Like system

Is adding a "like system" a good idea?

  • Total voters
    31
Kylo Ren said:
Still, YouTube and other websites have like systems, and considering that there haven't been too many problems with jealousy on those websites, I don't see why it would be any worse here.
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Most if not all users here would not be causing shit scenes about having no likes. Who cares about not getting as many likes as others? You're not a bad person if you have no likes, unless you are spamming shit about not getting likes.
 
Nobody's going to throw a fit; I don't think anyone ever said that. However, it still makes the website less enjoyable to users who make a not-so-popular topic. There's not even any pros to having a like system that come to my mind right now.


And comparing to YouTube is a bad argument for a couple of reasons:

1. Youtube uses a like to dislike ratio bar. Sure, the actual amount of likes or dislikes shows, but no one actually looks at that; it's the colored bar that matters.

2. YouTube uses a like system to recommend the quality of the video beforehand. It the dislikes outweigh the likes (or even if it comes half-and-half), viewers will probably be less likely to watch it. But what is the point here? To "recommend" some topics and "deter" others? YouTube's like system would be useless without dislikes, and dislikes are something that will only cause problems for our community.

3. YouTube has a massive amount of users. Seriously, take any two active channels, ask if they know each other, and the chances of them actually knowing each other is basically zero. Most channels have maybe one or two likes not because they are terrible, but because it's impossible to watch every single video (which would take you 60,000 years). Because of this, not having likes won't make you really feel bad. We, on the other hand, have a pretty close community. Most active users probably know each other; we don't have 60,000 years' worth of topics, so they'll be read by most people. At this point, you can see how likes go from being a simple indicator of the video (topic)'s quality to something completely unnecessary that will create competition at its worst and absolutely nothing at its best, as far as I can see.
 
I am not against implementing this Like option, but I don't think adding this option would vastly improve anything either. Sure it would give you an ego boost and it's an easy way to make people agree with your post without actually stating, but that's really about it.

I'd be staunchly against having like, say, a Facepunch forums-like post-rating system though.
 
I really don't have much of an opinion on this. But if for some reason the forum resorts to this, there will be drama e.g 'Why the hell didn't you like my post'. Our current system is effective as it is.
 
Iggy Waffles said:
I really don't have much of an opinion on this. But if for some reason the forum resorts to this, there will be drama e.g 'Why the hell didn't you like my post'. Our current system is effective as it is.
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1. I'm not saying the forum is bad as it currently is at all. In fact, I think it's really good currently. I'm just saying we can make it even better.

2. Although I think most people on this forum are mature enough to handle not getting likes, I'm not totally denying a few people here might handle it immaturely, so I reiterate my earlier suggestion that if a person acts like a petulant child about not getting likes, mods should be allowed to give warnings to or ban him or her for it.
 
I like how all of the Global Moderators who have commented on this topic have said that it's a good idea but almost all regular users have said it's an awful idea because the only thing they're thinking about is how drama could possibly be generated from this which won't happen because said Global Moderators are here to actually ensure users are following rules.
 
Chiaki Nanami said:
I like how all of the Global Moderators who have commented on this topic have said that it's a good idea but almost all regular users have said it's an awful idea because the only thing they're thinking about is how drama could possibly be generated from this which won't happen because said Global Moderators are here to actually ensure users are following rules.
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I couldn't have said it better myself.
 
I'm not against it either, but I personally don't feel comfortable if large amounts of people liked one post of mine because it strokes my ego and I might do something stupid in hopes of replicating that post or whatever.

But that's a personal problem and doesn't address the benefits of a like system.

Honestly, though, I don't think the amount of low-quality posting is going to change. What people see as "low-quality" might be "funny" for others. Liking can be a benefit because it might help build confidence in user or pressure them to make high quality post so there's that. But it's a pretty inconsequential change but I think I'm weakly supporting a like system.

On the other note, can we at least visibly display post count again? Are people really shedding blood over whose dingamahigs are bigger in this forum?
 
On the other note, can we at least visibly display post count again? Are people really shedding blood over whose dingamahigs are bigger in this forum?
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*cough*pms*cough*

Unless you mean just on any ol' post.
 
Kylo Ren said:
Chiaki Nanami said:
I like how all of the Global Moderators who have commented on this topic have said that it's a good idea but almost all regular users have said it's an awful idea because the only thing they're thinking about is how drama could possibly be generated from this which won't happen because said Global Moderators are here to actually ensure users are following rules.
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I couldn't have said it better myself.
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It's NOT whether people go berserk or not. I'm sure the global moderators can deal with that. But even if you don't throw a fit, it still makes you feel a little bad (for the reasons I previously said, and I'm not typing that thing up again). Don't worry, I'm not so crazy that I think people will start throwing fits, but I feel it's a feature that has the problems I've said that greatly outweigh the pros (none that immediately come to mind).

On a side note, and it's not a big deal or anything, but I don't appreciate anyone not being a Global Moderator being considered a "regular user." We all have things that make us special (Awards, 'Shroom, Poll Committee, moderator, Admin, and yes, just being a unique user), so let's not look down at others, even if we don't mean it. :)
 
Andymii said:
On a side note, and it's not a big deal or anything, but I don't appreciate anyone not being a Global Moderator being considered a "regular user." We all have things that make us special (Awards, 'Shroom, Poll Committee, moderator, Admin, and yes, just being a unique user), so let's not look down at others, even if we don't mean it. :)
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I don't think looking down on anyone was the intent behind that distinction. It's just that the feature will affect the forum, and thus those tasked with the administration of the forum. For the purpose of keeping the discussion on-topic and relevant, the focus of the argument lies on those of positions with a forum-moderative purpose, with everyone else being grouped under the term "regular" for the sake of convenience. Whether someone is Core Shroom Staff of a member of the Poll Committee, while relevant in other contexts, does not factor into anything here, thus they are omitted.

There really is no reason to take offense to that. We should be perfectly capable of continuing to live our lives without having our positions/whatevers validated in every discussion, even the ones they have little impact on.
 
That's a lengthy response to a side remark :p

I'm just saying that though Moderators probably have good points, other people's ideas shouldn't be dismissed because they are regular users.

Anyway, I know I've been pretty critical of the idea of likes, but I honestly can't see what the pros are. Anyone who supports the idea, please tell me; I'm pretty flexible.
 
What you've been saying is that calling people "regular users" somehow constitutes as looking down on them. My response (is two short paragraphs really what qualifies as lengthy nowadays?) merely illustrated why this is not the case, and why you shouldn't get upset over it.

As for pros, the system would be a suitable way to convey that you agree with a post without having to make one yourself, which can be handy in situations where someone has already said what you were going to say and you have nothing more of substance to add. For artistically inclined people it would be a nice way to see if their projects are getting attention, and for patrons of said project it'd be an easy way to show your appreciation for something even if you don't have much to say about why you appreciate the work and thus feel reluctant to make a post.

In general, it allows you to show your support for a post without having to type up a lengthy justification for it. Some people just don't like posting "Yeah, I agree" and then adding nothing of value to the discussion, and this feature would help them out.
 
I've converted to support on this, mostly after what Edo said.
 
Yeah, dislikes are kind of shit (and those would probably ACTUALLY create drama).
 
Again, I'll post a made up conversation:

"who disliked my post"

"me"

"how dare you"

"you're just a loser without a life who needs to be somewhere else"

Right?
 
So it's like a "per" vote in proposals?

If it's used that way, It's actually a pretty good idea on paper. I'm still a little skeptical on if people will actually use it that way, though. I'm not quite sure how to put it, but it still gives the misleading notion of popularity. Maybe there's a way to satisfy both ends?

And yeah, no dislikes.

(If I'm being a pain, sorry about that; I just naturally disagree with things until I am absolutely convinced something is worth doing.)
 
That's why you're liking posts, not people.

Like, I guess it would be possible for someone to upvote every post a certain person is making because they're secretly pining to carry their unborn child or something, but honestly, that person would look pretty pathetic fairly quickly and I doubt anyone here would be bored enough to abuse the system like that.
 
I added a poll to find out whether more people are for or against the like system.
 
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