Post count redux, ...and other post displayed-related things Options

[*mipadi*]

So I've been looking over the post-display style of cB and comparing it to other forums and discussion-thread-type sites I frequent, and I think it could use an "upgrade". Admittedly, I am a bit of minimalist when it comes to design, but I'm inclined to think that the post display style of cB is a bit busy, and could stand to be cleaned up a little.

First of all, post count. I think we should get rid of post count, or at least the display of post counts. People are too obsessed with their post counts, which don't even reveal much about a user, except for how much crap they post. So let's just get rid of it.

Secondly, extra user info like custom rank, group, joined date, location, member no., and status. Shove that stuff to the user info page display, or iconify some of it.

Basically, on posts, just display an avatar, username, and post date and time. Save the extra info for the user page, or get rid of it entirely. If status is deemed to be important, iconify it along with the post. Iconify "rankings" like moderator and admin, too. Give them a little badge next to their name.

[*mipadi*]

I'd even like to see the blue squares go.

I understand how post count can sort of show who has been around here for a while and posts a lot, but it doesn't really say a whole lot. A person can post a lot and never really say anything worthwhile (I can think of a number of members with a lot of posts who fit that bill). And I think anyone who sticks around here for more than a week will quickly pick up on who is around a lot and who has a lot of experience.

In effect, the bad things about post count outweigh the good. Post count can be useful, but then you run into all sorts of problems where a lot of members post just to raise their post count, which means that most of what is posted is garbage that very few people actually want to read. Getting rid of post count will help alleviate that problem, and it won't be a big hindrance to figuring out who has a lot of experience here. (Recall that the "joined date" would still be displayed on the user info page, as well.)