closing in on next level

[Sam Capricci]

So the clock is ticking, I am just a couple points away from my "possible" next level in the forum.
Now I know how Ford felt when he posted his "new best" post here http://www.excelforum.com/the-water-...-new-best.html
What has amazed me at times is how I have seen people on the forum with as few as just over 800 posts and a forum expert title.
Just have to say I continue to enjoy this forum even though I can no longer access it from work, I continue to help some people and learn a lot from others. Thank you all for continuing my education in excel!
Anyone wanting to comment on their recollections of hitting their milestones feel free to add.

[TMS]

I'm never sure of the "rules" or the calculation. As far as I know, it is based on posts, rep and length of service. Not sure what other factors there may (can) be.

I guess you're just approaching 700 rep points which, from 2001 posts, probably isn't that bad One in three, give or take?

And, given that you might answer the question in one post and, maybe, say thank you for any feedback and/or rep in another, brings it down (potentially) quite a lot in terms of threads plus-repped.

But, keep it up; we all started with no rep points and worked our way up

Regards, TMS

[Glenn Kennedy]

I think that the the current limits (below) must have been changed at some time in the past, making it harder to get further "up the tree". My personal milestone was my first nervous answer after about 5 months of asking Qs. However, I still amaze myself at the scale of the silly mistakes, that I still make, when answering Qs.

http://www.excelforum.com/faq.php

[Sam Capricci]

Trevor under the forum rules, expert level is 600 points and 1200 posts and 360 days as a member. I hit two of the three and am just short of the 600.
Your guru status is one that I don't anticipate getting since it is based on voting and given my skills, I wouldn't vote for myself.

Thanks.

[Sam Capricci]

I still remember my first post. I broke one of the rules about posting a question on another person's post.
then after I posted and got my answer I looked at other questions and decided that for some I could answer so I went nervously onto one and posted my answer. Eventually I got a couple points and some right (you know how that can be, trying to guess what someone wants from a vague question). Then I passed my first milestone which was to valued forum contributor (still there) and am now only a couple points from the next jump where you are Glenn. Though I don't believe I have your skills it is still nice to hit that mark.
Sam

EDIT: Thanks VERY MUCH Glenn for the rep, I now hit the # exactly.

[AlKey]

I don' t think I fully understand the rules by which one get promoted from one level to another. It seems that this rule: "Forum Guru: Promoted by voting from Forum Expert level" has not been followed. I've never been asked to vote for anyone even when I've been at the Expert level for 1.5 years. Nevertheless, I do see some folks getting promoted somehow.

[Sam Capricci]

Hey AlKey fellow Floridian, I can't say whether or not the forum rules have been followed, but there is a link in the water cooler about how to get to guru status... http://www.excelforum.com/the-water-...n-ef-guru.html
according to that link you have to be nominated by another guru, moderator or administrator.
I'd nominate you given what I've seen of your work but I don't think my nomination would count for much.

[FDibbins]

Sambo, I know what you mean about your few 1st nervous posts. I got through them, then posted on a sort-of difficult Q and a senior member also responded with - what I thought was - a hocus-pocus magic formula that i simply did not understand. I thought at the time that I was fairly good at excel...until the experts here showed me (and still continue to show me) what good really looks like

Keep up the good work, I really enjoy seeing your posts

[Sam Capricci]

Hmmm, interesting, I now hit all three and still listed as a VFC. Also interesting, apparently my 2001 posts total doesn't count posts on the water cooler?

[FDibbins]

I don' t think I fully understand the rules by which one get promoted from one level to another. It seems that this rule: "Forum Guru: Promoted by voting from Forum Expert level" has not been followed. I've never been asked to vote for anyone even when I've been at the Expert level for 1.5 years. Nevertheless, I do see some folks getting promoted somehow.

Forum gurus get voted on by other guru's, mods and admin. Experts get nominated, then we all vote

[FDibbins]

Hmmm, interesting, I now hit all three and still listed as a VFC. Also interesting, apparently my 2001 posts total doesn't count posts on the water cooler?

no, posts in the water cooler dont add to the post count

[AlKey]

@Sambo kid

My question/statement is not really about how to get nominated, but it is rather about the rule itself. "Forum Guru: Promoted by voting from Forum Expert level". -- There is no voting.

[Sam Capricci]

Keep up the good work, I really enjoy seeing your posts

Thank you Ford, that is very kind of you.

I thought at the time that I was fairly good at excel...until the experts here showed me (and still continue to show me) what good really looks like

I had to chuckle at that. Your skills are well beyond mine. I work for a large health care provider in the area, better than 20,000 + employees and I am considered an expert in excel. HA! I even took an advanced excel class and ended up teaching the instructor things he didn't know. That said, I am amazed at what I see people write on this forum - including you!

[Sam Capricci]

My question/statement is not really about how to get nominated, but it is rather about the rule itself. "Forum Guru: Promoted by voting from Forum Expert level". -- There is no voting.

That I certainly don't know about but as I noted previously, I'd vote for you if someone asked. Sam

[AlKey]

That I certainly don't know about but as I noted previously, I'd vote for you if someone asked. Sam

LOL! Thank you!

[AlKey]

@Sambo kid

Congratulations on your Expert level!!

[TMS]

Every so often, it is deemed appropriate to review the current Experts and consider whether they should be a) nominated for Guru status and b) voted for by current Gurus, Moderators and Administrators. I asked the question a couple of months ago but the powers that be didn't pick up on it.

Guru status is based, again, on posts, rep, and service, but also on regular, frequent and consistently high value (ok, good) answers.

I think we're due for a selection but Gurus hold no power over the process, just the option to vote for those we feel it is appropriate to promote.

For what it's worth, I never asked that many question in the forum, and still don't (although there is a recent example) but that's because I did lots of question asking and book reading way back ... and now I can use Google

And, in my early days, I got half a dozen infractions for not following the forum rules.

[Sam Capricci]

@Sambo kid

Congratulations on your Expert level!!

Woo Woo! finally took. Thanks AlKey.
Hope I can live up to that title.
Honestly until you mentioned it on this forum I guess I thought you were. Best of luck in your quest for guru status.

[TMS]

@Alkey:

There is no voting.

Yes, there is, but it's not Experts voting, it's Gurus, Mods and Admins.

[TMS]

@Sambo kid: congratulations

[FDibbins]

AK, did you see post 10?

[FDibbins]

Congrats, Sambo

[Sam Capricci]

Thank you again!
Thank you all!
To all, please feel free to post all your reminiscences about your milestones, I know I enjoy reading them and I believe others will too.
Sam C
BTW, I've never been asked about my screen name but Sambo Kid was a nick name my best childhood friend gave me.

[AlKey]

@Alkey: Yes, there is, but it's not Experts voting, it's Gurus, Mods and Admins.

Thank you Trevor,

I thought there was a democratic process where someone is selected from within but this one is a corporate, promotional process.

[FDibbins]

AK, no, the nomination can come from any member, but the selection is done by that member's "future" peers (aka other gurus/mods/admin). It was felt that because these are all senior members, they would be in a better position to "judge" (not the right word, cant think of it right now though) the nominee's skills/abilities etc

[TMS]

Sambo Kid was a nick name my best childhood friend gave me.

Because ...

[Tony Valko]

Congrats Sambo!

Check your rep number, I just gave you a few (not sure how much my rep power is worth!).

WRT nicknames... Biff used to be my club name.

[Sam Capricci]

Because ...

Wow, that's a good question, I'm thinking that was like 53 years ago. Now I can remember.

[Sam Capricci]

Congrats Sambo!

Check your rep number, I just gave you a few (not sure how much my rep power is worth!).

Thank you Tony! That was worth 10 points! (From a former Pennsylvaniaian.).

[FDibbins]

Kinda what I said in post # 25

[TMS]

And maybe post #17? But now we've heard it from the horse's mouth

[JBeaucaire]

Previous post deleted....

Congrats SamboKid, well-earned and well done.

[Sam Capricci]

Congrats SamboKid, well-earned and well done.

Thank you!
It's been a fun trip.

[Fotis1991]

Congrats SamboKid, well-earned and well done.

[Sam Capricci]

Congrats SamboKid, well-earned and well done.

Thank you Fotis! Well-earned, I'm not sure but I'll say hard-earned.

[romperstomper]

I remember when I first hit VFC level. I had more hair, could access the forum whenever I wanted, and there weren't slowdowns every Sunday. And Monday. And...
And DonkeyOte was still around!

[xladept]

Way to go Sambo!

[Sam Capricci]

Way to go Sambo!

Thank you Orrin!
Sam