Originally Posted by Bumper

While we discourage people from "padding" post counts, I think it's important that new members are welcomed. It's easy to say "welcome to the forum" in a PM to each new member, but when someone opens a thread and the membership welcomes them in a big way, it does a several things. It makes them feel genuinely welcome, it lets everyone learn just a little about the new person so they can become "one of us" quickly, it encourages them to continue to post, adding their own experiences and opinions. Whether individuals appreciate it or not, I think this is part of what makes us different.