I really don’t understand all the negative connotations being leveled at the Thanks button.
What’s the issue if a person has a small and unobtrusive note in their signature, reminding people to press thanks if they have been helped by the aforementioned person’s post?
I don’t mean a huge banner with neon lights begging for thanks but personally, I’d rather see a small reminder to press the thanks button than see some malingerer who constantly asks for help and doesn’t have the decency or good manners to say thanks using any method.
My view of the thanks button has always been a positive one as it serves multiple purposes. To name just three:
1. It serves to give thanks where thanks are due.
2. It notifies the original poster, that you have read and appreciated the post they have taken the time and effort to write.
3. It helps to keep the thread clear of posts just to say thanks.
Regarding the question of when should a Member qualify as a
Senior Member, I like the idea of raising the bar here also.
Whether this is achieved by requiring more posts, more thanks, longer membership or a combination of all three, I’m open to ideas but I like the idea in principle.
Why differentiate user states at all?
Just to be called "senior member" or something? What is actually being discussed regarding actually accomplishing with any new user groups?
As a mark of recognition is enough reason I think. Also, it's not adding any new user group... it's fine-tuning the existing user groups.
By your thinking, some may ask what is the use of a Recognized Contributor title?
Simple. You are being recognized for your devotion and service to the XDA community... at least that's what I take from it.
The same could and should be used for the Senior Member title…
It should mean that you haven’t just joined XDA because of some short term goal of what XDA can do for
you (like unbricking your device etc.)
You have joined XDA because of your interest in technology and in the XDA community and you have stayed an active member for a designated length of time and accumulated a designated number of posts and achieved a designated number of thanks.