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Thanks system modification

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Northern Light

The Light of Truth
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A prior suggestion was made about removing the 'like' system, and was rejected.

I find that the like system encourages bandwagoning, and it incentivizes users to alter their posting behavior away from what they honestly think/feel and toward something that will gain more likes from people. It has contributed to the partisan polarity on this site, IMO.

That said, I do not suggest it be eliminated because there are times when it is useful.

I have a couple of more suggestions:
1) Enabling users to opt out of the like system so they cannot like posts or receive likes from others.
2) Enabling likes to remain private, so that the user can see who liked their post in their control pannel, but no one else.

If people want to receive likes then let them, and if people don't want to take part in that system they can be free to decline. Or a user can keep their likes private, so that they can know what others find useful yet stay out of popularity contests. I believe these choices are fair and equitable to everyone, and since no other site has done it yet, DP could be the first.

Could the software handle this?
 
I don't think we have anyone who really cares that much about likes.
 
I like "likes." :)
 
A prior suggestion was made about removing the 'like' system, and was rejected.

I find that the like system encourages bandwagoning, and it incentivizes users to alter their posting behavior away from what they honestly think/feel and toward something that will gain more likes from people. It has contributed to the partisan polarity on this site, IMO.

That said, I do not suggest it be eliminated because there are times when it is useful.

I have a couple of more suggestions:
1) Enabling users to opt out of the like system so they cannot like posts or receive likes from others.
2) Enabling likes to remain private, so that the user can see who liked their post in their control pannel, but no one else.

If people want to receive likes then let them, and if people don't want to take part in that system they can be free to decline. Or a user can keep their likes private, so that they can know what others find useful yet stay out of popularity contests. I believe these choices are fair and equitable to everyone, and since no other site has done it yet, DP could be the first.

Could the software handle this?

First off, and this is monor but needs to be said anyway: who cares if some one "bandwagons" or whatever?

Second and most importantly: I suspect if it is doable at all(it probably isn't), that it would require alot of work to do. Those who would be tasked with doing it have families, jobs, and alot of other things to do for the board, so I would suspect the idea will be rejected for time reasons before anything else, and that is assuming it is doable.
 
I don't think we have anyone who really cares that much about likes.

As you can see I have quite a few likes, so it's not like the system is working against me. I just think that the likes system contributes to social problems on this site and can be abused. Making the system more flexible will in turn make it more genuine.

Redress said:
First off, and this is monor but needs to be said anyway: who cares if some one "bandwagons" or whatever?

Saying "who cares" is an empty sentiment since obviously someone does, otherwise this thread wouldn't exist.

I see diversifying the likes system as a means to improving this site.

Redress said:
Second and most importantly: I suspect if it is doable at all(it probably isn't), that it would require alot of work to do. Those who would be tasked with doing it have families, jobs, and alot of other things to do for the board, so I would suspect the idea will be rejected for time reasons before anything else, and that is assuming it is doable.

I can accept if the software can't handle the modification or if the majority of mods think it's a bad idea, but seeing as how the mods are volunteers dedicating their time to improving this site, providing them with a suggestion that could do just that is not futile.

I understand you reject my idea but I'll wait for an actual mod to give their opinion.

DiAnna said:
I like "likes."

I support your continued use of the system!
 
Personally, I like the "like" feature because it allows me to express my agreement with someone's views or comments without having to formally respond to the post.

Again, personally, I would like to see a "don't like" or "dislike" button that would allow me to express my disagreement with a comment that I find juvenile, obnoxious, ignorant, idiotic, etc. etc. without having to formally respond and perhaps get myself in moderator purgatory because you can't breath a word that's remotely personal without getting dinged, people are so sensitive and easily offended here.
 
I don't think "bandwagoning" is caused by likes. I think it is because of the polarizing rhetoric that people become polarized. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
 
If you don't like the "likes" system, don't use the likes system.


There, problem solved...
 
The "like" system was added in order to give users and easy way to express agreement with a post or the complimenting of a post without needing to reply, if that's all that was desired. The suggestions made in the OP are, as far as I know, not possible with the software.

Question answered.
 
The suggestions made in the OP are, as far as I know, not possible with the software.
This is correct. We would need some new code in the system to handle this.

The argument is a good one, but unsure we have enough interest to make it happen.
 
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