Thumbs up ("liking" posts without replying)
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 5:21 pm
Lots of forums have a "thank you" option nowadays, which is similar to the "like" button on Facebook. I think it would be good to have such an option on this forum for the following reasons:
1) Somebody who has downloaded an add-on, appreciates it, but has nothing to say beyond "thanks" or "I like it" probably won't post. As a result, the creator might see 100 downloads, but only one or two posts, which can come across like: "Oh, they thought it looked nice in the picture, but it turned out to be disappointing when they tried it out." With a "thank you" button, the creator can see how many people appreciated the add-on. It doesn't fill the thread with useless posts (which are discouraged)
The same, of course, goes for other types of posts: you can thank somebody for organizing a competition, coming up with a good idea, or just saying something you agree with -- It'll make someone feel good. Maybe you feel like you're the only one who feels a certain way, because nobody's written that they agree with you. This could be easily solved with a "thank you" button.
2) You can still "thank" people for older posts without bumping the thread. You could also thank people for posts they've made earlier in the discussion, when the discussion has moved on to a different topic.
3) More people (lurkers, for example) might be more inclined to actively participate. Maybe you'll see names you've never seen before. It's good to know that they, too, care for what goes on on the forum. They may even start posting in the future!
4) It's a good way for people to communicate a basic message if they don't speak English very well and don't feel comfortable enough to actually write a message.
It's proven to be popular on many message boards (especially those where new content is posted regularly), and it's a format that people are already familiar with (through, for example, Facebook).
It should be compatible with this board's software, too. I found this add-on, for example: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/ ... for_posts/
Now, I personally don't care for 'rewards', little golden stars, or "... has been thanked X times" or "has sent X thank you's". I think that type of reward system is a little pre-teen and it can actually have negative effects. Just a simple list of users who thanked someone for a particular post should suffice, in my opinion.
Let me know what you think
1) Somebody who has downloaded an add-on, appreciates it, but has nothing to say beyond "thanks" or "I like it" probably won't post. As a result, the creator might see 100 downloads, but only one or two posts, which can come across like: "Oh, they thought it looked nice in the picture, but it turned out to be disappointing when they tried it out." With a "thank you" button, the creator can see how many people appreciated the add-on. It doesn't fill the thread with useless posts (which are discouraged)
The same, of course, goes for other types of posts: you can thank somebody for organizing a competition, coming up with a good idea, or just saying something you agree with -- It'll make someone feel good. Maybe you feel like you're the only one who feels a certain way, because nobody's written that they agree with you. This could be easily solved with a "thank you" button.
2) You can still "thank" people for older posts without bumping the thread. You could also thank people for posts they've made earlier in the discussion, when the discussion has moved on to a different topic.
3) More people (lurkers, for example) might be more inclined to actively participate. Maybe you'll see names you've never seen before. It's good to know that they, too, care for what goes on on the forum. They may even start posting in the future!
4) It's a good way for people to communicate a basic message if they don't speak English very well and don't feel comfortable enough to actually write a message.
It's proven to be popular on many message boards (especially those where new content is posted regularly), and it's a format that people are already familiar with (through, for example, Facebook).
It should be compatible with this board's software, too. I found this add-on, for example: https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/ ... for_posts/
Now, I personally don't care for 'rewards', little golden stars, or "... has been thanked X times" or "has sent X thank you's". I think that type of reward system is a little pre-teen and it can actually have negative effects. Just a simple list of users who thanked someone for a particular post should suffice, in my opinion.
Let me know what you think