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Background: Recent feature changes to Stack Exchange

2010-10-16: The reputation score on top of each page and on the user page links to the /privileges page (click the numbers).

When the decision was made to make the reputation link on user profiles consistent with the reputation link at the top of every page and to add a privileges link to the user's dropdown profile card like so image of the user dropdown

Why was the same privileges link not added to the current user's full profile page ~> https://stackoverflow.com/users/<user_id>/<user_name>?

Should a link be added to the profile page or is there a reason for the current design?

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  • Why does this need to be on the user's full profile page?
    – user149432
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 5:51
  • Because it is inconsistent. If the link is on the card that appears when hovering over username, why is it not available when clicking through? To quote yellowshoe.com.au/standards "Don't rely on :hover, or mouseover events to get to content"
    – Alec Wenzowski
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 6:16
  • The hover panel is still available on the user page. I don't think it's ever been suggested that the panel is supposed to be a 1:1 replica of the user page: just a quick-access panel for those people who do have hover support. It's available via click-through on the FAQ page.
    – user149432
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 7:30

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The privileges link wasn't added (or, more correctly, was removed) from the full profile page likely because it being there wouldn't actually have added anything. The link isn't particularly useful, and is actually more discoverable in its current location than it was in its former lives as the reputation number in the profile and the reputation number in the top bar before that.

For new users who might benefit from the information on that page, there's a section or two in the FAQ that has a direct link, and they'll also be pointed to it when they receive the topbar notification telling them about new privileges they've earned. For everyone else, I'd imagine the clickthrough on that link is relatively low due to prior site experience.

Given that, having it located only on the profile overlay seems reasonable for something that probably sees little use, especially given the limited free space in the full profile.

Edit: Now that the profile has been changed fairly significantly, I feel that putting the privileges link on the profile page again would be a sensible thing to do. I'd imagine it being something like the following (swap privs for privileges at your preference):

modified profile links to include link to privileges page

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  • I recall seeing a post about significantly reduced privilege flash notices for network veterans. I find myself curious about current account privileges not on SO, but on other sites in the network.
    – Alec Wenzowski
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 7:05
  • As a ~1 month user I have visited said page directly from faq before, but have also spent time hunting through profile tabs for it.
    – Alec Wenzowski
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 7:06
  • I do find site privileges both important and changeable. I've been trained by 10 years of AdSense to ignore text in light yellow boxes. I don't click on the messages when they display.
    – Alec Wenzowski
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 7:20
  • Yeah, that sounds right. Keep in mind that the privileges are awarded at the same reputation levels across the network (beta sites excluded), so a familiarity with how things work on one site will transfer to the others as well.
    – Tim Stone
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 7:36
  • I think a key factor here is that a majority of users are largely unconcerned with privileges, since they don't really impact their ability to ask or answer questions. So, between the various links I mentioned, the majority of use cases are handled. That being said, if you feel strongly that the link in the profile overlay is insufficient, my recommendation is a link on the profile's reputation tab. I just don't see anywhere to add it on the primary view, as even the links that are there currently are kind of messy.
    – Tim Stone
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 7:39
  • I would have to say it makes sense to me to have the privileges partial with percentages from /privileges on the badges tab under the gold/silver/bronze key. But I understand that my sentiments may be an edge case.
    – Alec Wenzowski
    Commented Oct 16, 2011 at 9:55
  • I have just spent several minutes hunting through my profile page looking for the list of privileges and my progress toward future permissions. I understand it may get little usage, but it seems most appropriate to have it accessible from my profile.
    – Shawn
    Commented Dec 14, 2011 at 17:08
  • @Shawn I think that there might now be an acceptable spot for it in light of the recent profile changes, so I'd be alright if it was put up top next to the prefs link.
    – Tim Stone
    Commented Dec 14, 2011 at 17:44
  • @TimStone Agreed. I would like to see the progression toward privileges included as well, as that is typically the reason for viewing that information.
    – Shawn
    Commented Dec 14, 2011 at 19:21
  • any progress on this, it's still not available except on the profile card. It really does need to be in a more obvious position linked to reputation.
    – Stu Wilson
    Commented Sep 13, 2012 at 20:34
  • @StuWilson I updated the tags on the question to better reflect that there was a desire to change the way things are, we'll see if anything comes of it.
    – Tim Stone
    Commented Sep 18, 2012 at 19:02

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