Maybe, instead of relating the number of posts to the poster's level of expertise, it'd be easier to relate it to their level of flashaholism. Example: 1000 posts could signal the designation of "crazed flashaholic", 2000 - flashaholic lush, 5000 - absolutely nuts about photons...etc...
BTW, I'm not trying to change the system, I just felt like posting in this thread. For me, everything is just fine the way it is.