The new Rainmeter Guru Group

[sgtevmckay]

Hello folks

Our latest addition to the forum is the Rainmeter Guru group.
This was a concept, come to fruition, that was discussed back before the forum was fully established.

The Guru designation is our way of recognizing the excellence of folks that create, expand, and educate outside of the core development. Who's knowledge, experience, patients, willingness to help educate others, members that have made huge contributions to the Rainmeter community over time, and push the boundaries of Rainmeter and our minds, should be recognized, and applauded.
These folks, may not be Rainmeter "Know it alls", some may have done nothing more than commit to the excellence of their skin and dedicating their time to the Rainmeter community needs. To the support they have given to the folks that use their skin, and their achievements in expanding the development of the Rainmeter community.

The selection process for acceptance is not an ask and we will give. It is given after we recognize the excellence and experience of the chosen individual. No one is exempt from being chosen, every one is observed and considered for this appointment, but those that prove a superior knowledge, patience, and willingness to help will be given the opportunity to join, what is, an elite forum group status.
As the Administration, Moderators, and members are active, we all speak to one another, and the caring staff here watches out for everyone. This has allowed us, as a community, to see and recognize those with a strong working knowledge of Rainmeter. We also recognize those members that are quick to come forward, not only with the correct answer, but willing to hold our collective hand and walk us into the next level of our experience with Rainmeter. This individual is also continually active, not only in support, but in building skins, working with Rainmeter, and testing of the new "untested releases", always looking for the Rainmeter Limits, and asking for more.
This group is not working on the core software necessarily, not to say that this will not happen, but expanding and teaching us what we can, and will, do with the core software!

As these individuals are found, over time, we will send invitations to them, and ask if they would wish to be a part of the Rainmeter Guru Group.
The Rainmeter Guru group will be a huge trust and responsibility, and be a lot of trouble. We know we are making targets of members by having them accept appointments to this position, that is why we will ask members to join , and not just assign.

Reading back on this post, I find that I had almost given up hope of having this group, as I am a very selective individual, and have exceedingly high standards for who should be a Guru.
I will be the first to admit that I am no Guru, and help as I can, but since the inception of the forum, I have learned so much from many, and from one member in particular. We recognize that many of our members have learned and expanded because of this member.

Having worked with many of you and watching the members and community at large, I find that there are those folks that have a quality about them and their works. I monitor several Skin/Customization sites, and watch the hard work of folks, not only here at the forum, but the support they lend in the whole community. Their knowledge and time freely given, so that the Rainmeter software will be better, but more so that we can be better, and collectively Rainmeter can be better and expanded by our imaginations as well.

Enough rhetoric, so to it then:

Through patient observance, and agree-ance from the staff, and members, here at the forum, we have asked the first member to become part of this elite group. The member has graciously accepted.

We therefore recognize the excellence, patients, and ability to educate and expand our knowledge from our First Rainmeter Guru:

GhostMatrix

I could rain accolades upon all that GhostMatrix has done, but for those that regular the community, we know and appreciate all that GhostMatrix has done.

Join me now as a member of the Rainmeter Community, and give congratulations to GhostMatrix, and thanks for being our first, of hopefully many, Rainmeter Gurus!

[dragonmage]

Well deserved appointment! Glad you are here GhostMatrix!

[jsmorley]

Congrats for the recognition GM! You are a guru indeed and you now receive the "Guru Crown of Achievement"

[sgtevmckay]

Congrats for the recognition GM! You are a guru indeed and you now receive the "Guru Crown of Achievement"

That's just wrong!!!

You are supposed to be chanting, not handing out hats.
and you need to charge for those hats, there cheap

[GhostMatrix]

http://forum.rainmeter.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=392&start=0
sgtevmckay ~

Quite simply for not properly enhancing the forum as a community effort.
It was recently brought to my attention that I have been going astray from the forum lessons learned at Ubuntu and Donationcoder.com.
I have been making community decisions without the community input.
I was going to start another group, the V.I.S.O.R. Team (Volunteers in the service of Rainmeter Team). I was thinking this to be a great way to recognize the hard work of certain dedicated members, but it was brought to my attention that this may start smacking of being elitist!
That some members may feel left out, or not encouraged to properly grow with our community, that some may even avoid the Rainmeter community.
I thought about this and a bitter taste was left in my mouth and a bad feeling in my stomach. I realized that I had lost site of the community, and what the forum should represent.

When you have created the Guru group, you have in the same time with the standars that you have defined for the group created the highest group, who it could be compare to the highest Jedi rank [Jedi Master], and I think that it's a good idea to add more groups, first to not discourage members by having only one particular highest group, and because this give to the ones who are not really skin builder & coder the feeling that they are left over the roadside.
The following is related only for the group of [Skin Builder & Coder].

I use the the Jedi ranks* because I think the analogy fit very well for the group of Skin Builder & Coder.
You could have those following groups with the standards that you will define for each group ...

# Jedi Youngling : A Jedi Youngling is a Jedi learning to control the force (Rainmeter) and how to wield a lightsaber (skin). The title of Jedi Youngling is the first part of a Jedi training.
# Jedi Padawan: A Youngling that successfully completes their respective level of training with the help of Jedi Knights and/or Jedi Masters.Padawans must build their own lightsabers (skins).
# Jedi Knight: More experienced than a Jedi Padawan the Jedi Knight acquire skills and knowledges on his own.
# Jedi Master: Disciplined, experienced Jedi Knights may become full-fledged Jedi Masters once they have completed "the trials" (the standars) that test candidates' skills, knowledge, and dedication.
# Jedi Grand Master: Formally "Grand Masters of the Jedi Order" The title of Grand Master is given by Jedi Masters to a certain Master who has been most wise among other Masters. The Jedi Grand Master does not enjoy any greater privilege than the other Masters.

Banned Jedi : Jedi who fall to the dark side !! :evil:

Maybe we can substitute Jedi by Rainy or something else ...

Just my two cents

GM

*definition from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jedi#Jedi_ranks

[sgtevmckay]

Have no fears GhostMatrix-Sensai

You are a Guru, and this title stands.
The guru class will remain, not because there is a default member, but because it is of the highest caliber, and your election was a community vote.

More groups maybe added at a later point, but The V.I.S.O.R. Team, should be an elective team.
ie, any one can be a part of this team, and a lot al ready are

Our Community also needs to be able to recognize one another's accomplishments and elect to award and/or recognize fellow members achievements and excellence.

Think about this Padawan glfsd-Chan. I would be awarding him some recognition for the road he has traveled recently, and I think as a community, they would also award and recognize his accomplishments.
What he has done is no small task, and should be recognized, not only for the skin, but the effort to get where he is at.....

No major re-alignment here, just need to have more transparency in some of our projects, but also more community input

[jsmorley]

I think a simple new topic called "Rainmeter Recognitions" or something more clever where folks can give shout-outs to others either for a newer user who does a great job on their first skin or someone who is especially helpful to someone else etc... A "Raineer of the Month" idea also sounds pretty nice.

Ranks and titles I am completely apposed to. "Recognitions" are not and should not involve "Promotions". Why do we need a class system in the community? What does this serve?

In particular the 1980's Star Wars / Jedi paradigm... Sorry, but it is just too "cute" by half. Having fun with it in posts is well and fine, but the thought of instituting it in some official way just makes me shudder. I actually have slept with a girl and don't live in my mother's basement...





I know I sound like some kind of curmudgeon, but I prefer to speak my mind now before decisions are made. Then when you guys decide how you want to go I will support it 100% no matter what it is

[dragonmage]

I think I tend to agree with jsmorley. A ranking system is just more work, and subject to abuse. If a person wants to be helpful, that should be it's own reward. I think the Guru group is fine for showing that someone has demonstrated exceptional talent and willingness to help. A Guru has chosen of their own free will to accept more responsibility in the community for doing things that they have been doing in good spirit already.
I think the ranking system will just lead to "Well I did this, and helped "blah" Where's my title?"

[sgtevmckay]

Somewhere along the line, the entire concept, and exercise has been missed!

Apparently I have some sort of inability to properly explain what I am trying to accomplish.

This has nothing to do with an admin controlled Ranking system!

The option to drop this line of think is also an option

[GhostMatrix]

Post by dragonmage » Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:04 pm

I think the ranking system will just lead to "Well I did this, and helped "blah" Where's my title?"

You're right ... we will have that kind of problem with a ranking system.

Post by sgtevmckay » Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:04 am

Our Community also needs to be able to recognize one another's accomplishments and elect to award and/or recognize fellow members achievements and excellence.

You want the members to receive some appreciations from other members, like the karma feature at Wincustomize ?...



GM