150$

mark-in-dallas said:

Tests are all fine and well, but you guys seem to be forgetting that someone would have to write the test, review the answers, decide whether to allow the person access to the forum or not, then actually go into the admin panel and do so. All of this takes time and money.

The alternative would be to have an automated test, which would require a programmer to write the coding and scoring algorithm, and integrate it into the scripting and databse. Again, this cost money.

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Someone would have to write the test, yes, but the rest can be avoided. I don't think that the test should be used to allow or deny access to the forum. All I see that doing is leaving the clueless in the dark. I don't even think such a test should be mandatory. I just thought that it would be useful to have something readily available to sellers with which to test a potential customer. Copy/Paste it into a PM, send it to customer, let them finish it, review their answers, decide on whether or not you really want to sell them. Pretty much the same as what people now, just with a more standardized resource.

We (Vets) will always pick out the post whores spamming the forum. The member usually gets called out, and if they dont change they get repped.

The test idea has been around for over a year, maybe longer. But it doesnt look like its going to happen. You have to remember the more people who join, the more people see the ads. Its sad, but true.

I was leaning more toward a medium length multiple choice test that you would take once, that would not be mandatory, but you would have the option to take it after you joined LPF, and if you pass it then you get something on your profile that states you pasted it, just so a seller can make an informed decision that the buyer knows atleast a little bit about lasers before handing them a technology they can burn there eyes out with. what do you think of this tech_junkie? you are a senior member who has obviously been here for a while.

We've all been in agreement some sort of test should be implemented, but its not going to happen.

I guess it is left to good, old fashioned responsibility and common sense discretion when it comes to people that you should not sell high powered lasers to. For instance, the OP would be a great example just based on how his initial comments made it very clear that he did'nt know what he was getting into.