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BST 50 "Quality Post" requirement

The BST forum seems like a really good idea. HOWEVER, the 50 "Quality Post" requirement for posting there seems less-than-optimal.

First, I think that the idea of requiring Quality Posts is great. You don't want folks doing lots of "me too" posts meeting the requirement. As I see those "me too" posts just kludging up the forums, I try very hard to avoid them. But if one avoids them, it takes a VERY LONG time to generate many Quality posts. I suggest too long!

Further, the requirement of 50 Quality posts just seems excessive. Perhaps somewhere around 25 is more of a "sweet spot?"

Under the current paradigm, someone who wishes to be able to post in the BST forum is stuck with the following options:

- Do a bunch of Low-Quality "me too" posts that will probably not be called out as disqualifying, but will degrade the value of the forums, OR
- Take several years to accumulate the required minimum of occasional truly Quality posts.

The current guidelines incentive the first approach. But the more conscientious folks using the second approach lose out (and the community loses out on their virtuous participation in the BST forums for too long).

FWIW, another forum that I have frequently used for many years has a 25 post minimum and it seems to work adequately.
 
Just out of curiosity is the post requirement to deter potential scam accounts? Or is it more of a way to reward active community members and avoid people just using that forum as an additional auction/sales platform?
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
Not only is 50 posts a requirement but so is participation in the B&B community. We do this because we are more than just a BST, more than just a place to buy, trade, sell goods. We want members to focus on the core forums of B&B and engage with the community here and not simply join up to use B&B as a commercial enterprise for themselves.

If it takes you several years to rack up 50 posts then you probably still don’t qualify to use the BST because I wouldn’t consider that “participation in the B&B community”. Likewise if you post a bunch of ”me too” posts just to get access to the BST then spend ALL your time there you may find your BST access removed because that is not “participation in the B&B community”.

Generally the folks that voice an opinion about the 50 posts, 45 day rule are those that just want to use the BST and nothing else here. So I say it’s working pretty darn good for our purpose.

Folks can use the BST to buy from other members at anytime, FYI. But if you want to use our established forum and membership to sell something then you’re going to have to contribute something to the community as well. 50 posts and 45 days membership isn’t a big ask to use a forum that is the #1 (by far) moderation burden and time suck for moderators on B&B.

So with that said - your suggestion will be noted, but we have no intention of changing the 50 post requirement.
 
I am on some pipe forums that center around the marketplace. This is ok because I like to buy and sell pipe stuff however without barriers to entry it seems every conversation turns to trolling drama.

B&B is gentlemanly discourse centric with a solid marketplace that is just the cherry on top.
Personally I like the min 50 post to sell rule. It helps keep the place civilized.
Also welcome @altruistguy, you’re so close!
 
Oh, I didn't care if it was agreement, you've surely passed 50 quality posts by now. But as a joke, it was excellent! 👍🏻

Alas, I've probably been docked 1 quality post for questioning.
I think I’ve made 3 or 4 quality posts. There was the one about scythes and straight razors in the controversial opinions thread, one about the how the Lambda Athena behaves, and maybe one or two in the Rocnel Sailor thread that could have been informative. The rest are barely mediocre. Many are outright insulting.

Luckily I don’t need to sell anything in the BST.
 
I think I’ve made 3 or 4 quality posts. There was the one about scythes and straight razors in the controversial opinions thread, one about the how the Lambda Athena behaves, and maybe one or two in the Rocnel Sailor thread that could have been informative. The rest are barely mediocre. Many are outright insulting.

Luckily I don’t need to sell anything in the BST.

Optimism.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
Just out of curiosity is the post requirement to deter potential scam accounts? Or is it more of a way to reward active community members and avoid people just using that forum as an additional auction/sales platform?
The reason for the 45 days and 50 post requirement is so that people involved in a BST transaction have an opportunity to see what you have said, and in a way, get to know you.
A guy that posts 50 "me too's" is likely to find that some would prefer not to do business with them until they get a chance to be sure it's not a drive by scammer.
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
I agree with Phil. If there isn’t a reasonable threshold, the BST simply becomes a place for people who have no interest in the B&B community to hawk their wares. Those communities already exist, they’re called eBay and Etsy. Requiring people to ‘invest’ some effort in the community separates the wheat from the chaff so to speak. Most wet shaving forums have a very similar requirement for the same reason, it isn’t unique to B&B.

I suspect that folks that believe 50 posts are a high bar would never participate and support the B&B community with content.
 
The reason for the 45 days and 50 post requirement is so that people involved in a BST transaction have an opportunity to see what you have said, and in a way, get to know you.
A guy that posts 50 "me too's" is likely to find that some would prefer not to do business with them until they get a chance to be sure it's not a drive by scammer.
Phil,
I do read posts from BST sellers before buying (assuming I am not already familiar with the seller). I can think of a few cases where I did not make a purchase because the posting history was not that of an active participant in B&B. FWIW, I have made purchases on BST. I have never offered to sell anything, and, at this point, don’t anticipate doing so. I am far from the most active member of B&B, but I do check in regularly, greet new members, post photos, and try to be constructive.

Thanks,
Howard
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
Phil,
I do read posts from BST sellers before buying (assuming I am not already familiar with the seller). I can think of a few cases where I did not make a purchase because the posting history was not that of an active participant in B&B. FWIW, I have made purchases on BST. I have never offered to sell anything, and, at this point, don’t anticipate doing so. I am far from the most active member of B&B, but I do check in regularly, greet new members, post photos, and try to be constructive.

Thanks,
Howard
I think if everyone did at least that, we'd be golden!
 
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