just because XP doesn't mean anything doesn't mean that you cannot use those inbuilt levels for another purpose. It is totally immaterial that a current level of XP has no meaning. All you have to say is "what if it did?" If you decide that 'sainthood' actually depicts a state of knowledge where a monk can come across most types of perl problem and have a good bash at solving them, and a perl initiate vaguely knows that Larry Wall isn't some kind of building then you've ascribed values where once there were none. But so what - where is the big deal?

For a very insignificant leap of faith youve arrived at a scenario where monks (particularly at a lower to intermediate level) can enter designated areas where wherever they turn they find elements of perl which are at or close to the level they are at - almost like a perl womb! I think that would be a pretty neat thing to achieve.

Of course a side effect would be that XP would start to be associated with knowledge levels rather than just showing up to the site, and I have suggested a purely voluntary means of allowing for that. I don't say the idea is complete or even achievable with the site in its current form jeffa has already lectured me on that :). I just felt the idea was worthy of discussion

I'm sorry if you disagree

If you decide that 'sainthood' actually depicts a state of knowledge where a monk can come across most types of perl problem and have a good bash at solving them

But that certainly isn't true.

For a very insignificant leap of faith youve arrived at a scenario where monks (particularly at a lower to intermediate level) can enter designated areas where wherever they turn they find elements of perl which are at or close to the level they are at - almost like a perl womb! I think that would be a pretty neat thing to achieve.

No you don't. Not as long as you link it to something as meaningless as XP.

Of course a side effect would be that XP would start to be associated with knowledge levels rather than just showing up to the site

But, as indicated by myself and others, XP is not associated with knowledge levels, and just wishing it were doesn't make it so. You might wish adults could fly, and you can associate adulthood with the ability to levitate all you want, fact is and remains that adults don't fly.

Abigail

Neither do imaginary numbers exist but it hasn't done our mathematics any harm by adopting them.

first imagine, then take a leap of faith and you will be amazed at what can happen