Ranking -- The Classyarts ranking program is a system through which involved members get recognition for their contributions to the site. Those contributions may be monetary, image files, research, or administrative, and earn the member access to our records and images.

Credits -- Classyarts Credits are issued to members who contribute time or money, and are redeemable in images and data from our database. Credits accrue by month, and expire at the end of the following month. Unused credits are not redeemable, but may be used as one factor when deciding when a member should be upgraded to the next higher rank. See How Credits Work for more details.

Ranks:

• 0 - Novice Every member on joining begins as a novice. Benefits include access to a few archival images and reports of interest, and access to the Contributors Test [or CT] -- for those interested in contributing information. Good results on the CT may result in immediate upgrade to level 1 or 2. Otherwise, level 0 members may advance by transcribing scanned images of texts (old newspaper articles or advertisements, backs of stereocards, etc.) available from our Project Files, or by proofreading such transcriptions. Support files for level 1 include a guide on how to proofread texts, and a class on identifying types of photographs.
• 1 - Contributor Members who become paid subscribers at the basic level, or who do well on the CT, or who have been at level 0 at least one month and have made contributions that are judged sufficient to warrant an inscrease, will be assigned to level 1. These members have the same access as level 0, but may also contribute scanned images to the database, and will have access to our support files on gettting the best results when scanning or editing images.
• 2 - Supporter Those members who become paid subscribers at the deluxe level, or who score near-perfect on the CT, or who have been at level 2 for at least one month and have made contributions judged sufficient to warrant an increase, will be assigned to level 2. These members have access to the same projects and support as all lower levels, plus they may submit informational extracts and material. Support includes a guide on what kinds of materials are suitable for contribution, and where to find them, and one of the advanced photo-types classes.
• 3 - Operator In the old days of photographer, the operator was the person who operated the camera, while the artist composed the subjects and lighting and other details. Our level 3 members can conduct original research in census records, directories, etc., and are responsible for checking and approving work submitted from level 0. Support material includes a guide to finding further information on photographers and a guide to the approval process, and two of the advanced photo-type classes.
• 4 - Researcher The level 4 member can submit records into the photographers database, can write descriptions of photographs, approve the work for levels 1 and 2, and judge level 0 and 1 members for level upgrades. Support files include information on how to do those things, and information on historical research methodology. They also get free subscription to the When Was That? blog.
• 5 - Artist While level increases up to level 4 are automatic, the member must specifically request an upgrade to reach level 5 or higher levels. Level 5 members can respond to emails or messages posted through the contact form, and approve the work done at level 3 or 4, and judge level 2 and 3 for level upgrades. Support at this level includes a question-response tutorial, and access to past correspondence. They may also take any of the advanced photo-type classes.
• 6 - Photographist Level 6 members can add records to the photograph database, can date images and select the appropriate copyright category (public-domain, probably public-domain, probably-copyrighted, unknown). They approve level 5 work, and judge level 4 for level increases. Support for level 6 includes a guide to entering information in the photograph database, and access to the dating photographs class.
• 7 - Daguerreian The level 7 members will provide detailed biographic reports on individual photographers. They can edit existing database records. They approve level 7 work and judge level 5 for level increases. Support includes continued work in the dating photographs class and access to the research database of dated images it is based on.
• 8 - Partner Level 8 members have all the rights and access as level 7, but they also get a share of profits from the site, beginning at 1%. Within level 8 they may be able to get further upgrades to higher percentages of profit-share, up to 7%. There will normally be no more than 5 to 7 level 8 members. Level 8 members approvel level 7 projects and judge level 6 requests for level increases.
• 9 - Tanist Tanist is a gaelic term for the heir-apparent -- if a king or chieftain were slain in battle, the Tanist has been chosen in advance and automatically succeeds to the office. There will be only one level 9 member, and that person will receive 20% of profits. When the owner decides to retire from active maintenance of this site, the owner goes to level 8 and the Tanist becomes #10, and will be able to select a new #9 from the ranks. Since this site is just being established in 2007, we do not expect any member to have enough experience with the site to become tanist before 2010 or so.
• 10 - Owner The owner is responsible for maintaining the site, tracking profits and distributing shares. Only the owner can approve requests for level increases from level 7 or above.