such a thing. becuase if i were to ask someone with this badge. i would want help/directions not some popular guy/girl giving their 2 cents. of course they would most likley help me. but still i would give this badge to who people actully giving out help.

If you give good advice, you'll be popular. Not as popular as some ponies, but you'll be noticed by the community.

true. but if this choice will be given to us. most likley the most popular ones will get it. and you know it