"Top contributor" banners??

The more you answer in a particular category, and the more Best Answers you get (not the percentage) the more likely you are to get a "top contributor" badge next to your name, up to 3 categories. Levels, and points have nothing to do with it. I have it for answering in Yahoo 360 and Yahoo Answers categories, neither of which am I on the leaderboard, but I have been answering alot of questions in these categories recently. I do lead the category DIY and I do not have "top contributor" for that category, but I haven't answered much in that one for a while.

Here's the link to the latest blog entry from the A-Team explaining, in a little more detail, "Top Contributors".

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-d8pH0dcoRKeB12yOcnU...

I agree with you about bias. While, sometimes, the answers are based on good information, sometimes these answers can be "bought" and regardless of how the title is obtained, I think it does present bias toward other Answerers. There can be a newbie come in who has all the best answers in the world, but the Asker sees this possibly meaningless title and can jump to the conclusion that those answers are the best and totally overlook other answers. I don't feel it's right to single out people like this and bestow such superficial "honors" anyway. I am here to have fun, to give my answers and to help people out. Not to get awards and acknowledgement and false accolades. I also agree that it's going to encourage more idiots to give more idiotic answers just to get the banner. I don't like this new addition. I didn't like the stupid Star thing either or taking away being able to give the Asker a negative mark and Yahoo didn't listen to all the complaints they got about that, so I really doubt they'll care about how we feel about this either.

From what I gathered from the Yahoo team, it was something they choose to do to set you apart from other users. Answers in one cat. as well as how many thumbs up or down and not so much on the Best Answer (I think they have weighted this all wrong myself). I have to agree here though, now others who have serious issues are going to have those wanting to climb the "charts" just giving an answer to get the points. I am not sure I like the way they are doing this.

Also, Someone can have a Top contributor in automotive yet answer a question in fish, pets or even camping/outdoors. Since they see the banner they are going to assume that person is correct.

I think we are going to see a lot more weirdo's like Jim S (whom I've reported 10 times today) to just type something to get points.

If I hear anything more from Yahoo Answer team, I'll pass it on.

Maybe they go by your level? I come on here all day long during work and almost everyday. It just gives me something to do. I am mostly in the dog section tho. But, I answer alot of questions and I don't have a "Top Contributer" banner...I recently joined and I am already a level 2...So I am not sure what it's all about either...That is why I came in here...Just to see if someone knew...

I just noticed something...If you hover over the banner, it says that "A top contributer is someone who is knowledgable in a certain area"...

I don't know... I just logged on today and there is was... a Top Contributor banner.

I think it just means that you are very active on the board in the past week (or few days), because the top answerer for the Mathematics category posted that he wasn't a top contributor, probably because he hadn't been answering questions for the past week.

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Its pretty cool to show off people who have earned it. But it could easily cause some problems. Like people might be biased when they pick their best answers now, and feel pressure to pick an answer from a "top contributer" even if it is not necessarily the best answer. And, like most features of yahoo answers, it is only going to encourage more stupid answers from people who only want a top rank.

they took my orange banner faraway from me for some reason, some months in the past. Now that i'm stripped of all privilege and honor, i think at one with all my brothers n sisters back.

It's based on your participation in an area...questions and answers. I got mine in R&S, but I answer in a lot of categories. Best answer doesn't appear to apply to the equation.

maybe you get the top contributor banner if you have at least 10% best answer.

It's just because we like you so much bud.

I have seen replies from staff that don;t really go into the exact formula but it uses number of answers best answer percentage and "other things" they say... what I have no clue.

Since it has no real value, I can't say as I care one way or the other. Pretty well meaningless IMO

MM