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Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: TRVA123 on 01 Feb 2015, 19:29

Title: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 01 Feb 2015, 19:29
See, this, this is why we need some sort of up-vote button - even if the results are only seen by the moderators.

I would love that. I try not to post unless I have something to add, and just saying "agree with Omega" isn't really adding something. (btw, omega, I often agree with you!)

maybe an agree button? idk. I don't think it should rerank posts or anything, jsut be a way for people to show support?
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 01 Feb 2015, 21:48
Haha, thanks TRVA!

One of the other forums I frequent has implemented a 'Like' button, so you can like forum posts much like you can on Facebook. I find myself looking for them on my other forums since I've gotten so used to them there  :-D
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 01 Feb 2015, 23:18
We tried that a while back -- it's an optional feature of the forum software.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrillho on 02 Feb 2015, 05:55
Haha, thanks TRVA!

One of the other forums I frequent has implemented a 'Like' button, so you can like forum posts much like you can on Facebook. I find myself looking for them on my other forums since I've gotten so used to them there  :-D

Hodgy, one of the main admins, feared this would cause a sort of popularity/unpopularity contest.

I'm not sure he's completely wide of the mark.

On the one other forum I frequent, I have the most liked post in forum history  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 02 Feb 2015, 07:58
Hodgy, one of the main admins, feared this would cause a sort of popularity/unpopularity contest.

I'm not sure he's completely wide of the mark.

I mean, would it really have more of an affect than people posting "I agree with Gareth"? As long as the likes don't count toward post ranking, people aren't notified when there are likes, etc. a 'like' would just be an "I agree"

I could possibly see people freaking out when their posts don't get likes, but people also do that when their posts don't get replies.

another option might be to enable likes only for certain forums. Discuss and WCDT. Chatter doesn't really need it, I'm not sure relate needs it.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 02 Feb 2015, 09:56
Hodgy, one of the main admins, feared this would cause a sort of popularity/unpopularity contest.

I'm not sure he's completely wide of the mark.

I mean, would it really have more of an affect than people posting "I agree with Gareth"? As long as the likes don't count toward post ranking, people aren't notified when there are likes, etc. a 'like' would just be an "I agree"

I could possibly see people freaking out when their posts don't get likes, but people also do that when their posts don't get replies.

another option might be to enable likes only for certain forums. Discuss and WCDT. Chatter doesn't really need it, I'm not sure relate needs it.
Pretty much this. It'd be good, if only as an indication to a poster that they're not just expressing themselves to their internet imaginary friend. There hasn't been any issues with it at my other forum, but that forum is also far less active than this one, or even as it was a few years ago.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 02 Feb 2015, 12:05
Some considerable time ago the mods played with the forum's "Karma" system.  In the end we agreed that it was not a good idea; and I, at least, still feel that way about it.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: BenRG on 02 Feb 2015, 12:10
I think that an 'up' button is workable. However, a 'down' button is a bad idea, human nature being what it is.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 02 Feb 2015, 12:16
We implemented in the forums I help admin, mostly because with so many names and people to keep track of it's nice to see if someone is consistently stirring the pot or adding nothing to the conversation (when we vote for members part of the requirements is that they use the forums correctly and contribute to the conversation). It's also used just to see what members are contributing the most which is used to help with promotions within the community. However, there's no membership here so I can't really say it's needed unless some people just like having things they post liked every now and then. Which I guess is fine.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 02 Feb 2015, 12:28
By coincidence I have just been reading about the bad effects of malicious misuse of a kudos system on another board.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: bhtooefr on 02 Feb 2015, 12:29
Honestly, there's been some good posts that I've felt like saying "me too" or "thanks for posting that, that was insightful" would be inappropriate, but I'd like to provide some sort of feedback. I would use it rarely, but there'd be times where it'd make sense.

But, some people WOULD use it as a popularity contest, or a way to get internet points...
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 02 Feb 2015, 12:46
Hows about whenever someone does something you like you have to post a funny picture of someone approving something.

(http://images.dailydawdle.com/thumbs-and-ammo-replace-guns-funny-photoshop3.jpg)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 02 Feb 2015, 13:48
Maybe than calling it a 'Like' button or 'Kudos' button, it was simply an 'Agree' button? Semantics, I'm sure, but at least then it feels less like a popularity contest, superficially.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: bhtooefr on 02 Feb 2015, 13:58
The other thing is, maybe make it show on the post that it got internet points, but only on the post, and it not show any of that on the user's profile?
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 02 Feb 2015, 15:08
It fell pretty flat on our brief trial.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: ybtlamw on 02 Feb 2015, 20:32
What we're talking about here's a sort of "reputation system." I don't know if it'd even be worth it to have one on the forums. I mean, I've only been a member for about a month, but I don't see the need for it. I frequent Kickass, and its reputation system's in place so you know who you can trust, as far as the advice they're offering or the torrents they're uploading goes. I don't really see a reputation system being necessary on these forums, because the admins and mods do a great job making sure everything's safe and neat and tidy anyway. It would be superfluous. And if we're going to hide the "likes" or "upvotes" and "downvotes" anyway, what's the point? The other person's never going to know you clicked the "like" button if you agreed with them, and neither's anyone else—rendering it pointless, in my opinion. Sure, it could be useful to the admins and mods, but that's what the reporting system's for.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 02 Feb 2015, 21:21
What we're talking about here's a sort of "reputation system." I don't know if it'd even be worth it to have one on the forums. I mean, I've only been a member for about a month, but I don't see the need for it. I frequent Kickass, and its reputation system's in place so you know who you can trust, as far as the advice they're offering or the torrents they're uploading goes. I don't really see a reputation system being necessary on these forums, because the admins and mods do a great job making sure everything's safe and neat and tidy anyway. It would be superfluous. And if we're going to hide the "likes" or "upvotes" and "downvotes" anyway, what's the point? The other person's never going to know you clicked the "like" button if you agreed with them, and neither's anyone else—rendering it pointless, in my opinion. Sure, it could be useful to the admins and mods, but that's what the reporting system's for.
It's really not the same thing at all, though. No one's saying they want any kind of rating system, which is what you're talking about up there. All it would be would be a shorthand version of 'hey, this person's perfectly said what I wanted to, and now I don't have to clutter things up with redundant agreements. No one'd be keeping score.

As for hiding them, they were talking hiding the number of likes on the users' profile pages, not on the posts themselves, so that there wouldn't be an active tally to keep track of or to be seen.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrudd on 03 Feb 2015, 07:11
Or just hide the results from everyone but the moderators.

It has been a long while for me when it comes to coding such stuff, but such a hidden tracking system is in use by some of the blogs I occasionally frequent.
It gives the admins a tool to highlight some stuff that is worth noting, either insightful, funny/punny or just [censored].

I personally like the concept, especially during times like these when the page counts just explode .... and .. I ... just ... can't .. read ... all ... the ... posts.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 03 Feb 2015, 08:49
idk, my ideal system for this forum would be an "agree" button. and it would not be linked in any way to the forum members profile, rankings, or anything. It would just be a form of acknowledgement.

Thats what I want, a form of acknowledgement that doesn't require me to add to the conversation when I don't have anything to add.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Carl-E on 03 Feb 2015, 08:53
So it would just display something in the post, like "32 members agree with this post"?  Or make a list, "TRVA123 agrees, Thrudd agrees, Carl-E agrees, ..."? 

Something like that would save some frivolous posting, but it would also eliminate some of the expansion on the topic by giving the button pushers an easy way out. 


Wait, that may actually be a good thing...
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 03 Feb 2015, 09:02
yeah! listing everyone who agrees by name might be tedious, but a "3 people agree" or something similar might be nice.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Masterpiece on 03 Feb 2015, 09:06
Sounds like "Like fishing on Facebook" to me. I'm already hooked on the forums, don't make it any harder to leave.

This message is coming from Tapatalk inside my phone!
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 03 Feb 2015, 09:52
idk, my ideal system for this forum would be an "agree" button. and it would not be linked in any way to the forum members profile, rankings, or anything. It would just be a form of acknowledgement.

Thats what I want, a form of acknowledgement that doesn't require me to add to the conversation when I don't have anything to add.

Agree. :-p

So it would just display something in the post, like "32 members agree with this post"?  Or make a list, "TRVA123 agrees, Thrudd agrees, Carl-E agrees, ..."? 

Something like that would save some frivolous posting, but it would also eliminate some of the expansion on the topic by giving the button pushers an easy way out. 


Wait, that may actually be a good thing...
You can agree with a post, and still post if you had something to add :-)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 03 Feb 2015, 09:55
Sounds like "Like fishing on Facebook" to me. I'm already hooked on the forums, don't make it any harder to leave.

This message is coming from Tapatalk inside my phone!

Then don't make it a feature in the chatter threads. I don't think "like fishing" will really be an issue in the more debate oriented threads, like WCDT, relate, or serious threads.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Welu on 03 Feb 2015, 09:57
I like the idea of the agree button that is post specific opposed to an overall user rating. As has been said sometimes it doesn't feel appropriate to say, "I agree with X.", particularly if I don't feel I have anything to add.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Rghfrgl on 03 Feb 2015, 11:16
Mark me down as another person who likes being able to tell people I appreciate what they had to say even if the conversation didn't go that direction. Let people know they weren't wasting their time when the spent five minutes writing something.

As long as you don't have people begging for likes or doing manipulative stuff like 'Like if you think Claire is the cutest' it's fine. And if people start doing that you can always disable it later.

She is the cutest though. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2644)  :clairedoge:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Kugai on 03 Feb 2015, 15:22
There are times I wish FB had a 'Fuck You!' button.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Mr_Rose on 03 Feb 2015, 17:31
What if the agree button was linked to the person clicking, not the post clicked?
Like, instead of the poster getting a list of people who agreed with their post, the people who agreed would get a link to the post they agreed with…
Or we could skip the implications of "agreement" and just let folk bookmark individual posts that they might want to refer to later.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 03 Feb 2015, 18:05
Wouldn't that be the same as literally quoting their post and they saying "agree" at the bottom?
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 03 Feb 2015, 19:34
Wouldn't that be the same as literally quoting their post and they saying "agree" at the bottom?

I agree
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 03 Feb 2015, 20:06
Wouldn't that be the same as literally quoting their post and they saying "agree" at the bottom?

I agree

ICWATUDIDTHAR
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: BenRG on 03 Feb 2015, 23:36
The point of a 'like' button is to avoid SPAMming up threads with lots of "+1 agree" posts.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrillho on 04 Feb 2015, 01:25
The point of a 'like' button is to avoid SPAMming up threads with lots of "+1 agree" posts.

Except, and I say this hesitantly given that I'd be in favour of a 'like' system, it's not like we get spammed with this shit often.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: ReindeerFlotilla on 04 Feb 2015, 02:30
Wouldn't that be the same as literally quoting their post and they saying "agree" at the bottom?

I agree

ICWATUDIDTHAR

I like that you saw that.

Sometimes I read something and think, "this forum needs a like button." But really, why?

I post art to facebook. About 7% of my friends like it. About 2 comment on it. I find the comments more useful. Getting more or fewer likes might be a sign that I did a bad job, or it might be sign that facebook's algorithm decided to show them something it deemed more relevant.

For example, I know some of my family members have seen it because they said so. They neither like nor comment, but review it positively. My family is not very much into public expression.

A button tells a part of the story, but not the whole story. Rather aside from that, I think it stifles conversation. Sure, there are infinite times when you just want to like, but not being able to express that is, IMO, worth the trade off of retaining those few times when you've got slightly more than like, and it's enough to post. Because I figure those will get washed away. After all, it's just a bit more than a like. Won't a like do just as well. I like to think not.

My, that sounds luddite. I'm not against likes. I don't think they are shallow and devoid of communication or something like that. It's just, like, there's a place for likes. And another place for +1's, which are like likes. It's like how I like recursion. So, like, likes like likes liking likes like likes. There's no, like, single way to do likes that's, like, best. But at a certain point they do become the message. Like that app "Yo." That, like, sends yo, and like, nothing else. That's like, liking distilled to nothing but like. Which, after a while, starts to look like you spelled it wrong.

So, like, I like the lack of likes like it is. Like +1.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 04 Feb 2015, 03:14
Not a lot more to say after that, really...
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: BenRG on 04 Feb 2015, 03:18
I would argue that, if you choose to use a 'like' button and use that as a reason not to leave a comment on another person's post, then you didn't really have anything substantive to say anyway.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 04 Feb 2015, 03:41
Indeed. As I said before, someone can like something and also choose to add more to the conversation if they have something to say.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrillho on 04 Feb 2015, 03:51
Yeah I would argue that liking and commenting are mutually exclusive. I usually only do both on Facebook if I'm being a douche, or my comment is to clarify why, say, I've liked a status about a bereavement (the like was a show of support, not a I LIKE THAT YOUR DAD DIED).
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 04 Feb 2015, 06:51
yeah, the like would be a form of acknowledgement.

i.e. Gareth posts something, says it so well that I have nothing to add.
scenario 1: no "agree" button. The conversation moves in another direction and Gareths' very insightful post is never acknowledged.
Scenario 2: "agree" button. Several people indicate that Gareth has phrased his point very well, there isn't really anything to add to that, and the conversation moves on. Gareth does not feel ignored because there are no replies to his post.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrudd on 04 Feb 2015, 09:28
Why not go with a more middle ground option then?

Posters get to see what the feedback level is on their posts - just a number count for each feedback button
examples of possible vote buttons


There is no need for any negative feedback mechanism because nearly everyone here is awesome and we have moderators with nutronium combat boots.

Everyone else would only get to see what votes they made, if any, on the forums postings.

Moderators then have a tool for highlighting best / funniest / punniest posts of the week for those people who only visit occasionaly and don't read-all-the-posts  :psyduck: Yeah, those kinds do exist  :psyduck:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 04 Feb 2015, 11:42
I am not writing this; the option I have available is a single "Like" button.  I can choose whether to show the count only on the posts which are liked, or also to show each user's likes in their profile, or next to all their posts.  I would only consider the first, because scoring people is the possibly harmful usage.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: lepetitfromage on 04 Feb 2015, 12:33
I'm a fan of putting a "like" button next to each post and only showing the likes on that particular post. I've also had a number of instances where I've wanted to let the poster know that I support them but did not have anything of value to add to the conversation (also, a lot of times I will see that the conversation moved on and I didn't feel the need to revert back to it simply to add a "me too").

I agree that the scoring isn't helpful in any way and neither is keeping track of each members' likes.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: bhtooefr on 04 Feb 2015, 12:34
And showing the likes on the post only is, IMO, the reasonable way to go.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 04 Feb 2015, 13:06
Agreed with the above. There's no legitimate use for an ongoing tally. All I'd want is the notice on the post itself.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Carl-E on 04 Feb 2015, 14:27
(also, a lot of times I will see that the conversation moved on and I didn't feel the need to revert back to it simply to add a "me too").

And this is an excellent example of just that.  Since I only look in once or twice a day (soon to drop off again) I'd "like" to be able to acknowledge a comment without derailing. 


It's starting to sound like we've reached a consensus, but it's ultimately an admin decision, of course. 


 :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: MooskiNet on 04 Feb 2015, 14:48
I'm with everyone else who's said it would be cool to be able to click 'Agree' or 'Yup' or what have you, especially since I'm really bad for quoting a wall of text and posting

This.

as a reply. 

I know, I hate myself for it, too.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Carl-E on 04 Feb 2015, 15:16
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4128/5178208816_d469081398_b.jpg)

Sorry, couldn't resist.  It's been a few years since I used it. 
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 04 Feb 2015, 15:18
But I like being a pedantic asshole
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Carl-E on 04 Feb 2015, 15:20
Nobody said you had to stop...
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 04 Feb 2015, 15:25
I don't want Jeph to beat me with a sign.

Anyways, have you noticed that a lot of what we're talking about is currently taking place in this thread? A lot of people replying in agreement? I don't know if that shifts the bar towards or away from likes, but it's certainly happening.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 04 Feb 2015, 15:42
I'm enabling the button for people to see if they like it - only in the Comic forum for now.

I've made a poll for your views at the top of this thread.

The button is meant to be a dark gray matching the default theme - if you see black, that's a caching issue in the server, and should correct itself sometime.

The button does not show in the "Old" QC theme; I will try to correct that tomorrow.

You can see who the likes are from by clicking the count; you can't like your own post.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: cesium133 on 04 Feb 2015, 15:53
I think I may have just accidentally liked a post because it looked like a spoiler tag.  :psyduck:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 04 Feb 2015, 15:54
Hmm, it does, doesn't it!  I'll try a different design tomorrow (I'm going to bed now, though).

You can unlike it again, of course!
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 04 Feb 2015, 16:01
It's better if you put it over to the right. But that's just more aesthetically pleasing (and maybe less confusing).

I'm also pretty excited I spelled aesthetically right on my first try.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 04 Feb 2015, 16:03
It's better if you put it over to the right. But that's just more aesthetically pleasing (and maybe less confusing).

I'm also pretty excited I spelled aesthetically right on my first try.

Yep, the forum I visit has it up by the Quote button, and is simply a little thumbs up. But I'll take what I can get!
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: bhtooefr on 04 Feb 2015, 16:04
I think I may have just accidentally liked a post because it looked like a spoiler tag.  :psyduck:
I did it, but it was on a post that I actually liked, so...

A couple comments on the current implementation... how do post edits affect likes? I may like an earlier version of a post, but not the current version, for instance.

And, also, should it be anonymous who liked a post, or not?

And now, to go off and like an older post that I've had reasons not to reply to (beyond cluttering the thread in question), but I definitely thought it was an excellent, insightful post.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: cesium133 on 04 Feb 2015, 16:16
Now to get the obvious pun out of the way...
(http://i.imgur.com/s5cIPPi.png)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: ReindeerFlotilla on 04 Feb 2015, 16:21
I don't want Jeph to beat me with a sign.

Anyways, have you noticed that a lot of what we're talking about is currently taking place in this thread? A lot of people replying in agreement? I don't know if that shifts the bar towards or away from likes, but it's certainly happening.

I would like this post, but I have to refuse on principle. Too late to break character.

I believe the world we experiences influences us more than we influence it. We have a whole science devoted to studying it. It's called "consumer marketing." If a person chooses to use a like button, their choice is inescapably influenced by the existence of said button. Indeed, this entire comment only exists because the button exists. Otherwise, it would be little more than a repeat of a and existing comment. But the button existing creates a new context, allowing different, but supporting meaning. Indeed, indeed! the previous statement is only exists because I had a choice and refused it. So too that statement, and this one. There's no logical reason to think the effect doesn't run both ways.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: jwhouk on 04 Feb 2015, 17:41
I voted "Meh" because I'm not a fan of how the button looks on the theme I'm on (which I've forgotten). It's a black box down at the bottom of the post, which kinda distracts from the post.

EDIT: QC-light. I forgot that I'm one of those weird ones.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: downtowneddie on 04 Feb 2015, 18:57
I think the "Like" button is working well. Nicely done!
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: lepetitfromage on 04 Feb 2015, 21:59
Me too! I like QC light. The appearance of the button isn't enough to make me like it any less though. :-)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Method of Madness on 05 Feb 2015, 17:02
I feel I should go on record as saying I fucking hate this idea and wish it were never implemented :grumpypuss:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: bhtooefr on 05 Feb 2015, 17:08
I think the button's UI implementation is rather jarring, and I personally think anonymous likes might be better (although the moderators should absolutely be able to see who liked a post).
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: valkygrrl on 05 Feb 2015, 17:41
Likes are a wonderful idea.  Friends will start liking all of each other's posts, cliques will be obvious, new people _will_ know who it it not permissible to disagree with and exactly how many people will dogpile on them for expressing a contrary view.

PLus a like button is all like social and stuff! Everyone loves facebook right? Making something more social networkish will uh, popular with the kids and... Nope I've got nothing.

But I'll press the like button like a good little monkey since that is The Way Things Are now.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: MooskiNet on 05 Feb 2015, 17:52
I'd argue a forum becoming an insular campground for the 'old guard' is just as likely with or without 'likes,' though I agree there's a tendency to cliquishness when who's liking who is obvious.

Like any other online community, the key's moderation.  That's covered well, in my opinion, and if they think the like button is causing more problems than it solves, they'll probably make it go away.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Aimless on 05 Feb 2015, 17:58
I like this. I think many people will enjoy knowing that someone liked something they posted and it will lower the threshold for expressing appreciation. Both getting and showing appreciation are things that make many people feel a tiny little bit better, which I feel is a good thing.

Some of the other forums I frequent have similar features and I haven't seen any problems with them on those forums along the lines of Vgrrl's dystopian scenario. On the contrary, I've seen positive things, esp. on those forums where it's been implemented as a "thanks" button. I've made peace with my childhood experiences and so there is currently nothing that tarnishes this idea for me atm. I also like the appearance of the button as well as the animation. So, all in all, I give this a thumbs up and if we get a thumbs up emoticon I'd give two thumbs up. cheers
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: hedgie on 05 Feb 2015, 18:12
I'd argue a forum becoming an insular campground for the 'old guard' is just as likely with or without 'likes,' though I agree there's a tendency to cliquishness when who's liking who is obvious.

Like any other online community, the key's moderation.  That's covered well, in my opinion, and if they think the like button is causing more problems than it solves, they'll probably make it go away.

Well, *good* moderation, and I think that this place has it (IMO), which is one of the reasons why I stick around.  It's funny, though, in how in the last 20+ years online, I've never been a mod, at my own insistence.  I tend (and was worse in the past) to have a short-fuse, and used to let the power go to my head.  Closest I ever came was when I nicked ops privileges on an IRC channel is when I kept them for just long enough to let the administrators get themselves a channel-protection bot (of course, for fun, I kick-banned them to show them what is possible, and then explained things).
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 05 Feb 2015, 19:39
Likes are a wonderful idea.  Friends will start liking all of each other's posts, cliques will be obvious, new people _will_ know who it it not permissible to disagree with and exactly how many people will dogpile on them for expressing a contrary view.

PLus a like button is all like social and stuff! Everyone loves facebook right? Making something more social networkish will uh, popular with the kids and... Nope I've got nothing.

But I'll press the like button like a good little monkey since that is The Way Things Are now.
I don't even look at who's posting when I click the Like button, nor do I seek out specific people's posts. If I agree with a post, I agree with a post, regardless of who posted it.

I imagine that most people here -aren't- 5-year-olds, and aren't likely overly prone to behavior better suited to a gradeschool playground. I never fit into any cliques growing up, but I'm not going to let that color my perception of a forum function that, as has been exhaustively discussed in this thread, a shortcut to simply agreed with posts without cluttering up the treads with quotes followed by 'I agree'.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: TRVA123 on 05 Feb 2015, 19:48
To those of you making dire predictions about the Forums future, why not just let this play out?

At worst, the mods will step in before the "like induced cliques ruin the forum", and those of us who "like" the "like" button idea will shut up.

At best the forum will be exactly the same, but with a like button.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: hedgie on 05 Feb 2015, 19:49
Many groups form cliques.  Sometimes being excluded is actually better, in terms of one's mental health.  It is kinda strange, though, going from a total outsider to being considered as a member of one or two.  I think that it actually raises one's anxiety levels, officially be a member of one, but having half one's friends in another, and others were hurling accusations, and having to navigate between them to avoid hurting people, especially those who genuinely care about.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 05 Feb 2015, 20:35
To those of you making dire predictions about the Forums future, why not just let this play out?


The like system will become sentient and somehow - Through wacky governmental incompetence - take over the world. It won't be all bad though, I hear the gruel they'll feed us only has a little bit of arsenic.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: lepetitfromage on 06 Feb 2015, 06:11
I think the formation of cliques based solely on the existence of a "like" button is a bit of a stretch. I think there are certainly people who fall into social groups but I find that is generally based on common ground, shared experiences and empathy- not "that person is cool". I also find the notion that it will suppress intelligent conversation in favor of conformity and peer pressure to be a smidge insulting and I think the forumites deserve to be given more credit. This has evolved into a safe space for intelligent and informed discourse, so long as the parties involved don't become belligerent. I don't see a small button changing any of that. I think any other means to show our forum family that we support them is a good idea.

If any button would allow members to dogpile on people for their ideas, I think it would be a "dislike" button and I'm definitely glad we don't have one of those.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: swapna on 06 Feb 2015, 11:37
I don't like the like button, and I ignore them as much as i can. If it weren't used like an 'I agree' button, but more like an 'oh, this post was thoughtful even though I might not agree with it', I'd probably like it more, but at the moment it's stuff like 'SQUEE CLAIRE DID THAT THING!'  :clairedoge: that gets 'liked', so it doesn't even serve as a good method of identifying the good posts out of a long thread. I also think that very few people just post 'I agree', but add their own thoughts - this makes a discussion way more interesting than just clicking 'I LIKE'
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrudd on 06 Feb 2015, 12:49
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Penquin47 on 07 Feb 2015, 11:30
My main problem with the like button is that, on my theme at least (forum default), I keep thinking it's a spoiler button.  A couple times now I've clicked on it to read the spoiler only to find I just liked a post that I didn't mean to (not that there was anything wrong with the post necessarily).
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Pilchard123 on 07 Feb 2015, 11:31
Could the display be optional?
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Omega Entity on 07 Feb 2015, 11:33
I think an alternate visual arrangement is in the works. Not positive on that though.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: jwhouk on 07 Feb 2015, 17:52
On the other skins, it's a black box surrounded by black.

On another forum that I frequent*, it is included on a bar below each post, with a more traditional "thumbs up" (ala Facebook).



* - Hi, CeltZ, wherever you're lurking.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Near Lurker on 07 Feb 2015, 18:08
I keep thinking it's a friggin' spoiler tag.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Method of Madness on 07 Feb 2015, 18:24
It looks absolutely nothing like a spoiler tag to me.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: ReindeerFlotilla on 07 Feb 2015, 19:42
It looks exactly like a spoiler tag, except for the part where it says "Like" instead of "Spoiler."
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Method of Madness on 07 Feb 2015, 19:45
It's a completely different color for me. But then again I use QC Light (because how could I not?)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Orkboy on 07 Feb 2015, 19:50
I like that it doesn't, by default, list who liked a comment.  It makes it feel like a more general community Like rather than "these specific people agreed with you."  Sure, you can click the thing and see the names, but it doesn't list them automatically. 
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 07 Feb 2015, 23:55
I'm away and forgot my laptop charger, so attempting to improve the button has been delayed.  It's not forgotten.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: rschill on 08 Feb 2015, 00:24
It looks exactly like a spoiler tag, except for the part where it says "Like" instead of "Spoiler."

Heh, It fooled me upthread, but that's OK I liked the post that I liked. 

I think a button such as this would be a good thing.   '

To present options without really endorsing them:  Perhaps the likes can be made visible only to the author of the liked post, or maybe the liking could be anonymous, or maybe both. 

People who are here more often would probably be better judgments on those ideas, but I felt I should bring them up because I like options.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: cesium133 on 08 Feb 2015, 08:04
It's a completely different color for me. But then again I use QC Light (because how could I not?)
QC Light: All the Flavor and Half the Calories of QC.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Method of Madness on 08 Feb 2015, 20:20
I don't really mind it anymore.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 09 Feb 2015, 00:40
I have too many browser tabs open and the text in each is truncated to fit. The tab for this thread therefore reads "Like Butt".
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Zebediah on 09 Feb 2015, 05:25
I formally propose that the text on the "Like" button be changed to "Like Butt".  :evil:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: bhtooefr on 09 Feb 2015, 05:29
Hell, I thought it was good that I could actually read "Like" in the tab, on my Mac running Firefox with 50 px maximum tab width and about a 1600 px wide Firefox window. That means I'm running a lot less tabs than normal.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: jwhouk on 09 Feb 2015, 05:44
I noticed that the Like button is not available on Tapatalk.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 09 Feb 2015, 06:35
Extensions to the standard forum software (which include even the spoiler tags) are in general not handled by Tapatalk, because it is effectively an alternate rendering engine that the extensions don't patch because they don't know about it.  In any case, having one extension patching another is an inherently unstable situation, requiring a canonical order for installation of otherwise unrelated patches, and making individual updates near impossible.



I've changed the colour of the border of the button to make it obviously different from the spoiler button (caching may delay the change in your browser).
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: FunkyTuba on 09 Feb 2015, 11:42
I created a separate thread for this... could it possibly be related to the changes for the like button?

https://forums.questionablecontent.net/index.php/topic,30463.0.html


(fwiw, I don't see the like button in firefox rn)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 10 Feb 2015, 01:18
The Like button is now visible in all themes, and is less like the spoiler button.

The intermittent behaviour was because I uninstalled and reinstalled a couple of times, culminating in breaking the forum  :psyduck:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: jwhouk on 10 Feb 2015, 06:19
Bravo, dear sir, bravo. :) ;)
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 12 Mar 2015, 05:38
I've changed the poll here so that people can give a view on the future of the Like button.  If you would like it added to certain other forums, but not all, then please indicate which in a post.

Note that I have no intention of further changing its appearance or how it works.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: explicit on 12 Mar 2015, 05:44
Anything but discuss or relate would be fine with me. Though keeping it as it is, plus maybe adding it to certain threads (e.g. the spam thread(s)), would also be okay. I highly doubt adding it there would cause issues.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: pwhodges on 12 Mar 2015, 05:49
Can only be enabled by forum, not thread.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Welu on 12 Mar 2015, 08:09
I think it could be good in Discuss, like in Comic people could like a post instead of posting, "I agree". I don't think it's needed in the more personal ones like Chatter and Relate but I'm not really against it either.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: jwhouk on 12 Mar 2015, 08:34
I think it could be good in Discuss, like in Comic people could like a post instead of posting, "I agree". I don't think it's needed in the more personal ones like Chatter and Relate but I'm not really against it either.

I'll post that I agree with this one rather than just "Like" it... wait.  :psyduck:
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Pilchard123 on 12 Mar 2015, 11:03
Rather than making the poll None/some(and post)/all, why not have the poll be something like "Which forums should the Like button be in? Rules/New/QCComic/AGComic/etc."
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Method of Madness on 12 Mar 2015, 11:46
Done. Maximum of 3 votes, so if people want it everyone, just vote for everything but "remove it", of course.
Title: Re: Like button for forum?
Post by: Thrillho on 13 Mar 2015, 05:34
I think it could benefit in Discuss and Relate as well because it shows people agreeing without parroting. In the relationship thread at least, people often go 'I agree with what x said!' when relationship advice is given.