Shipbucket

I have always seen the ranks as a reward for contributing to SB and it was agreed to be a superior system than the rank = number of posts used in some other forums. I think there is very little if any 'poor' or 'bad' work on these boards and therefore rank is not really a qualitative mark either. Advice I agree can come from everyone and some folks here are experts in certain areas and given the wide range we have now from sailing frigates to modern stealthy ships with uber-modern radars that is a good thing, because no-one can be an expert in everything.

At the same time the proposal to have approval for publication in the new database system by a select group of authorized 'super users' does hark back to having a ranking system (after all such 'super users' are not likely to be some random 15 year-old who posts NS-inspired AU kitbashes).
I have mentioned this idea before, but not sure if it was to the moderator group only. What about a series of informal 'expert groups'? Drawings of ships by nationality tend to be drawn by particular groups of people anyway. BB1987, Emperor Andreas and PomboCZ have drawn some excellent IJN ships and could easily co-operate as an IJN 'expert group'; the Old Grey Funnel Line Faction was begun as a tongue-in-cheek club of us RN ship fans but together we've not only drawn some excellent group drawings and pulled together parts sheets but are a growing band of people; AlphaDG, Garlicdesign and Tempus Fugit would make an excellent German group. Ace at the moment is our solitary Dutch expert but his electronics knowledge with Erik_T and TJ has been instrumental for the modern USN parts and Heuhen has done great work with parts from everywhere and Kim's badges have been an enormous contribution to SB. The recent USS Forrestal group is another encouraging sign.
I don't envision such groups as exclusive clubs, but as a way to gather resources and a range of skills to apportion work and make large and complicated projects easier to achieve (it took me, BH and Kim to complete the Weird Sisters series for example) and to provide new members who want to draw similar ships the right parts and expertise. Therefore I feel rather than 'super users' a series of 'expert groups' could give submissions the once over and the thumbs up. As Golly says, there are many quality issues anyway, its just a matter of checking the small details.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

I could point out that I am probably that person to go to when talking about Norwegian ships. I'm the Norwegian expert!!!

To be honest, announced changes, while certainly interesting, bring me some mixed feelings.

I am rather pessimistic about the idea of dropping "color ranks" and making us all "equal". Although very noble, it goes against one of the very basic and very human feelings - desire for "visible" recognition. I hope I will be wrong about it, but I'm afraid that sooner or later some bad feelings related to it will emerge anyway.
On a note, I'd like to also say, that personally I don't see a link between a degree of "friendliness" within the community and existence of color ranks. But maybe I don't see it because I'm precisely one of these jerks who are supposedly unfriendly?

While the need for three-tiered rank structure (basic/premium/elite member) is indeed debatable, I have the feeling that some sort of "recognition mark" for established, "trusted" (quality-wise) members is rather useful thing.

I have some concerns - although they are rather vague and hard to put into words - about planned changes to the archivization system.
But then again, maybe it's because I only relatively recently complied new FD Archive, volunteered to collect files for updates etc. and now I've been essentialy told I have that this my small point of quiet pride taken away and it will be "fixed" to new system, so am taking it bit personal.

@Hood
I am not sure I understand the idea of "expert groups"?
If it were to be something like "badges" given to members especially knowledgeable in certain area so it would be visible in their posts (in footnote or somewhere) in a way of telling those whom it may concern: "hey, when he/she says something about XXX then you can be sure he/she knows what is talking about", then I suppose it's very sensible (though it would still "hark back to having a ranking system").
But if it's to be a "verification group" for particular categories of uploaded files, then I have to admit I don't see the point. Right now any work is posted on forum and then anyone having any relevant knowledge simply makes comments that could serve to improve that particular drawing. Verification of works posted for upload is essentialy limited to "formal" issues (template, shading, filename).

First of all, We are not yet dropping the user titles, Im just "sniffing" the air and trying to fix wrong assumtions of the role and matter of the titles. I hope people would be open and honest in their feelings, specially if they think me and Colo are in the wrong tracks here, since its lot easier for sing the same tune with the "bosses" rather than contradict them, and likewise its lot easier for us bosses to just listen the tunes in our register.

Idea of expert groups brings a somwhat founded fear into my head about these sections blocking up into sort of closed guilds, who then regulate the rigth draw things inside the fraction. And there migth be some sort of roots of this type of thinking allready existing, and heaven's can testify, that Its the biggest critisism my own persona seems to get time to time with the Soviet/russian folder. To make it any more solid would not be the direction I would choose to go, more the contrary. Then again, its good to recon, that we have these expertise onboard, even if this expertise doesen't always translate into huge urge to educate people.

I also understand the idea of ranks as rewards, or as eswube put it; sign of reconnition. And its not suprising to hear this type of comments from members that have perhaps unnesserically too long waited that promotion. What Im always secretly (and openly as well) wanted is some sort of medal/badge feature that could be placed upon each member's profile as distingition from various good deeds, expertise or just long time support. At this forum format its technically impractical to achieve.

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Shipbucket mainsite, aka "The Archive"
New AU project "Aravala"

I think a more egalitarian atmosphere is likely in the best interest of the ultimate purpose of the community, which is to learn and teach, ourselves and others, about ships and maritime matters through the use of a common style and technique.

Though I understand that this move might also cause some personal unhappiness and hurt feelings, it is my hope that these are minor compared to what gains we might make, and that everyone take this action in good faith for the greater benefit of the common purpose. There are many places on the internet where one can lend greater personal focus to other topics and a more socially-structured atmosphere; perhaps it is better to keep Shipbucket sparser and more distilled.

In any case, we'll find out! It's not as if Gollevainen and the Shipbucket Progenitors can't choose to revise this policy in the future if it ends up not working.

If you tie your happiness to a colored user title on a web forum... :/

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

As a very new member, I think having different colour names as a badge of honour/rank is good to have but not a necessity.

They should be seen by the board members as something nice to have but not a necessity and should be seen as a reward for, or an acknowledgement of, ones depth of research into the background/history of the ships, the quality of their drawings, improvement of ones ability over time and general niceness to other board members.

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My Worklist
MD Scale, 4 Pixels : 1 Foot
Official German Parts Sheet
German Capital Ship Projects of The First World War

If you really want to reward people, surely it should be for contributing drawings to the database... ultimately what this forum is all about.

the best text, that have been posted in SB, ever.

Well I will quite happily accept whatever decision is taken. I think the most important thing is we learn to be nice to each other again. After all this is a place we come for relaxation and share a common interest with like minded people.
To me it matters not one little bit who gives the help and advice needed or what colour their title maybe. The important thing is the way that advice is given. It's not good to just say " you have done this, that, and the other wrong".
How long does it take to give a bit of praise to the artist first and then provide some pictoral or documentary evidence to support the claim ? When all's said and done we are dealing with real people with real feelings here. Irrespective of who you are on the forum,rank or title it costs nothing to be polite and have good manners.
And if you don’t like the drawing or the artist then don’t comment.