GENERAL REPLY:
I think the potential for abuse re the rating system idea is pretty high judging by the numerous squabbles seen on threads and would prolly just create more havoc. This isnt a contest. Regardless of any rating or post count, ppl know if they give helpful and accurate answers and so does everyone else. An op in a help channel doesnt have a tally of the number of ppl they help, they dont get a different level of ops. There are a lot of us here who would have to go look to see how many posts we have, there are others who monitor it answer by answer.
Of course it would be great if some ppl didnt spend their time (and waste others) posting just for the sake of increasing their post count, but ppl will be ppl. I suspect those same ppl, if there werent a visible count, would still be making useless posts just so they and others saw their name a lot. Just as there are ppl who think their implied worth is based on how many power swirlies (@) they can collect or how expensive their car is or where they buy clothes, etc. If the post count were hidden, i doubt it would be long before someone decided to count a persons posts and include the number in a reply in some way shape or form. Hiding it, leaving it to show only in profile, showing the "title" for number of posts or not... it isnt going to change a person's basic nature.
When i see posts like "looky looky, i have ___ posts now!!" or continuous nonsense posts or repeatedly inaccurate posts, I wonder if the person has any idea of the poor impression they are giving of themselves. A rating system would fast turn into some silly popularity contest or means of "getting even". I dont like anything that implies helping ppl is a contest. Help if thats where your nature lies. If you want to make a ton of crud posts to satisfy some need, expect that ppl will think less of you. Just consider the post count as a bit of trivia, interesting to some, of no import to others.
