What makes a TBN member's advice more credible to you?

[EddieWalker]

I don't look at post count. I'll read every comment and find it's pretty easy to tell who knows what they are talking about and who is offering advice without any real experience, or very limited.

Saying that, there are a couple dozen, maybe more, on here who I consider their advise to be gospel. They don't post just to have something to say, and when they do say something, its dead on!!!!

In all honesty, they are the reason I'm here.

Eddie

 

[RDrancher]

Post count or length of membership mean nothing to me whatsoever. Knowledgeable answers mean everything!

 

[MasseyWV]

Given the fact that the two members with the highest post counts on this site are definitely ones that I would take advice from, I cannot say that post count means nothing to me.

Relying on post counts and length of membership is iffy, at best. I agree that they can be potential indicators of the reliability of someone's advice, but not always.

Take a 1 post new member for example, how do you know that they aren't the Einstein of tractors and/or have been reading TBN for years prior to joining? What about a member such as myself, who recently joined, with only a few hundred posts? According to my profile, I joined TBN in February 2012 and at first glance it looks like I'm new here, but I've been a member of TBN before and have been reading the site for years.

On the other hand, looking at someone who has been a member of TBN for many years and has a high post count... What kind of posts were they? Did they give good advice? Did they spend the majority of their time helping people, or chit-chatting in one of the many threads of that type?

The bottom line is that if someone knows what they are talking about, it will usually be obvious rather quickly. Remember, quality is far more important than quantity.

 

[newbury]

To bring the question back:

<snip>
Okay now, if you post a thread here that asks for help or information, whose responses are you going to give more credibility to, a member that had belonged here for five years and made maybe 3,000 posts, or a member who just joined last month and has 100 posts? Or are you going to give both of those members an equal amount of credibility despite the disparity in their contributions here?

Assuming it's in reference to tractors, chainsaws, construction equiment or whats done with them I prefer to trust but verify.
Initially I give more TBNC to the 3,000 poster, but try to establish their record of posts. If the 100 poster shows real knowledge of the subject they might get more TBNC, but rarely.
There was a recent thread with a new poster in Oil, Fuel.... The newbie seemed very knowledgeable and a google spot check made him seem correct.
Maybe he just slept at a Holiday Inn.

 

[aczlan]

To bring the question back:
Assuming it's in reference to tractors, chainsaws, construction equiment or whats done with them I prefer to trust but verify.
Initially I give more TBNC to the 3,000 poster, but try to establish their record of posts. If the 100 poster shows real knowledge of the subject they might get more TBNC, but rarely.
There was a recent thread with a new poster in Oil, Fuel.... The newbie seemed very knowledgeable and a google spot check made him seem correct.
Maybe he just slept at a Holiday Inn.

I agree. There are some people on here who I would consider to be what the military calls "Subject Matter Experts" (WayneCountyHose on mowing or old MF stuff, J_J on hydraulics, Soundguy on old Fords to name a few).
I generally look at the replies, look to see what makes sense, what ideas are repeated frequently, etc and go off of that.
As with any information, I try to follow the mantra of "trust but verify" before doing anything rash.

Aaron Z

 

[buck12]

It all depends on the question as to who is the subject matter expert. For example I am not an expert on anything (just ask my wife) but if a member has a question on a Mahindra 2615 or JD GT235 I may be able to help as I have owned and serviced each for a number of years. That is the beauty of TBN different folks with different experiences makes for the best site I have found on the net. Of course always remember the advice is worth every cent you pay for it

 

[polo1665]

Relying on post counts and length of membership is iffy, at best. I agree that they can be potential indicators of the reliability of someone's advice, but not always.

The point is to take more than just that into consideration. Content and consensus mean something too.

Take a 1 post new member for example, how do you know that they aren't the Einstein of tractors and/or have been reading TBN for years prior to joining? What about a member such as myself, who recently joined, with only a few hundred posts? According to my profile, I joined TBN in February 2012 and at first glance it looks like I'm new here, but I've been a member of TBN before and have been reading the site for years.

I agree, but you won't know that they are "Einsteins" until you have a chance to become exposed to more of their posts. Say I am asking a question about an older Ford tractor and I get two different answwers. One of those answers comes from Soundguy and one comes form a member making his/her first post. Which advice do you suppose I will take and why?

On the other hand, looking at someone who has been a member of TBN for many years and has a high post count... What kind of posts were they? Did they give good advice? Did they spend the majority of their time helping people, or chit-chatting in one of the many threads of that type?

I think that everyone (well most everyone) wants to give good advice or information, and help when they can. Some have more experience and are able to do that to a greater extent. Some have less experience with the topics that come up on this site and came here to pick the collective brains of TBN. Nothing wrong with these people (myself included) posting a little chit chat in one of the threads that cater to that. I think the wealth in this site lies in its comradery as much as it does in its knowledge base.

The bottom line is that if someone knows what they are talking about, it will usually be obvious rather quickly. Remember, quality is far more important than quantity.

I agree with the your first point here. The Quality/Quantity thing is not so clear cut in my eyes. Mind you I am not saying that I would take everything from a high post count member as gospel. Just as I would not discount somebodies advice purely due to a low post count.

I guess that I just think that there are several factors involved and no magic equation.

 

[JDgreen227]

As one of the big time (there, I confessed that) chit-chatters here, I will say there are many threads that I COULD reply to since I might know a little about the subject. But I figure many other members are going to know a lot more than my two cents worth so I don't post unless I am quite sure my input will be helpful and informative.

Much of my prior working experience (retired jack of all trades carpenter) is mainly just general common sense that a majority of the members here probably already have. Since there don't seem to be many threads I can contribute to with my knowledge, I tend to do the chit-chatting thing instead.

I started this thread because a long-term member here Pm'ed me "what do you think of that newbie's advice in the ***** thread?" Well, to me the newbie's advice seemed credible but I wondered how much of it was fact and how much of it was pure BS.

 

[sodamo]

I read TBN every day, but don't post a whole lot. Basically, if someone has always posted what I might have contributed, I'll resist the "me too" post. When I post asking a question I really try to give both feedback and the end result. There are a number of folks here that have instant credibility with me, but usually it's forum specific, because I've read a number of their posts over the years and trust what they say. I have a situation ongoing in the Kioti forum currently, very reassuring that one of the responders had a similar problem some time ago and posted about it. Posting an experience can be way more important than post count, so I see that as a great way for a newbie to contribute.
We cover such a variety of topics here, not just our tractors. I feel quite comfortable coming here and asking for non tractor help because the help is usually very good. An entertaining aspect I love is when I have some off the wall discussion (non tractor) with a friend and I can cite something I just read here on TBN. Used to be, a comment would be made about the relevance about such advice coming from a tractor forum, but haven't heard those comments in awhile. Guess my friends have come to respect TBN as well.

David

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I don't pay too much attention to post count. There are a handful of members that I respect their adivse and experence(maybe a double handful). I usually, but not always, know the answer to the question I am asking but sometimes need to reinforce that. I think I have enough common sense to know if a person "knows" what he is talking about. I read every post and always come away with a better understanding and increase knowledge of a subject, to my question or a question someone else has asked.

My problem is I am on dialup at home and too busy at work to post a lot. But try to read several times a day.

Overall I think TBN has a whealth of experienced, knowledgeable people. But with all things you have a few who "make it up as they go" :laughing: