Thanks Mike for at least giving my thoughts some consideration. I'm not saying I have all the answers. Nor am I saying that this site is anything other than great. I've just been frustrated by closed threads (and I don't have a track record of being contentious either, mostly a silent lurker), and by folks with hidden agendas. I think there is always room to improve upon the forum.
Spelling has never been my strong point. I know when it might not be spelled right, but it's not sufficiently important to take the time to look it up. The message is clear enuff...... I mean enough. Did I miss your point, here?
Yes, a "meaningful way" to measure seasoning isn't so easy. Some are easy: dealer, moderator, novice (never owned or operated), etc. One thought off the top of my head (just thinking out loud):
The profile form helps the user select his/her own category. Say maybe based on seat time per task (mowing, backhoe, loader, ground engagements), and also collects and uses occupation, no. of machines owned, and so on. Maybe it's like century estater (100 hour estate user), or Millenium retiree (1000 hours or more), or 500 farmer? It doesn't have to be perfect. But, at least knowing how much experience they have on what type machines, and if one is a dealer, an excavation contractor,a bonafided farmer, retired hobbiest, caring for a 2 acre estate, or a weekend warrior, it would be helpful.
And one should be able to tell this without leaving the thread to read profiles. Heck, I'm always getting people mixed up because their info isn't handy on the thread. There's plenty of space on the left. Why not use it?
BTW, I think profiles should be mandatory in order to post a message. Read all you want, but post only if your profile is filled in. Of course someone could always completely misrepresent themselves. But, not much we can do about liars, now is it? At least they are forced to be outright liars as opposed to "unspoken liars".
On moderators, you are correct. Should or should not dealers be them? I see pros and cons. Dealers have a great deal to offer (no punns intended) and do so all the time. But, potential conflicts of interests might weigh in on performing their duties as moderators. I don't think that anyone whose livelihood depends on the sale of tractors or competing machines can separate their interests from what is purely right for the forum, and this is what concerns me. Also, the owners of this website, who make their money from advertising dealers and equipment also could have conflicts.
The reality is I don't even know who "our" moderators are (and I should). Maybe none are dealers. Perhaps it's my fault; maybe I just haven't taken enough initiative to search out who they are. But, it should be plainly obvious who you are and what you represent, and that goes for all of us, moderators, dealers, farmers, or whatever.
Closed threads are very frustrating, especially if they are closed when I'm in the middle of typing a long response. My whole response is simply lost when I try to post it. On those I'm simply observing, sometimes I'm left hanging with no closure to the topic. I just don't understand the reasoning for the oppressiveness.
