Likes and Dislikes. How about making the identities known to the poster?

by nicolaou 13 Replies latest forum suggestions

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  TonusOH

  I don't pay it much mind, though I do frequently upvote and occasionally downvote posts. If your vote showed up, it would corrupt the system, IMO. People would feel pressured to return a positive vote, or would be less likely to upvote someone who downvoted them before, regardless of how they felt about the comment in question. People would be less likely to downvote posts to avoid retaliatory downvotes or confrontations. And so on.

  PS: I only ever upvote Simon's posts, since I bet he can see who did it and I don't want to be on his bad side.
• 

  My Name is of No Consequence

  Personally, I like the fact that posters have an open forum to disagree (or agree) with one another.
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  FedUpJW

  When I downvote a post it has not ever been because of WHO made the post, it has been WHAT the post said, and I have downvoted some of even Simon's posts for that reason. I do not always have to spell out a reason for a downvote. There are more times than not I just don't give any vote one way or another. That said there are a very few posters here that I personally cannot abide almost everything they post, those I just go by and move on to something more interesting.
• 

  Simon

  It's a tough one as there are good arguments both for and against it.

  The original intent was to put people off from making meaningless short posts, just to say "something" (like "me too") and to allow people to voice or vent their agreement or displeasure about something without sticking their head above a parapet. It also helped to avoid some unpleasantries by allowing people to just put a thumbs-down without having to actually post, which I think helps avoid arguments continuing (at least a little).

  It also helps show that just because someone may post something obnoxious, it doesn't mean that we as a community endorse the sentiment if there are a ton of negative votes.

  But ...

  Some people clearly misuse it and you see in the patterns that they go on a binge of up or downvoting everything certain people's posts, clearly doing so based on the person and not the content of the post (when they are innocuous). If the person doing this was visible, they may do it less. Of course the downside is you then get into arguments on why someone gave you whatever reaction.

  Overall I think I'd favor having the voter be publicly visible, similar to facebook, but with a few more options:

  Love / Like / Dislike / Angry

  Laugh / Cry / Hug / Puzzled, maybe more (ideas?)

  And of course:

  Told-you-So Smug Grin (like your wife gives you when you finally have to admit she was right and you were wrong)