Trusted Members

[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]

 

[Tony73]

I am proud to have green badge. I also think we would have problem here (TF) if there would be no TA. Imagine members like SWEEDISH MIKE see everything you talk about :lol:. At least people know they could trust "green" members.

 

[DHTiling]

Just another side to this... do we have to be like other forums..? we are what we are, do we need the admin/mods to run it like others do..?

Making it individual and not same old same has to work doesn't it.. worth thinking about.. but i am easy either way.. go with the flow as they say. lol.

 

[Pebbs]

I probably wont make much sense, in my flu jab state, but I don't think there is a 'elitist' scenario for those in the tilers arms and those who are in the trusted advisors section. To me the trusted is not about how many posts you've done, its a mark of how well you know your trade and skills. If I have a problem I won't post it in the tilers arms, I'll come and post it in here, such as the case at Wimbledon, I know the lads in here will give me their input, and I trust your opinions and views on the subject. Just as if anyone where to ask my opinion Id give it, if I knew anything about the subject. I agree also with what a lot of you have already said, about posting stuff like welcome to the forum, no it shouldn't be counted towards getting in here, Deano has a very good and valid point, some of the posts in the open areas, are from people who think they can do the work, and they do it wrong and then gleam the info from those of you that have been doing it years and effectively times are bad, and work is being taken away from tilers.

So yes I like being the trusted advisors section, because its straight talking, no bull****, and no head games. I would be really sorry to see it go, because apart from pms, there is no place I would feel confident in posting something of a 'sensitive' nature.

I look at some of these postings in the open forum and as before someone pointed out, its blatant self promotion, of my dogs bigger than your dog tactics. If your good, your good, no two ways about it. You don't need to brag about it, as my grandad said to me.. keep your head down, your mouth shut, and get on with it. Two times this week, I have been given the hump in two sections of the forum, one which went of topic, when some poor sod asked for advice about suitable material for their home, and we got the sales patter of a street trader pushing his product. Another one were two people were bigging themselves each other up about how good their work was. In fact it was a pile of crap, but I kept my mouth shut.

I also got the hump about someones entry in the JOTM, and picked up a diabolical piece of workmanship, but again I kept my mouth shut, but then read the comments from others saying what a great piece of work. Now that tells me something, either people are blind, or they haven't got the skills they make out they have.

So in essence I would not like to see this closed section be dissolved, its the only place I can sound off and get advice that I value. As for the other forum, to many egos, for me, I know I am stroppy at the best of times, but at least I keep it real.

Your a great bunch of lads, your all great at what you do, so why think something is wrong in here?

Lynn

 

[peteablard]

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

IMO Jamie hit the nail on the head with his short but sweet post......

 

[Perry]

just change the name from trusted advisor to old tilers that should do the trick

 

[Dan]

I'll hang on before chipping in it looks like you're all getting somewhere just fine.

I can see it staying as it is though to be honest as it doesn't seem to upset anybody by being like this. We're too used to it here now.

Just done a similar forum on electriciansforums though and it's caused uproar for the last 3 weeks. It's change that upsets people, doesn't matter what the change is, takes time to get used to change. And it's cool because it shows how passionate people are about a forum, but the least we upset the masses the better for getting on with the actual forum topic.

That all said, if you think it needs a vote, then setup a poll at the weekend after we've considered it a bit more. If not, then fair enough.

 

[DHTiling]

IMO... leave it be .... it is good to see that when members are given t he trusted tag they are chuffed to bits and that used to make me smile when i was Admin..knowing that we had made them pleased to be selected and i personally don't feel it is a clicky club.. this is just a term used by .. if i have to say it the other forum.. but i don't like to get into them and us... we are us ( tilersforums.com) and that is all it has to be IMHO.. forums can run along side each other no probs , so leave them to get on and we do what we do.. Simples as that...

Why compare.. use both or one but don't feel you have to choose.. that is my take on it as a member with no vested interest in either forum.

 

[Gazzer]

Perfectly put Dave

 

[Andy Allen]

well said dave, most TA members have had a say, and most if not all seem fine the way it is...

so why change it ?

 

[AliGage]

Do you think it would be a good idea to maybe add something on the forum, perhaps a sticky thread or something that outlines what all the badges mean.
I think it might be good, certainly if posted publically, to define what all of them mean. It would be a good guide for new comers, and if it's also set out in plain text and how to be awarded each badge then maybe people won't make their own interpretation of what it means. In the stereotypical way. We all do it, it's how we are. But at least if outlined and defined people can't get there backs up about it.

Please keep the TA board as well.

 

[Gazzer]

I think there was a thread like that before .