John, Re: credentials: Choice about whether and when they matter will
differ among people.  I tend to figure that they matter in cases where
there may be harm from giving a claim too much weight or where there may
be better alternatives that are missed, or similar things where that bit
of information can help in making important health decisions.
 
For most topics we discuss here credentials don't matter at all but there
are topics for which they truly are important for being most certain of
providing the best options for health and longevity.  When that sort of
subject matter is often discussed by a person I think that being frank
not only about personal strengths but also personal weaknesses is
important to avoid accidently misleading any fellow members.  Since
health questions are very important to me so are credentials.  That
doesn't mean that I don't listen and learn from non-vets, because I do,
but when opinions collide it is good to have a grasp of credentials to
best assess how I will respond with our ferrets and their care.  Given
tit for tat, I figure it is just a logical courtesy to provide others
with the data they need to do the same since I answer health questions
pretty often.  In fact, it has only been in relation to health issues
that I have had reason to check anyone's background.  Others may weigh
other areas more strictly and check into credentials for those, but for
me claims that are attached to health advice are ones that sometimes
raise red flags and cause me to check.  Still other people may never
check credentials, perhaps because they always take anything from the
internet with a grain of salt, or perhaps because for them it just
doesn't matter.  We'll all vary on that score.
[Posted in FML issue 4865]