What does one have to do to become an expert on this forum?

Not much. Once you are registered here, I think you can post to any thread. Everybody starts with Newbie under their name. From there as you make more posts, you progress through junior expert and a few other steps to ultra expert. Notice I said nothing about demonstrating any competence. We have some very good people here, but also some whose posts range from the obvious to the misleading to actually dangerous. There is a rating system here, but like any other site I have seen, it is a big joke. Those short of a life and lacking better things to do, can easily manipulate it into making themselves look good. If you give me a good rating for this answer, it won't increase my rating because you are new.

I haven't followed the archeology forum and have no idea if you can help there. I work from https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/search.php?do=getnew Dogs is one of the few areas I have a strong background in. I do see other questions where I try to help like this one. Most of the questions I let go because I don't think I can help. So if you see questions you think your answer would help somebody, post it. I am a curmudgeon that will say so if somebody posts a bad answer in an area I know.

Hi,
Welcome to this site, and hope you have a good time.
You really don't need to do anything, except just start answering questions. You can click on New Posts, at the top after you log in, and see all questions and responses from Today and Yesterday. You can answer any questions you wish, or if you want to just stick on one category, simply answer questions only in it.
The titles of "newbie", "expert", etc, are automatically given when you answer a certain number of posts.
Just start clicking on various links on the home page, and eventually you will find the exact numbers printed out, where you go to the next level, such as "ultra", etc.

Best of luck to you.

On the old ASKME Q&A forum, you needed some level of expertise to be one of the experts. In fact they did some background checking when you applied and it could take upwards of a week or two and some times you were refused. I think I perfer this over the current style. I am also on All Experts and Infoway and these you need some level of expertise to get listed.

I remember posting a profile at the old AskMe, but no wait to be accepted. If they had one at the end, it certainly wasn't doing much good. Nor All Experts. Both were infested with no nothing trolls.

I know of no good way to sort out ''experts''. Best protection is the users' own common sense and a public forum like here where others are free provide alternative ideas. Some here would criticize Fred for largely duplicating my earlier answer. In many cases, it helps to have a second person agree.

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Originally Posted by rsalier

What does one have to do to become an expert on this forum?

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One thing I know for sure, you can become an 'expert' without using phrases like "dangerous crap" and "trolls" which in my opinion are very ignorant and childish and of no assistance/advice or help to anyone. Just remember that you are communicating with fellow human beings out there and use some common sense and kindness, and that people make mistakes - when they do, they at least correct them if talked to the civil way. If you think your expertise is not appreciated here, then you can always open up your own website and choose who you want on it, otherwise, understand that forums are open to everyone with an opinion, some good, some bad, but still human opinions and those receiving advice/answers can choose to follow or ignore without being condescending and judgemental of others.
Have a good weekend.

Thank you all for your responses and interaction. I will take it under consideration.