we've had some similar discussions about post counts vs quality over at GuitarNuts2.
personally i wouldn't get too hung up on the competitive nature of things.
ratings aren't important.
it's what you get from (and provide to) the discussion that matters.
and you can't quantify that.
people with high post counts might the most valuable resources in a forum. or they might just be clutter makers.
the only thing you can tell from a persons post count is.................how many posts they've made.
as you spend more time with the individuals in a group, you get to know each one's particular strengths.
then you can really know where to turn for help.
on the other side of the same coin, some truly amazing ideas have come from unexpected sources.
BTW, thanks Normster, i looked up Pareto's Law. that 80 : 20 theory seems like an interesting thing to watch for.