OpenBadges Implementation

[ndeniche]

I just recently discovered OpenBadges, which help recognize and verivy learning and skills, so that go me thinking...

What if Daniweb gave out badges to posters based on their expertise on the topics here discussed?

[Ancient Dragon]

Doesn't Endorsements do that?

[ndeniche]

Yes, but I meant on a more global way. Certain number of endorsements on a topic might give you a badge to show off to the whole internet.

[Ancient Dragon]

Oh, is that something that the web developer community consider a "standard", or just something someone dreamed up to get a name for himself? I don't know.

[ndeniche]

I think it's a cool initiative that other web development websites are implementing. It'd be awesome to show off how valued my opinion in certain topics is in the Daniweb community.

I don't think it's a "standard" in the web development comunity yet, but it might become some day, and Daniweb could be one of its early adopters.

[Dani]

I've never heard of it and I don't know any other sites that implement it. But I'd consider using it if those things should change.

[ndeniche]

I first met these while doing some courses at codeschool. Maybe that reference helps

[pritaeas]

That's tricky. Some members (even me) here have endorsements on topics they hardly know. How will you make this trustworthy?

That's tricky. Some members (even me) here have endorsements on topics they hardly know. How will you make this trustworthy?

Ditto - I have about 6 on Microsoft Windows. I can only just manage to turn on the laptop.

[ndeniche]

There must be some way in which we can improve the endorsement system. I recall the reputation system being flawed a long time ago.

[Ancient Dragon]

Maybe endorsements should be limited to only those members who have made XXX number of posts in a forum. For example I never post in the Java forum so I would not be eligible to receive endorsements in that forum.

[~s.o.s~]

Maybe endorsements should be limited to only those members who have made XXX number of posts in a forum

I would say make that "X number of up-votes" in a particular forum. That would be a more balanced stat since it's really easy to have a good number of posts in a given forum (piggybacking on good answers, asking lots of questions etc.) but not easy enough to gain reputation/up-votes. I mentioned up-votes instead of reputation because reputation is far difficult. Anonymous voting is what most of the folks like these days.

[deceptikon]

For example I never post in the Java forum so I would not be eligible to receive endorsements in that forum.

If you've never posted in a forum, you cannot be endorsed for that forum. The list is based on favorite places to post as shown on your profile overview. However, if you make even one post in a forum, that shouldn't preclude allowing people to endorse you if they feel you showed expertise deserving of an endorsement in that single post.

I would say make that "X number of up-votes" in a particular forum.

A counter argument is that you're making one subjective metric dependent on another subjective metric, which makes the metric no less subjective. While I don't disagree with such a restriction, it does encourage an old boys club mentality wherein only established members' opinions have any value. If Bjarne Stroustup himself joined and wanted to endorse me for C++ but couldn't because he didn't have enough up votes, I'd be a little miffed. ;)

[~s.o.s~]

If Bjarne Stroustup himself joined and wanted to endorse me for C++ but couldn't because he didn't have enough up votes, I'd be a little miffed. ;)

Haha, nice one. :) But I guess you misunderstood me. What I was trying to say is that when a forum member wants to endorse someone, that particular someone should have a minimum of 'X' number of up-votes in that forum.

But I hear you; it's really just another subjective metric though I personally feel it should stop the abuse wherein those who really shouldn't be on the endorsement list end up on it.

[Ancient Dragon]

if you make even one post in a forum, that shouldn't preclude allowing people to endorse you

Oh but I think it should. Why should I get an endorsement in Java if I make just one comment -- right or wrong? That wouldn't happen if eligibility were based on the number of upvotes or some other criteria.

[deceptikon]

What I was trying to say is that when a forum member wants to endorse someone, that particular someone should have a minimum of 'X' number of up-votes in that forum.

Ah, I got it backward. But my example can be reversed too. If Bjarne Stroustup joined, I'd make a beeline to endorse him for C++, regardless of how many up votes he had. ;p

That say, there's a restriction on how many posts you need in a forum before that forum becomes a favorite, and it's based on a percentage of total posts. It's not a very severe restriction (only 2% presently), but that does provide at least a little bit of buffer for the member to earn enough respect for endorsements.

[ndeniche]

The endorsement system is at the moment quite arbitrary. For instance, I got a suggestion to endorse christina>you in C++, and she 1. Hasn't even been there in at least 4 years; and 2. She has one single post in that forum.

I think a user should be more experienced in a forum (as Ancient Dragon said, having a certain amount of posts) and have a reputation in it (as ~s.o.s~said). I think both criteria should be combined.

[Ancient Dragon]

christina>you doesn't show up in the list of people that can be endorsed in the c++ forum. AFAIK you have to hit the Endorse button in the dark-purple ribbon at the top of the page and you will get a list of members who you can endorse. christina>you is not in that list, at least not in the one I see.

[ndeniche]

It is for me

[Ancient Dragon]

Here is the list I see. Go to c++ forum then hit the Endorse button.

[ndeniche]

There she is again. I think the list is built according to the people you've interacted with the most. The people that have posted in the same threads as you. Since I used to hang out a lot in the Community Center, I posted in several threads in which she posted too. That's why I can see her and you can't (at least that's my guess)