Thread: 'Like' button?

Does the forum's software have the equivalent of a 'like' button... you know, the sort you see on blogs and (apparently) those so-called 'social' media contact sites?

It's just that I gave Tea Lady a 'thumb-up' for her news about being included in an up-coming exhibition in Sydney. I know what will happen next; I will be inundated with email notifications of further replies to TL's thread and the majority of them will be smilies or a few simple congratulatory words – hardly gripping reading.

Don't get me wrong, I would rather support TL and endure the follow-up email notifications than not, but wouldn't a 'like' button be ideal for situations such as this? People who just want to give another member a slap on the back could click the 'like' button and therefore subscribers would only receive email notifications of replies from those who post some meaningful words.

I could of course unsubscribe from the thread, but then I might miss news of the exhibition coming to Melbourne... or some such.

I thought if you just "added to reputation" or "rate this thread" it didn't mean you were subscribed.

At the risk of you already well and truly knowing this, abut equally at the cost of you not, you can always immediately unsubscribe to the thread. Coupla more clicks than what your suggesting, I agree, but solves the problem in the interim - you know while Dad's thinking about your excellent suggestion.

Me thinks the ratings system is visually tucked away too far, and would get better use if it was stand alone in the vast real estate patch underneath the posters name, call sign etc. Single click and your done, then subscribe to the thread if you wish too, without it being done automatically.

Surely at least the latter part can be easily done?

The reputation system only serves to inflate one's ego (assuming it's all positive!) because it's private. A 'like' system, as on other web media, is public and serves, not only to show the contributor the amount of support, but also other readers and illustrates trends in what's popular.

Unsubscribing is an option, but, as I mentioned above, would leave me ignorant of any purposeful discussion added to the thread.

I guess you have seen the "Rate thread" option in the menu bar (becomes "Rating" after first use)? That is for the entire thread, not a single post.

Originally Posted by Groggy

I guess you have seen the "Rate thread" option in the menu bar (becomes "Rating" after first use)? That is for the entire thread, not a single post.

Hmmm.. again, not the same as the 'like' button. The rating system doesn't show the number of raters and is impersonal.

A more useful system might be a drop-down list showing who all 'likes' the thread or post. It would save the aforementioned inconvenience of multiple notifications, but would also serve as a useful tool to posters and forum mods as well.

WW, that isn't available in the current version and I have not seen it in later versions. There is no capability to write such code as a modification either. I'll ask Neil for you.

Originally Posted by Groggy

WW, that isn't available in the current version and I have not seen it in later versions. There is no capability to write such code as a modification either. I'll ask Neil for you.

It's no big deal really, I surmised it wasn't available or I'd have seen it before.

contractor talk has a "thanks"

I'm with WW here, good idea. I've always assumed (and I could be wrong) that merely adding an emoticon to a thread without contributing words adds to the person's post count. Honestly, I'd rather read a useful contribution to the thread. The 'thumbs up' (or down) is the next best thing.