May We Please Have a "Like" Button?

[LitTrog]

My kids's used to use use to because, I use to too but, I beat it out of them.

But what did you use to use to beat it out out of, you'reself? Whatever you use to use it apparently, was know use.

[CameronCat]

I said NO.

A "like" button or its equivalent is used as a quick way to publicly show appreciation for a post. One simply clicks on the word "like" underneath someone's post and a record shows up in the footer of that post of all the people who have done so.

It also contributes to the dumbing-down of replies and dilutes the thoughtful and insightful discourse for which this forum has become known. Why think about a well worded reply when one can just click a button and be gone? This is simply the modern day version of what became known as "AOLing" a thread... everybody just posted "me too" or "I agree"; many good threads withered and died for lack of additional content. I don't want to see that happen here.

It would allow another option for forum participation and can be quite useful.

I fail to see how. What is the utility of such a button, other than perhaps stacking a deck and lengthening threads for no reason? And as a related question: Of those that voted YES, how many are NOT on Facebook? That site, and others similar use every mechanism available to get you to increase your post count. We have no need to here, and should avoid such cross-pollination.

Here, we are wonderfully free of titles (thank you for that, Steve!), levels of membership and other phony recognition. Let's keep it that way.

As a side note, in my curmudgeonly perfect world, I'd favor a requirement that posts have to be at least 10 words in length, making it necessary to actually, you know, consider and compose something before posting. But that's just me.
(Of course that could also lead to something like "willow coffee running epic Ferrari hootnanny silently pixie screentest ***") Oy!

/JT

[mookien]

But what did you use to use to beat it out out of, you'reself? Whatever you use to use it apparently, was know use.

Know use lion. Use right about that. I nailed a stick to a big old book called Prescriptive Grammar and walloped 'em with it. I guess I just couldn't hit myself hard enough. My wife wanted to help, but I woodn't let her.

[CMcG]

Judging by some of the comments on this thread, there is some confusion about what a "like" button is and how it works. I have tried to explain already, so here is an example of a thread in a watch forum that I frequent. Look at the bottom of my original post and you'll see a list of who has liked it (LINK).

It also contributes to the dumbing-down of replies and dilutes the thoughtful and insightful discourse for which this forum has become known. Why think about a well worded reply when one can just click a button and be gone? This is simply the modern day version of what became known as "AOLing" a thread... everybody just posted "me too" or "I agree"; many good threads withered and died for lack of additional content. I don't want to see that happen here.

A "like" button gives people another option other than what you call "AOLing" thread. That still happens around here where someone makes a good post and we get two pages of "***" or "I agree." Well-worded, thoughtful replies are great, but sometimes all people have to say is "good stuff!" If one doesn't have a carefully crafted response full of insightful discourse, then sometimes one might not post anything at all. A "like" button gives another option.

I fail to see how. What is the utility of such a button, other than perhaps stacking a deck and lengthening threads for no reason? And as a related question: Of those that voted YES, how many are NOT on Facebook? That site, and others similar use every mechanism available to get you to increase your post count. We have no need to here, and should avoid such cross-pollination.

A "like" button could actually decrease thread length by adding fewer non-contributory, laudatory, "I agree" posts. Furthermore, Facebook doesn't track post counts. Besides, a "like" should technically not increase one's post count because it is not an actual post.

As a side note, in my curmudgeonly perfect world, I'd favor a requirement that posts have to be at least 10 words in length, making it necessary to actually, you know, consider and compose something before posting. But that's just me.

Now this is an interesting idea... but a smidgen too curmudgeonly for me. I prefer a pluralist approach to online interaction and recognize that there is more than one way to go. A 10 word post limit is more likely to result in some people not posting at all...

Just because there is a "like" button doesn't mean people have to use it. If people want to write "***" it is fine with me. If people want to write longer posts it is also fine, even preferable. I just want the option of clicking a "like" button, or its nearest equivalent to show my appreciation for someone's post. I think is preferable to leaving no comment.

[Dale Seago]

Just because there is a "like" button doesn't mean people have to use it. If people want to write "***" it is fine with me. If people want to write longer posts it is also fine, even preferable. I just want the option of clicking a "like" button, or its nearest equivalent to show my appreciation for someone's post. I think is preferable to leaving no comment.

***!

[Moski]

Judging by some of the comments on this thread, there is some confusion about what a "like" button is and how it works. I have tried to explain already, so here is an example of a thread in a watch forum that I frequent. Look at the bottom of my original post and you'll see a list of who has liked it (LINK).




A "like" button gives people another option other than what you call "AOLing" thread. That still happens around here where someone makes a good post and we get two pages of "***" or "I agree." Well-worded, thoughtful replies are great, but sometimes all people have to say is "good stuff!" If one doesn't have a carefully crafted response full of insightful discourse, then sometimes one might not post anything at all. A "like" button gives another option.



A "like" button could actually decrease thread length by adding fewer non-contributory, laudatory, "I agree" posts. Furthermore, Facebook doesn't track post counts. Besides, a "like" should technically not increase one's post count because it is not an actual post.




Now this is an interesting idea... but a smidgen too curmudgeonly for me. I prefer a pluralist approach to online interaction and recognize that there is more than one way to go. A 10 word post limit is more likely to result in some people not posting at all...

Just because there is a "like" button doesn't mean people have to use it. If people want to write "***" it is fine with me. If people want to write longer posts it is also fine, even preferable. I just want the option of clicking a "like" button, or its nearest equivalent to show my appreciation for someone's post. I think is preferable to leaving no comment.

***.

[BCAC]

Originally Posted by mookien:-

My kids's used to use use to because, I use to too but, I beat it out of them.



Using an apostrophe s after an s is just wrong, but my eyes hurt looking at the rest of that phrase, so i'll stop now.

[BCAC]

A like button stops people from "quoting" a very long post just to add "***" or "I agree" at the end, also.

Now I will wait for some wag to quote my post and add "***" or "I agree" at the end. There's always one!

[Rob, ClanMacMillan, NM]

I voted "maybe" based on how I use the "Like" button on Facebook. Most of the time, when I'm reading a Facebook post, I realize I really should say "something" -- instead, I take the lazy way out and just click "Like".

I suspect that if we had one here, I'd be just as lazy.

Rob.

[mookien]

... Using an apostrophe s after an s is just wrong, but my eyes hurt looking at the rest of that phrase, so i'll stop now.

I hope you don't think my comments were criticisms of your "nit picking". Actually, like Father Bill, I don't mind it a bit, ... or a nit. In fact my grammar is atrocious, so I appreciate any edification. Also, I was trying to respond in kind to LitTrog's inanity with an enhanced inane inanity.

And for all of you who are disparaging this sub thread as "off topic", ... I'm still voting NO!