Despite having only found it today, I now believe the thanks list is a misleading representation of the MTGNexus experience. There's hundreds of brilliant threads done by countless unsung heroes, people who actually build the very fiber of the site, and that work cannot be recognized if we publicly showcase our best and brightest members by metrics of internet mass appeal. I think it also encourages a vain pursuit to climb that list, much like karma (imho) works to the overall detriment of content on other sites like reddit. Furthermore, we already have the badges, which are neat and have a tidy cap on their advancement.
Instead, I think the list should be restructured to reflect either post count or thread count. In doing so, the people who have truly committed their time to laying the foundation of the nexus we know today can be honored, in addition to making their bodies of work easier to access by visiting and native traffic.
Just my opinion.
On the Removal and Restructuring of the Thanks List in the Quick Links Tab
-
TheAmericanSpirit
Supreme Dumb Guy - Posts: 2237
- Joined: 5 years ago
- Pronoun: he / him
- Location: IGMCULSL Papal Palace
I've never been a fan of community Karma.
While it sounds beautiful in a vacuum, it often doesn't work out that way.
Thanks is different. It shouldn't be used as Karma, upvoting, or post++. It should be used as a genuine Thanks. A small token of appreciation. Someone answered a question, gave you a rules clarification, or just made/posted something you want to give some appreciation for. I know sometimes it's still used here like an "upvote" but from what I've seen, it's more often used appropriately. Your total thanks isn't listed on your post's profile (beyond milestone marker badges), posts aren't hidden, shown, or ordered based on Thanks, and there's no search for or filter for them. The Thanks List doesn't even list the posts, just the people. The Thanks List shouldn't be viewed as the most popular people, or people with the best threads. These are our most helpful members; some of the nicest people who've helped our community a great deal. And looking at the top of the list, I can concur that it's accurate in that each of these people have always been helpful and kind every time I've interacted with them or read their posts. Hell, some of these people I honestly forget aren't staff sometimes (especially looking at you @Rumpy5897 and @WizardMN) because of how much they've given to the community. If we ever somehow start making money so that I can give out prizes and such to all the staff, a good chunk of that top thanks list will be made honorary staff for it, just because of how much they've helped the community along.
While it sounds beautiful in a vacuum, it often doesn't work out that way.
Thanks is different. It shouldn't be used as Karma, upvoting, or post++. It should be used as a genuine Thanks. A small token of appreciation. Someone answered a question, gave you a rules clarification, or just made/posted something you want to give some appreciation for. I know sometimes it's still used here like an "upvote" but from what I've seen, it's more often used appropriately. Your total thanks isn't listed on your post's profile (beyond milestone marker badges), posts aren't hidden, shown, or ordered based on Thanks, and there's no search for or filter for them. The Thanks List doesn't even list the posts, just the people. The Thanks List shouldn't be viewed as the most popular people, or people with the best threads. These are our most helpful members; some of the nicest people who've helped our community a great deal. And looking at the top of the list, I can concur that it's accurate in that each of these people have always been helpful and kind every time I've interacted with them or read their posts. Hell, some of these people I honestly forget aren't staff sometimes (especially looking at you @Rumpy5897 and @WizardMN) because of how much they've given to the community. If we ever somehow start making money so that I can give out prizes and such to all the staff, a good chunk of that top thanks list will be made honorary staff for it, just because of how much they've helped the community along.
To the beaten, the broken, or the damned; the lost, and the wayward: wherever I may be, you will have a home.
I am pretty happy with the thanks mechanic. It's not in your face and most importantly the thing that distinguishes it from Reddit is you can't drown things out in downvotes. So not getting thanks isn't going to make you stop being able to post or whatever.
I'll admit I use it almost any time someone takes time out of their day to answer something specifically for me but that's genuinely how I feel if someone spends their valuable time thinking on my behalf
.
I'll admit I use it almost any time someone takes time out of their day to answer something specifically for me but that's genuinely how I feel if someone spends their valuable time thinking on my behalf
.
