[Merry Brandybuck]

I haven't been here long, so I hope you guys don't think I'm intruding. But I'm a member of loads of different Tolkien forums. The forums that have the most problems with spam posting are the ones that have member statuses and the like. I know I didn't really like having 'Pile o' Bones' under my screen name for the first week or so after I joined. Not to say I think posting rubbish just to raise your status is a good idea, but some people feel obilged to do so to gain respect.
Also, from a newbie point of view, the first thing a new person wants to do is distinguish themselves. This means starting topics, whether they are shallow or not. I'll admit I'm guilty of a 'favourites' thread.
Actually, I think this place is one of the best boards for decent Tolkien discussion. Member ratings mean you earn respect for the quality of what you do post, not what how much you post.