I agree with Ed and Peter. We have mods and we have members. I don't see a reason to differentiate between the main body of posters. It would take a new guy a very short time to determine who the senior members are simply by reading how they are accepted and treated by the other members and they can always look at their post figures and see how many they have, as well.
I just think labeling people as "new", while boosting the the members with more time here by adding some level of seniority to them, alienates the new members and may, in some way, hold them back or even keep them from joining TRF and remaining lurkers.
I guess I'm of the old "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" mindset
Just MHO though
