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It might be useful to encourage existing users of stackoverflow to cross pollinate other stack exchange sites. While rep-sharing is not useful, as rep is meant to be a measure of expertise in one subject, badges may be one way to encourage participation across many sites.

This was triggered by seeing how few people actually had greater than 1k rep on all three main sites (SO, SF, SU) via Dennis Williamson's Stackathlon app. I had tried to do this by hand prior to the API under the assumption that many people would be answering questions on all three sites, but it turns out there are only 33 people, of all the users of stackoverflow, that have a 1k+ reputation on all three sites.

Over time it may be useful to provide badges that appear on all sites one is participating in that are awarded for extraordinary participation in the whole universe of Stack Exchange sites. For instance, a silver badge might appear on all my profiles if I obtain 1k rep on 5 or more sites, and a gold badge if I have more than 3k rep on 5 or more sites.

I would hesitate extending this much past 5 sites as we don't want to encourage spamming questions and answers on sites where the user has little interest, but across the universe of stackapps I know I'm proficient or expert in at least 10 current sites, and while it's not a big nudge, the idea that I can get extra awards - especially ones that appear on all sites I'm in - would move me to participate a little more on sites that I am registered on, but don't visit regularly.

I expect, eventually as sites are launched, most users of any one site will have some interest or knowledge in at least 5 other sites. This may provide the extra nudge some sites need to maintain an excellent rating in terms of usage.

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  • Makes sense as a part of the eventual evil "global profile" plans.
    – badp
    Jan 17, 2011 at 18:56
  • I proposed something similar here, back when we had only three sites. Jeff's response to that was... reputation leagues.
    – ЯegDwight
    Mar 15, 2011 at 12:33
  • @RegDwight - and as a result of rep league, @Jeff is now having to clean up question reputation because of its impact on the stats. Badges would have been simpler!
    – amelvin
    Mar 15, 2011 at 15:34
  • Hm, it's now theoretically possible to become a Stack athlete by doing nothing but editing questions. Sounds like a challenge....
    – Pops
    Mar 15, 2011 at 17:43
  • I think it would be cleaner to not duplicate the network badges and just put them on our new network profiles.
    – John
    May 1, 2011 at 22:35

3 Answers 3

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I think this is a good badge request, as more and more SO questions are migrated across the network SO users will gradually move out into the SE galaxy of sites (I've been watching Professor Cox again, all my metaphors concern space at the moment).

Like interstellar flight SO users are gradually populating the outlying SE sites and picking up reputation almost by accident in other areas. I've gained rep in webmasters, programmers and webapps this weeks for answers I made on SO originally - and I'm guessing that this is happening a lot.

As a result more and more users will be getting interested in their pan-galactic reputation and badges.

I agree with the OP about the criteria for silver and gold badges, with possibly a bronze badge awarded for 200 rep (the level where it could be included in pan-SE flair) in 5 sites.

I would call the three badges something like; discover, network and thrive.

I'm nervous about retagging a question by a 27k OP - but this really should be a badge request!

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I think this should be reconsidered as we now have the perfect place to put them.

Just throw in a "badges" tab amongst

top accounts reputation activity favorites inbox subscriptions

Or something along those lines.

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Network wide badges seem like a very good idea to me.

From what I've seen, it appears that it's difficult to get people engaged with a SE site outside of the one they initially joined. Usually people have one main site they frequent, and then barely any activity on other SE sites. One incentive to increase cross-site activity might be to introduce network-wide badges.

These might include, for example:

  • Having over 1000 reputation on 5+ SE sites
  • Have a question with 5+ upvotes on 5+ SE sites
  • Have an answer with 10+ upvotes on 5+ SE sites
  • etc.

I personally think this would be good for SE as a whole.

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