16 replies to this topic

[Yun]

My check on the member lists indicates there are 22 members under the Exam Candidate group, and most of them registered before the exam was introduced - in some cases, they have been with us for a long time and have high post counts. A handful may have taken the exam and not passed (I have an e-mail from one of them), but I believe most would not have taken the exam yet.

I have three queries regarding this group:

1) Have any of them lost their posting ability at this point in time? I have noticed that some were making posts yesterday and today (including Karakhan). If you are in this group and have lost your ability to make posts, please PM GZ or myself. We will try and help you resolve the problem.

2) Why are some members put into the Exam Candidate group by the forum system, but not others? Is it because they did a manual (i.e. non-automatic) login recently and were mistakely recognized by the system as new members? Or because they registered an account with the exam site but have not taken the exam yet? I would appreciate any feedback on this.

3) Would a member who is not a Candidate, but who tries and fails the exam, automatically be put into the Candidate group and lose posting ability? Has this happened to any member so far? Again, if it happened to you, please PM us.

[Yun]

I have checked with Inuyasha-Sama, who was made a Candidate by the system soon after logging in just now (he was in the Member group when he logged in). He says he is able to post, but also that he did not register at the exam site.

So is the system choosing Candidates at random?

[General_Zhaoyun]

My check on the member lists indicates there are 22 members under the Exam Candidate group, and most of them registered before the exam was introduced - in some cases, they have been with us for a long time and have high post counts. A handful may have taken the exam and not passed (I have an e-mail from one of them), but I believe most would not have taken the exam yet.

I have three queries regarding this group:

1) Have any of them lost their posting ability at this point in time? I have noticed that some were making posts yesterday and today (including Karakhan). If you are in this group and have lost your ability to make posts, please PM GZ or myself. We will try and help you resolve the problem.

2) Why are some members put into the Exam Candidate group by the forum system, but not others? Is it because they did a manual (i.e. non-automatic) login recently and were mistakely recognized by the system as new members? Or because they registered an account with the exam site but have not taken the exam yet? I would appreciate any feedback on this.

The selection seems to be random case done automatically by the forum. Some old members still remain the 'member' group, while some become 'promoted' to the Xiucai Exam candidate.

3) Would a member who is not a Candidate, but who tries and fails the exam, automatically be put into the Candidate group and lose posting ability? Has this happened to any member so far? Again, if it happened to you, please PM us.

I have checked with Inuyasha-Sama, who was made a Candidate by the system soon after logging in just now (he was in the Member group when he logged in). He says he is able to post, but also that he did not register at the exam site.

So is the system choosing Candidates at random?

One who fails the 1st exam will not be automatically put in the Re-test exam candidate. The administrator will have to do it manually to put him into the Re-test Exam Candidate group.

[Yun]

The administrator will have to do it manually to put him into the Re-test Exam Candidate group.

But Re-test Candidates don't have posting ability either, right?

[General_Zhaoyun]

But Re-test Candidates don't have posting ability either, right?

That's right.. they will still remain as "Xiucai Exam Candidate", and after they take the Xiucai "Re-take" exam, they will be grouped either to "learner member" or "beginner member" to regain their posting rights.

[Yun]

Well, as long as older members don't lose their posting ability as a result of being randomly selected as Candidates, then it's not so bad. It would be unfair for them to not even get to make 30 more posts before they have to take the exam.

[General_Zhaoyun]

I found out that for old members, one will still be in the "member group" if he logs into the forum. But the minute he starts posting, the forum software will automatically re-count his posts and if his posts exceeds 30, he will automatically become "Xuicai Exam Candidate".

[Yun]

So any old member who posts anything now will be put into the Exam Candidate group?

[General_Zhaoyun]

So any old member who posts anything now will be put into the Exam Candidate group?

That's right..

Only award winners such as Grand Historians are exempted from this change to become "Xiucai Exam Candidate", b'cos I've only set the change mechanism for "member groups" only.

[Yun]

Mods, being in the moderators or super moderators group, are exempted. Only those in the Members group become exam candidates.

[Yun]

GZ, I have been receiving PMs from older members who suddenly had their posting ability cut off when they were put into the Candidate group by the forum program. While this is happening automatically as a result of forum settings, it is not very fair to them because not all of them will be able to take the exam immediately.

I would recommend that we change the settings to allow Exam Candidates to still have a further quota of 30 posts before they lose their posting ability. In other words, even a new member can make 30 posts as a member and 30 posts as a Candidate before passing the exam. This would also allow members who fail the Entry Exam to be able to post something while preparing for the Re-test, and not be cut off completely.

My original proposal, when we were conceptualizing the exam system, was for all members to get a cap of 30 posts, regardless of whether they are new or old members. But the way it is working out now, new members are enjoying more rights than the old members because the latter do not even get 30 posts.

If the change is made, we should also make the necessary modification to the Exam Process flowchart.

[liuxing]

I would recommend that we change the settings to allow Exam Candidates to still have a further quota of 30 posts before they lose their posting ability. In other words, even a new member can make 30 posts as a member and 30 posts as a Candidate before passing the exam. This would also allow members who fail the Entry Exam to be able to post something while preparing for the Re-test, and not be cut off completely.

My original proposal, when we were conceptualizing the exam system, was for all members to get a cap of 30 posts, regardless of whether they are new or old members. But the way it is working out now, new members are enjoying more rights than the old members because the latter do not even get 30 posts.

I agree that this is a fairer way. Old members who have contributed a lot to the forum (not talking about me but some other members who have >100 post count) suddenly found themselves unable to post even a single post after being put under Xiucai Exam Candidates category while the newbies who just came in to try out and have a look see can enjoy posting freely up to 30 posts. That's really not fair.

Old members should be allowed the free 30 posts too after they found out that they has become a Xiucai Exam candidate.

[Toluy]

I took it and passed with a score of 70/100, and I cannot post anything after that exam.

[Toluy]

there must be something wrong just now, and I can post now. sorry

[Gweilo]

On the other hand, you could just leave the current settings as they are.

I felt bad about begging GZ for posting rights, so I went ahead and took the exam. It only took me a little over an hour, and that was with several interruptions (I was at work) and being forced to look up almost every question.

Sometimes old members (like me) need to hit a brick wall before we get motivated to do anything. It's too easy to send PMs to the mods to beg for posting privileges, instead of just making time to take the exam.

Just another perspective to share (from one of the beggers).