Is there any way people could be encouraged to actually accurately and completely fill out their profiles so folks can judge their experience levels and background when responding to posts?
Of course we could “encourage” it - but then again, people can make up whatever they want in their profiles. The staff and mods have neither the time nor the inclination to vet all the current members and every new applicant, so it’s basically the honor system anyway.
I would support a requirement that users complete some generic pertinents so that the context of their input could be considered.
Simple data could be offered and maintain PERSEC. Something like “LEO, SWAT, LEFI, Pacific Northwest” would be useful. “Army Vet, IT Guru, Rec Shooter, SE USA.” “USAF-AD, Downrange.”
Where a cred was suspect, inquiries could be made as needed.
I like the lightfighter setup… Intro, profile, participate.
This isn’t LightFighter.
Interesting topic, which brings to mind a question:
It looks to me like the public profile pages have changed format sometime over the last year. When one enters info about himself (under Bio in User CP, for example), where does this info appear in the person’s public profile?
In other words, how do we put information into our public profile?
On a related note…
I may just be interweb-challenged, but is it possible to still view people’s profiles by clicking their name? When I click, I can see their posts, do a visitor message, etc. – which are all good features – but I don’t see the traditional “location, occupation, interests” information. The only place that shows up is in the “members list” which is hard to find people in.
Am I doing it wrong?
You enter that data from your “control panel” and it appears under the “About Me” tab in the profile.
Understood. Offered only as an example.
I see where to enter info in the CP, but I don’t see any “About Me” tab in people’s profiles.
I think this is the same point of confusion that LOKNLOD is referring to.
When I click on your username and then select view public profile I get here:
Right.
Do you see an “About Me” tab or any indication of my occupation (since that’s info I entered)?
No, I didn’t.
I can, but not from the front end. It looks like settings would need to be tweaked in the board code to allow profiles to be public.
It’s unrealistic to be honest. Wish everyone was on the up-and-up, but they’re not. If this is something everyone wants – maybe we can start a collection of funds for specific background checks of each new member??
I’ll offer the first $20 towards background checks for users here. Anyone else?
My company pays $1500 a month for 50 basic checks, so we’d have a way to go.:eek:
If you click on the “Members List” link at the top, everyone’s profile info is visible there (helps to click “posts” to sort by # of posts, so some familiar stuff is at the top). So it’s not really “not public” just “not easily viewed”. It used to be on people’s profile page, prior to the board update when the social groups, friends, and visitor messages were included.
I don’t think we should force people to do it, or make a big deal about it, or require intros like LF, but it would be nice to be able to easily see the info that people choose to share. For example, if I post a comment saying that I don’t like the way something is designed, it might be useful for people to look and see that I’m an enginerd, and not a doorkicker, and take my opinion within the context of where it’s coming from.
If anything, it’s in very close alignment with the M4C.net goal of qualifying our statements with relevant info.
No.
Even if people did fill them out, they would most likely make themselves appear better than they are.
C4
We could post ERB’s and DD214’s…
I don’t have those tabs. I be Dr. Mark doesn’t either. I wonder if I’ve got them disabled somehow.
You’re right, I do not see that tab on my own or anyone else’s profile.
There are really 2 separate issues being discussed in this thread.
First, should folks be encouraged/required to provide some background info. Those who run the forum have been clear that that’s not going to happen, in part because the resources are not available for any sort of vetting process. Also, it’s been made clear from the beginning that this forum wasn’t going to be a restricted forum like 10-8, but more accessable like arfcom (but kept to a narrower focus).
Second, the profile information that we do enter is no longer accessable from the public profile, but only by going through the member list. I, for one, think making it accessable from the public profile via the “about me” tab would be nice, if that’s reasonably doable. Heck, maybe it’s just some setting I missed somewhere…
I messaged Admin to check on why we can’t see the profile information that is available via the Members List.
Hopefully he’ll correct that…