Ranks don't matter, really, if you're in it for the discussion and knowledge. There are a few legendaries I know back then that doesn't even know how to sign a message using their bitcoin address so your assumption is somewhat true. Also, ranks are available in this forum to distinguish people who are really into forum posting and a small incentive for those who spent a long time within the boards. There's not much really weight into it other than bragging rights that I have spent X amount of time and posted X amount of posts in this forum.
Knowledge isn't define by ranks; a great example is the current POTUS and his puny officials backing him on everything.
I'm one of those who don't know how to sign message but I do know how to do it in ETH. I might try to learn it on electrum. I'm no technical person too, I was just here long before the merit system were deployed so I got my rank. Not that I'm smarter. If I weren't hired by someone who pays BTC I wouldn't be here in this forum which I learned some of the very basics in crypto, I guess I just have to learn more if ranks has to be measured that way.