Points system sound off

John,
For me personally I don't care one way or another. If points go away, ZCS will be no more, no less the great site it is.
Loren

Points to me are really waste of energy/time..If I want to make points I go on Facebook and play a game there. If there were some "prize" at the end, people would just post junk on here to get it.

John
Doesn't really do anything for me other than show who is the most verbose maybe. They are not an incentive to my activity here.

cheerz Garth

Points are a distraction!!! Especially in their beginning. Those who could assist Brad with donations made the rest of us feel inadequate. I do recall a few conversations back then. Also recall a select few brand new members making fairly large donations to expedite their existense within the community. None of it was impressive to me. You want to impress me, be the Pelle Soeberg of Z scale!!!! Join the slow growing list of Z master modelers!!!! Money can't buy the skill, but it can sure help those who have it(the skill that is!).

I vote to Trash the Points!!!!

Hobo Tim

I'm sure not motivated by points.
So for me, if the points go away; that's fine by me.
Bill Mock

It's starting to sound like there will be a lynching at the end of the day in Tombstone territory. Maybe it is time to string the fellow up and get back to drinking and gambling.....uh, I mean modeling and running. :o)
Loren

Burn, baby burn.

I mentioned about doing away with the point system a few times before and after you took over ZCS. I say dump it. I'm still more than willing to make donations towards keeping ZCS up and running whenever needed.

I was never motivated by the point system. Recommend doing away with it.

Recommend recognizing individuals like Trainboard.com does if they make a donation/contribution to support Zcentralstation.

John Bartolotto

Let me add my voice to the chorus - to me it matters not a whit nor a jot. Let's go for simplicity.

ausman2001 wrote:

Let me add my voice to the chorus - to me it matters not a whit nor a jot. Let's go for simplicity.

Ditto !

John! I have a different veiw of the point system then all the others.I like the point system and I will take everyones points that dont what the points so i may be KING.
Okay, just kidding!!! lol . I have no use for the point system so i say scrap it. I agree with Alex about supporting the site when I can.
Steve aka "Slugger"

Now the point system... and this coming from a person that will probably always be closer to the lower end of the ol' temperature gauge. Sure dump the points just when I finally get two or three… I don’t think so! What is this turning into a socialist site??? I haven’t been here long but from what I’ve heard, just like any place where people are allowed to work their way to the top, there are some that cheated their arses off to get where they are today! Let’s hear it for the American way of life showing off its ingenuity for the world to see! Just like we do what we must in order to get the job done in Z scale, we do what we must to get to the top here.

BUT, there are some good “points” to be awarded the points system itself. One, it may not be welcome by those whom have spoken out so far, but what about to those which are a bit too shy to speak out? Or ARE there any? I would still like to know how many actual members are here at ZCS. How many visit less than once per week but more than once per month? That is the question. I’ve noticed that I see the same names posting here on this topic as I do in Chat. The un-shy ones. And the points system looks GOOD being on the front page from a sales standpoint. As does Chat and Eventz, etc.. People visit a website for various reasons and every little bit helps. If all they visited a site for was the forum and photos, they would go where they read what they wish to hear and see what they wish to look at (all CN and a few other “minor” players, if I had it MY way).

If anything John, you might consider making the points list a MUCH smaller font size. Then fit something else above it (like a paying advetisement) OR better yet, revamp the points/contributors. List the top contributors in a box by itself. And not just $$$ contributions but also man hours/help to the site. Those people deserve recognition… AND if they wish to contribute a crapload of money in order to be on top – more power to them (and great for the site). If I could afford to spend any more of my disability on Z scale, I’d do it here (OK, I’d buy visitors and start my own site, but the thought is there somewhere anyway). Then remove the contributions from the regular points system. Since the forum has its own points system, remove forum “posts” from the system as well. Calculate points on “use”, in other words, on number of pages visited (forum pages, photos, chat, eventz, etc., etc.). That will show the top “Users” of the site.

Joe

Good day--- This morning I wrote a long message basically supporting the point system, and after reading it several times, deleted the post. I regret it now as it was well thought out and the below seems disjointed. I felt the point system as it was first devised could be another nice tool for ZCS. There was even a feature to give points to other members. We used points as reqwards to the Peanut Butter challenge and a series of discussion topics. I know personally several members that have given away hundreds of points.
It is a system that says thanks- in a small way- but nice-- to active members-- and to those who support ZCS monetarily. It's a way for newbies to find a place to start parusing this site. We might as well take the rocker arms off the sargent stripes-- make em all even- the stripes from an officers sleeve, the badges away from the eagle scouts. It was a way to recognize support for ZCS- either through commenting on fotos- maybe even offering an alternative suggestion here and there, or even going to the trouble of posting a picture, or answering a query. I see the rating of Tycoon is gone - eventually everyone can be a conductor. Like madamn Boxer- she worked hard for her title and demanded a General call her Senator instead of Mamm. I'm ambivelent about the point system as it has evolved.. At one time we traded off points and there was some comradery. now it seems like an appendix.
Going to any site it is hard to determine who really is a supporter and who is the infrequent poster.
I will truncate my remarks, wish I had posted the previous message.
Fred

As I'm still a member my vote is for getting rid of ZPoints. I'm not sure they ever served a purpose in the way they were intended. Some money was raised and some folks got to 'get' some points by contributing. It was okay for a while to see points traded back and forth between members. A good sense of community in those acts. Beyond that I was always against them and told Brad so back in the day. He was the boss, so ZPoints.
Today is another day and I'm for dropping them. Those that need the gratification of "points" will just have to post more and read their gains in their profile. Jim

Jim-- Glad you are spouting off-- ( that's nautical speak ) hope you continue to contribute to ZCS.
Fred

HELLO, JIM! How are you? Nice to "see" you back at ZCS!

Well... I just donated all my points to someone else... so, now I really don't care about keeping the point system.