What is with these "Newbie" badges?

[gardenmom5]

 anyone know?   it's not like I'm new around here . . . . .  I figure it's something new, but still . . . . .

[mommyoffive]

Does it have to do with the update?  I was locked out of the site for a bit this morning because it said there was an update.

[Pawz4me]

I think it must be due to the update. I just asked about it in the update thread in Site News.

[Spryte]

I think it means we all get to claim the age we were when we were actually newbies as our current age!  

[Helpdesk]

Please check the site news forum.  There's an upgrade going on.  It will take several hours for the changes to work their way through, and if there are things that need to be addressed, they will be.  Updates will be in the Site News forum.  

Would that I were a newbie!  😉

[DoraBora]

Darn, I felt so validated.

[Scarlett]

I was just thankful I still had my post count!  LOL

[Lawyer&Mom]

My newbie award shows that I’ve been here exactly seven years and have 1,618 posts.  I feel like I post all the time.  How do you guys with 15,000+ do it!?!  Very impressive. 

[lulalu]

6 minutes ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

My newbie award shows that I’ve been here exactly seven years and have 1,618 posts.  I feel like I post all the time.  How do you guys with 15,000+ do it!?!  Very impressive. 

Right!?! I have been here six years, and have a lot of posts. But compared to others it looks like I never post. 

[Scarlett]

5 minutes ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

My newbie award shows that I’ve been here exactly seven years and have 1,618 posts.  I feel like I post all the time.  How do you guys with 15,000+ do it!?!  Very impressive. 

Some of us have been on this version of this board since 2008. 

[elegantlion]

1 hour ago, Spryte said:

I think it means we all get to claim the age we were when we were actually newbies as our current age!  

Yea!! Party like it's 2008!!!🎉

3 minutes ago, Lawyer&Mom said:

My newbie award shows that I’ve been here exactly seven years and have 1,618 posts.  I feel like I post all the time.  How do you guys with 15,000+ do it!?!  Very impressive. 

half of my posts were probably celebrity kilt pictures before the great Kilt-banning of whatever year that was. Another 1/4 were probably written in February when boredom and planning for fall take over. 

[PeterPan]

What I have yet to figure out is how I'm both a rookie and a moderator at the same time. That cracked me up, lol. And I don't know what zoomed me, but keep trying because rookie is next y'all newbies. 

Are we really going to keep hand claps beside our avatars forever?? What a bizarre distraction. And how do you earn these hand claps? And why are there only 14 levels of appreciation? Or do you earn 14 hand claps in a day? How will we feel motivated to come back if we can't earn unlimited hand claps? 

Edited July 15, 2021 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

14 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

Some of us have been on this version of this board since 2008. 

Surely there are people here who go back farther than that. I was here back when it was the old old scrolling format with the single pages. And I'm definitely not the oldest.

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, PeterPan said:

Surely there are people here who go back farther than that. I was here back when it was the old old scrolling format with the single pages. And I'm definitely not the oldest.

Yes but this version started in 2008 so we all started from the same point then.

[Excelsior! Academy]

9 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Surely there are people here who go back farther than that. I was here back when it was the old old scrolling format with the single pages. And I'm definitely not the oldest.

Me too! I just go through periods where I don't post often or log on at all.  

[Farrar]

These badges are disincentives for me. It's like, you're a good poster! I'm all, stop rewarding me for wasting time here!

[Corraleno]

I really wish they would stop trying to "improve the experience" here and just leave it alone, because most of these changes are things no one asked for and they really don't improve the experience. Apparently there are lots of little badges we can "earn" now, like we're little kids playing some video game instead of adults on a classical education board. I find the cutesy little head-pats rather obnoxious and patronizing.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Corraleno

[Corraleno]

Post a lot and you can "level up" to a Rising Star or even a Grand Master. <eye roll>

[sheryl]

Oh, I posted my topic and when I went back I saw yours.  Perhaps I should have looked at today's "menu" to see the topics.  When I look at my profile it calls me a newbie.  How can that be since I've been on this site since 2007'ish?

[Arcadia]

5 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

. Apparently there are lots of little badges we can "earn" now, like we're little kids playing some video game instead of adults on a classical education board. I find the cutesy little head-pats rather obnoxious and patronizing.

Reminds me of the badges that Khan Academy and Duolingo gives out.

[Indigo Blue]

1 hour ago, PeterPan said:

What I have yet to figure out is how I'm both a rookie and a moderator at the same time. That cracked me up, lol. And I don't know what zoomed me, but keep trying because rookie is next y'all newbies. 

Are we really going to keep hand claps beside our avatars forever?? What a bizarre distraction. And how do you earn these hand claps? And why are there only 14 levels of appreciation? Or do you earn 14 hand claps in a day? How will we feel motivated to come back if we can't earn unlimited hand claps? 

Look, you have a pretty leaf! 
 

🎶🎶 I can make your hands clap 🎶🎶  🎶🎶 🎶

[Lady Florida.]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

Reminds me of the badges that Khan Academy and Duolingo gives out.

Yep. Duolingo was my first thought. I hate those stupid badges.

[bibiche]

1 hour ago, Corraleno said:

I really wish they would stop trying to "improve the experience" here and just leave it alone, because most of these changes are things no one asked for and they really don't improve the experience. Apparently there are lots of little badges we can "earn" now, like we're little kids playing some video game instead of adults on a classical education board. I find the cutesy little head-pats rather obnoxious and patronizing.

And I definitely do not want to be a Collaborator! Such negative associations! 😬 

[Indigo Blue]

2 minutes ago, bibiche said:

And I definitely do not want to be a Collaborator! Such negative associations! 😬 

Stop. Collaborate and listen. 🎶

Sorry. I’m in a weird mood right now. 😏

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, Lawyer&amp;Mom said:

My newbie award shows that I’ve been here exactly seven years and have 1,618 posts.  I feel like I post all the time.  How do you guys with 15,000+ do it!?!  Very impressive. 

My profile join date shows 2018 but I posted my first post way before that 🤣 I’m also the unofficial Recalls and California Wildfires poster because I follow those news anyway. 

[PinkTulip]

I wish I could see everyone’s post count like I could before.  It helps me decide whether to click on a posted link, (won’t do it if the person has few posts), and how “wise” people are in the ways of the Hive. 

[athena1277]

I got an award for “1 year in.”  I know I’m not a mega-poster, but ive been around way longer than 1 year.

[Clarita]

Wait we are no longer bees?? I liked that... I thought it was super cute.

[gardenmom5]

1 hour ago, PinkTulip said:

I wish I could see everyone’s post count like I could before.  It helps me decide whether to click on a posted link, (won’t do it if the person has few posts), and how “wise” people are in the ways of the Hive. 

are you on a computer or a phone?   I'm on a computer, and I can still see post counts.  It even has a little "comment" icon next to the count.

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, PinkTulip said:

I wish I could see everyone’s post count like I could before.  It helps me decide whether to click on a posted link, (won’t do it if the person has few posts), and how “wise” people are in the ways of the Hive. 

I can’t see post count on my phone (just like we can’t see signatures). I can see post count on the desktop site mode. 

[Catwoman]

7 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Surely there are people here who go back farther than that. I was here back when it was the old old scrolling format with the single pages. And I'm definitely not the oldest.

I remember that, too!!! 

[The Governess]

The other funny thing is the reputation points. I figured out a while back that if you give or receive a sad or confused emojji reaction, it reduces your rep points. But sometimes those are really the only legit reactions to a post!! 😆

[The Governess]

Just now, lovelearnandlive said:

The other funny thing is the reputation points. I figured out a while back that if you give or receive a sad or confused emojji reaction, it reduces your rep points. But sometimes those are really the only legit reactions to a post!! 😆

Hey, I just earned three badges for making this post!! LOL

[Ellie]

7 hours ago, Lawyer&amp;Mom said:

My newbie award shows that I’ve been here exactly seven years and have 1,618 posts.  I feel like I post all the time.  How do you guys with 15,000+ do it!?!  Very impressive. 

Post padding on the "Ignore this thread" thread. FYI. 🙂

[Helpdesk]

I wish everyone would look at the Site News Forum and please sit on your hands for a day or two while the system updates happen. Updates take HOURS, and probably *I AM GUESSING BASED ON YEARS IN THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY* that the last module to run in the update is "take care of the customer-specific preferences.

And if that doesn't happen, we will take care of it.  We do that.  

And thank you for patience, forbearance and a sense of proportion--it will all be OK.  🙂

[Lawyer&Mom]

1 hour ago, Ellie said:

Post padding on the "Ignore this thread" thread. FYI. 🙂

I’ve never ventured there.  That’s my excuse!

[KSera]

1 hour ago, lovelearnandlive said:

The other funny thing is the reputation points. I figured out a while back that if you give or receive a sad or confused emojji reaction, it reduces your rep points. But sometimes those are really the only legit reactions to a post!! 😆

Does it really? Well, darn! The confused emoji does some heavy lifting. And some things are just sad!  (Makes me think of that recent thread where people were teaching their kids that the only acceptable expression is a smile 😂)

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, lovelearnandlive said:

The other funny thing is the reputation points. I figured out a while back that if you give or receive a sad or confused emojji reaction, it reduces your rep points. But sometimes those are really the only legit reactions to a post!! 😆

 

22 minutes ago, KSera said:

Does it really? Well, darn! The confused emoji does some heavy lifting. And some things are just sad!  (Makes me think of that recent thread where people were teaching their kids that the only acceptable expression is a smile 😂)

🙈 I must have unintentionally down so many posters’ reputation points.

I think we need a hugs reaction emoji like the Facebook one for reactions here. 
(ETA: picture from https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/04/17/facebook-messenger-coronavirus-new-hug-emoji-reaction-support-family-friends/5147510002/)

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by Arcadia

[The Governess]

2 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

🙈 I must have unintentionally down so many posters’ reputation points.

I think we need a hugs reaction emoji like the Facebook one for reactions here. 
 

I would love a hug reaction!! Sometimes a like or a laugh just isn’t an appropriate response. 
 

Edit: I still plan to use whatever the best reaction is despite what it does to my (or others) reputation!

Edited July 16, 2021 by lovelearnandlive

[Shoeless]

Hmm, just under 3K posts in a little over 3 years. I'm surprised; I feel like I run my mouth all the time, but I guess not!

[Melissa in Australia]

I have progressed to clapping hands 

[DawnM]

I got my "10th post" award......about 28,700 posts too late! 🤣

[Pawz4me]

6 hours ago, Helpdesk said:

I wish everyone would look at the Site News Forum and please sit on your hands for a day or two while the system updates happen. Updates take HOURS, and probably *I AM GUESSING BASED ON YEARS IN THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY* that the last module to run in the update is "take care of the customer-specific preferences.

And if that doesn't happen, we will take care of it.  We do that.  

And thank you for patience, forbearance and a sense of proportion--it will all be OK.  🙂

I think most posters are just having a little fun with the chit chat and bantering.

Thanks for what you do!

[TravelingChris]

As to being old, I have been here since fall, 99.

[Melissa in Australia]

OOoh! I just got my apprentice  badge 

[Lady Florida.]

10 hours ago, Helpdesk said:

I wish everyone would look at the Site News Forum and please sit on your hands for a day or two while the system updates happen. Updates take HOURS, and probably *I AM GUESSING BASED ON YEARS IN THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY* that the last module to run in the update is "take care of the customer-specific preferences.

And if that doesn't happen, we will take care of it.  We do that.  

And thank you for patience, forbearance and a sense of proportion--it will all be OK.  🙂

I think we understand but @Corraleno's question is still a good one. Who decides we should have childish badges? Are these automatically added by the company WTM hired? Does someone sit down and say we'll add this and this, and would you like us to add that too? The new "features" that come with updates are often head scratchers. 

We also understand that this is one of or maybe the only truly free education forums offered by a curriculum provider and we're grateful. But some of us who have been here in its various forms for 10, 15, even 20 years feel a sort of ownership. 🙂❤️

Edited July 16, 2021 by Lady Florida.
Ugh. Autocorrect insists on it's for its

[Arcadia]

10 hours ago, Helpdesk said:

I wish everyone would look at the Site News Forum and please sit on your hands for a day or two while the system updates happen. Updates take HOURS, and probably *I AM GUESSING BASED ON YEARS IN THE SOFTWARE INDUSTRY* that the last module to run in the update is "take care of the customer-specific preferences.

We were just bantering 🙂 Waiting for updates to finish and the badges to disappear is better for us users than having the system offline to update.

1 hour ago, Lady Florida. said:

I think we understand but @Corraleno's question is still a good one. Who decides we should have childish badges? Are these automatically added by the company WTM hired?

I think it is a standard package. Kind of like if you download a software and there is no option for custom installation, where you can only change your preferences after installation is completed.

[Helpdesk]

2 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I think it is a standard package. Kind of like if you download a software and there is no option for custom installation, where you can only change your preferences after installation is completed.

Yes, this. Thank you for explaining.

I posted an update in the Site News pinned post.  

 

 

[KSera]

11 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

🙈 I must have unintentionally down so many posters’ reputation points.

I think we need a hugs reaction emoji like the Facebook one for reactions here. 
(ETA: picture from https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2020/04/17/facebook-messenger-coronavirus-new-hug-emoji-reaction-support-family-friends/5147510002/)

 

 

 

This reminds me of the thread long ago where all the emojis were suddenly giant (but not for everyone).