👍 Like a post

[Karla "with a k"]

Does anyone else wish you could 👍*like* 👍 a post?

[silentorpheus]

It gets suggested and/or discussed every once in a while - probably once a year. The general consensus tends to be against it:


https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ghlight=button

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...tton-for-posts

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ight=thumbs+up

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...ight=thumbs+up

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...-a-Like-button


There is, however a rating system for threads - you are able to rate any thread (if you look at the top right of the top post on the page, near thread tools) so that's a good way to show that you found the info in any given post helpful or useful to you.

[TrailSlug]

Does anyone else wish you could 👍*like* 👍 a post?

What does that do? I like a lot of posts but I'm not sure anyone else cares.

[SilvrSurfr]

What does that do? I like a lot of posts but I'm not sure anyone else cares.

Every morning I could wake up and check what threads TrailSlug liked. If he didn't like the thread, it would not be worth reading!

EDIT: You'd have to make the likes searchable - otherwise, what is the point?

[silentorpheus]

What does that do? I like a lot of posts but I'm not sure anyone else cares.

Here's the discussion, paraphrased into a nutshell:

Some people occasionally express that they want the ability to "like" a post, or give a thumbs up or "thanks", to show that the individual post (or sometimes the thread) resonated with them. Much like clicking the like button on facebook.

People against argue that this isn't Facebook, or reddit, or whatever other forum one may have seen that type of thing on. They would argue that if you like a post, why not comment to say so? Or send a PM? Or other wise engage that person on a more meaningful level ... and not just a "+1" or a thumbs up emoji, but actually interact and say "Thanks, that was really helpful, beacuse X". They also would argue that it can become a cliquey status thing, with people trying to get more likes and thanks. Some forums or sites tie it into some sort of status system, and that's never a good idea.

People for it would argue that sometimes you don't want to do anything other than express a quick thanks, and when you have threads where everyone is posting thanks or "+1", the threads can get longer and more cluttered, making it harder to find the actual information that may have been helpful to begin with amid all the chatter. It's like a quick, virtual high-five for someone when they posted something you thought was cool, or funny, or helpful, etc.


Logistically, it doesn't make much of a difference. There's probably a plugin that would allow it to be done - which would then need to be updated and tinkered with. Practically, it doesn't "do" anything. Someone says something that you thought was helpful, or funny, or to the point, and so you click a button that expresses that. There's plusses and minuses to both sides, I suppose.

[johnspenn]

Hey I like the idea.

[TrailSlug]

Every morning I could wake up and check what threads TrailSlug liked. If he didn't like the thread, it would not be worth reading!

I guess I'm too old to get this. Just because a thread had 5 likes doesn't mean I would like it or is this a way to reward the poster? If that's the case then post that you liked it.

[SilvrSurfr]

I guess I'm too old to get this. Just because a thread had 5 likes doesn't mean I would like it or is this a way to reward the poster? If that's the case then post that you liked it.

I don't really get the "like" button anyway, so feel free to ignore my comments. On Facebook, if 400 people like a post, I don't go check to see who liked it and I certainly wouldn't check on HF to see who liked a post. However, if there was someone on HF (say TrailSlug) and you wanted to track which topics he "liked" then you could do so if that function was offered.

It would be a somewhat "stalker-like" feature.

[TrailSlug]

I don't really get the "like" button anyway, so feel free to ignore my comments. On Facebook, if 400 people like a post, I don't go check to see who liked it and I certainly wouldn't check on HF to see who liked a post. However, if there was someone on HF (say TrailSlug) and you wanted to track which topics he "liked" then you could do so if that function was offered.

It would be a somewhat "stalker-like" feature.

Ah. Now that makes sense. Sort of a show really likable posts.

[silentorpheus]

Ah. Now that makes sense. Sort of a show really likable posts.

That's actually the one possible benefit I could really see - if you could look at a long thread, one that spans multiple pages, and search for the post that got the most likes or +1s or whatever, odds are that would be the post (hopefully) that had pertinent information. The example that comes to mind is a thread like the Turtledog Stand thread, which has many hundreds of posts. If there were a way to tag certain posts within that hundred page long novel, so that you could, for example, find the posts that had material lists, or specific build instructions, that would be helpful.

Then again, the most liked posts could also be someone who told a funny joke.