This deserves to be its own request. I think a big incentive for sniping the first few posts is the fact that you can earn badges there. Discourse allows the ability to disable earning badges in certain categories even if it’s public. As a user of the forum I think earning badges should be disabled, since there will be no reason to snipe first few replies just for the sake of sniping them anymore. Nobody should be earning a badge just for saying “cool update” or “thanks”.
Badges are fun to collect. Nothing wrong with that. But they are just encouraging posting for the sake of posting. Posting-related badges should be disabled at least, so users can still get any other badge like the completed tutorial badges, aficionado, devotee, etc.
Yeah they do have pros and cons, I just wouldn’t render them useless. I do agree with disabling the ability to earn badges with #updates idea though because people just start saying things just to say it.
Well, these don’t contribute to the discussion. I posted one of these a while back and it got flagged. If you see these, feel free to flag them. It should have if not no effect towards badged, a negative effect.