You can't judge a reefer by amount of posts

[SDhky]

Its funny/annoying when you see people coming down on people giving advice who only have 20 or 30 posts. Do not call them an idiot just because they do not spend all their time on the internet posting in forums. They could still be an expert in marine biology.

[deep_sea_Dennis]

Amen.....

[Peter Eichler]

It's funny, I see many more posts like this than posts where people with a lot of posts come down on someone with few posts. However, I agree that post count doesn't always mean much.

Lastly, let me add that expert marine biologists often are lacking knowledge when it comes to home aquaria. ;) Learning some stuff in textbooks, in a classroom, and even in field study about reefs will only go so far when it comes to the problems encountered with home aquaria.

[dcombs44]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10453112#post10453112 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
It's funny, I see many more posts like this than posts where people with a lot of posts come down on someone with few posts. However, I agree that post count doesn't always mean much.

However, let me add that expert marine biologists often are lacking knowledge when it comes to home aquaria. ;) Learning some stuff in textbooks, in a classroom, and even in field study about reefs will only go so far when it comes to the problems encountered with home aquaria.

Agreed. There have been quite a few threads started discussing this, and the overall consensus is that "experts" aren't always that when it comes to home aquaria, low posters aren't always noobs, and high posters aren't always genius.

As recommended by some of the mods and RC staff (among others) search for a member's other posts. You'll be able to tell if their input is worth banking on.

[der_wille_zur_macht]

Watch out. The more time you spend making posts like this, the more you'll become like one of those dreaded high post count losers. :(

[SDhky]

not saying people with high post counts are losers, im saying they might not always be as smart as they think, just because they type a lot

[ihopss]

Are they looking at posts or intellect?

[RicGio]

It seems to me, that people with high post counts are taking time to actually ANSWER a lot of peoples questions on the forum. Whether it's good or bad advice remains to be seen, but I for one appreciate the answers so I can weigh it out and make my own decisions.

[ACBlinky]

Post count means nothing IMO. I spend most of my computer time here, because I like the community on RC, but also occasionally visit a Canadian forum to meet folks closer to home. My post count there is 8, but I've been a member since 2005.

[dcombs44]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10453483#post10453483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RicGio
It seems to me, that people with high post counts are taking time to actually ANSWER a lot of peoples questions on the forum. Whether it's good or bad advice remains to be seen, but I for one appreciate the answers so I can weigh it out and make my own decisions.

That is advice for all to follow. Too many people take the first answer that they get and run with it. Weigh the options. No one has promised legit information from every member.

[SDguy]

Man, I must be reading the wrong threads...I really don't recall seeing anyone bashed or praised, for that matter, on the basis of their post count. Sorry to hear that it's happening though...

[TriniStylez]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10453112#post10453112 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Peter Eichler
It's funny, I see many more posts like this than posts where people with a lot of posts come down on someone with few posts. However, I agree that post count doesn't always mean much.

Lastly, let me add that expert marine biologists often are lacking knowledge when it comes to home aquaria. ;) Learning some stuff in textbooks, in a classroom, and even in field study about reefs will only go so far when it comes to the problems encountered with home aquaria.

Very True! My brother is a Marine Biologist but would never claim to know nearly as much as some of the people on this board. I have asked him SOOOO many things that he cannot answer but people here can! If you ask him technical questions about how fish breathe or mate or how their bodies in general work, he can go on for hours...especially if you ask about Salmon;)

[bpd964]

I have to admit, when I first started on this site, I used to seek advice from people who had a huge post count until I got some really bad info.. Being an investigator of sorts, I did the smart thing by searching the name and viewing other post from them.. Well, let me tell you, it ain't all what it's cracked up to be in a bunch of cases..

[dcombs44]

I will say this. If it says RC staff, RC Mod, or Team RC in below the name, I usually give their advice a bit more weight than others. You can learn a ton from those guys and girls. Some of them have a specialty, and they are a wealth of information on that said topic. Keep it up RC.

[mujtba]

But posts must mean summin since u cant sign up and post to classifiedS!!!

[bpd964]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10453661#post10453661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dcombs44
I will say this. If it says RC staff, RC Mod, or Team RC in below the name, I usually give their advice a bit more weight than others. You can learn a ton from those guys and girls. Some of them have a specialty, and they are a wealth of information on that said topic. Keep it up RC.

I would agree there..

[Anemone]

The one thing about a high post count that you don't get with a low post count, is background. If a poster has lots of posts, you can search for other posts by that poster (click the search icon above one of their posts) and evaluate them more "in context."

Do others generally agree with the advice they give, or are they often "corrected" or even flamed?

Are the bulk of their posts, "I agree," or "nice pic!"?

When did they sign up? Someone who has been around the board for a few years and has a decent amount of posts is going to be (to me, at least), more trustworthy than someone who signed up 3 months ago and already has 4000 posts (can you say "summer break?" I knew you could...). :D

The internet in general is like a giant paper recycling plant. Pluck a piece of paper at random and read it without a critical eye or doing your own research, and you might believe that aliens and Elvis did leave babies at a 7-eleven last week. In other words, the newspaper you picked up (or the post you got in answer to your question) can either be from The National Enquirer or the New York Post. It's up to the reader to determine which is which.

Caveat emptor!

Kevin

[Capt_Cully]

this hobby has alot of trial and error involve. that being said, anytime you research anything on the internet, you need to either verify it on different sites or off-line sources. It's your own fault if you follow bogus advice regardless of # of posts. don't let the know it alls get to you.

take it all with a grain of salt and enhance your own experience.

I've found a few people that, thru my own outside research and trials, I have found them to be very reliable and much appreciated.

Most of them, incidentaly, have like a buh-zillion posts.