Sometimes I come up with silly ideas and then run with it. Today was one of those days. Someone said something, this lead to more, and my brain blurted out that it would be really neat if their were WordPress achievement badges, like you get in Girl Guides & Cub Scouts.
And then I cracked open my sketchbook because I am old school like that and prefer an actual writing implement to draw with. Here’s the ones I came up with, and their descriptions. How many have you earned? 😉
WordPress logo – earned by successfully installing WordPress manually, under 5 minutes.
Mu – for installing WordPress MU, or multisite (networks).
X – for editing the Codex usefully.
puzzle piece – for writing a plugin and hosting it in the repo
Screenshot – for creating a theme
Tent – for organizing a WordCamp
BP – anything Buddypress. 😀 Using it, writing for it…
Paw print – for working in trac, submitting tickets, and patches
Matt – the “I met Matt!” badge. Must include photo for verification.
SQL Diver – for diving into the database
Troll – the anti-matt troll badge. Given in rare cases, limited amounts. (actually, this is the only DE-merit)
Server – the server management badge.
Not shown:
the badge for bringing a friend over from Blogger to WordPress
being a Wordcamp attendee or speaker (airplane!)
being on WordPress TV
the GPL badge. Icon of grape kool-aid. (’nuff said)
a $ badge if you’re a WP freelancer earning a living
What other ones could there be?
Disclaimer: I just came up with the idea as a joke, because it’s funny. Tho the positive ones would be awesome if they really did exist. Alas, while my sewing skills are good, this would involve embroidery. 😉
If anyone decides to crack open Illustrator and make ones for blog sidebars, I would LOVE to see them! 😀
More suggestions:
– tshirt collector. Can you go a week wearing nothing but WordPress shirts?
– easy one for the noobs, 100 posts.
– book author
– dog food 😉
– dev chat participant
Not sure what you could add and kind of surprised at how many I have earned already.
Badge proliferation could become a problem (my daughter in Brownies seems to earn enough patches every year to obviate the vest). Some people would have to switch to a 4-column theme to show off all the badges.
I don’t have the graphic skills (or the time) to create something like this, but I have earned a few of them (another one coming next weekend: Woot! WordCamp MSP is gonna rock!).
What a cute idea! Also, your sketching skills pretty much rock.
Thanks! 😀 I am a frustrated artist.
Awesome! I think I have all of them except for the Troll badge.
We should totally find a manufacturer that can create these in volume. You totally know there’s a buying market for something as interesting and unique as a real life, physical merit badge. Of course there would need to be an entire site set up as well as the mechanisms to test and certify folks. Anyone could copy & paste images into their sidebar without really earning them (would that constitute another de-merit badge? 😉 Anyway, interesting, very interesting…
Someone suggested I have them printed as actual real stickers. 😀
You could have 1-inch buttons made, too. They’re pretty cheap (check for indie button pressers on Etsy.com)
Love it! I think these are a great idea and would love to collect them all (well nearly all). I hope someone converts these to badges for your WP site.
Tweeted the #WordPress hashtag 100+ times (correct capitalization required)
Image – W & t hooked together
Helped someone solve their problem via forums
Ran/Run a WordPress tutorial website
Have dreamed of WordPress Code
Image – Scary W chasing screaming person
Other ideas:
* something related to security, like having helped fix a hole (or at least reporting a confirmed home at security@wordpress.org)
* published author about WP 🙂
Published authors only… not coming soon 😉
I think you should also add one specifically for getting props and perhaps one specifically for having committed a patch that someone else wrote.
I also think there should be one of a bikeshed for having participated in a discussion on wp-hackers 🙂
Ooo! a bikeshed! tho is this the part where we argue about what color it would be? 😉
Another idea — badge for owning a physical object with the WordPress logo on it e.g. a WP t-shirt
They should add these to wordpress.org on your profile. Add one for relying to 100 forum posts…
How about a 1/3 badge for “I’m one of the three most important people in WP?” Strictly for silliness, of course.
I’m missing the Tent and the Troll badges.
I do have a “I am one of the three most important people in WordPress” t-shirt though. 😀
You could do one of a guy holding up a column or something for “Support” forum work. 🙂
And a guy painting a bikeshed. That is, of course, the most important one.
Someone suggested one for a certain number of forums posts too – or being a mod. 😉
Oh yeah, I’ll make some prototypes pronto if someone sends me artwork… DM me with an email! @stickergiant
we should do a stickersheet, like this:
http://www.stickergiant.com/blog/a-new-vocabulary-term-kiss-cut-stickers/
Love the idea! There could be a badge for those who run/host a WordPress podcast (a microphone and headset would work for that one). And one for organizers of a local WordPress meetup group. And…*off to think up more ideas* 😀
I’d like to see badges for participating in GSoC or Code-In, in addition to one for hackers under 18. Yeah, I’m just going for ones for myself, but can you blame me? :p
A badge with an Easter Egg icon – – for anyone who can name at least *one* WordPress Easter Egg.
A badge with a spider or fly – – for anyone who has participated in a WordPress bug hunt.
Badges with state (or country/providence) flags and the WP logo to indicate where in the world you’ve attended WordCamp.
A badge with a light bulb – – for anyone who has helped at a genius bar.
I’m on a roll…. 🙂
Let’s not forget about IRC, some type of chat badge for all the IRC monkeys? A badge if you’ve attended a certain amount of Dev meetings?
Another for spelling WordPress correctly?
One for being GPL compliant?
This is is a pretty awesome idea Andrea 🙂
I’d even qualify for a few of those!
And, ooooh, you know the Sticker Giant! (or he knows you, anyway 😉 )
You should so make these!
As an Eagle Scout and a current Cub Scout Leader, I think these would be great as stickers. I would wear my accomplishments proudly on my laptop.