So why can't we opt out of the <3 / </3 feature for threads.

[Teh Savior]

or at least have a feature that lets us make it so that users can't vote in it unless they respond to the thread.

it's a bit of an unfair metric when folks who do nothing to contribute to the discussion can skew the poll's results, and i feel that it actually discourages people from leaving their actual feedback in the thread if they notice it going too far one way or another.

Just sayin.

edit: Hahaha oh wow, less than two minutes into the thread being up it's already being downvoted like hell, way to show your maturity guys.
This s**t is exactly why I made this thread.
Sure, you can click a button and say that you don't like the thread, but how will the person who posted it know what's wrong with their ideas if you don't SAY anything to them about it.

[marshmallowcreampie]

I like the feature. If my view has already been stated several times previously by other users, no point in typing all that s**t out if I'm just repeating it. Second, I do like being able to give my opinion when it comes to threads where the OP is really hostile to anyone who has a different opinion. That does happen...

[ceaen]

Just because someone votes without posting, doesn't mean they're skewing the votes. There's shouldn't be a requirement that someone has to post to vote, because often people will simply choose to just vote when anything of value they had to say was already said by another user(s) and they don't wish to make redundant posts. I do that all of the time here in SF. If someone suggests an item that I like I'll just <3 it instead of saying "yeah, I want that" because typing out that response is a waste of time. Same goes for suggestions I don't like/agree with.

[ceaen]

marshmallowcreampie

I like the feature. If my view has already been stated several times previously by other users, no point in typing all that s**t out if I'm just repeating it. Second, I do like being able to give my opinion when it comes to threads where the OP is really hostile to anyone who has a different opinion. That does happen...

And as a perfect example of what we both said, had this post been up before I began typing mine, I wouldn't have bothered making a response at all, I would have just simply voted.

[Teh Savior]

marshmallowcreampie

I like the feature. If my view has already been stated several times previously by other users, no point in typing all that s**t out if I'm just repeating it. Second, I do like being able to give my opinion when it comes to threads where the OP is really hostile to anyone who has a different opinion. That does happen...

So ignore their hostility, if they're an a** to you in response, report em'.

Forums are meant for discussions, not circlejerks.
And the reason why I personally hate the <3 / </3 system is this.
There's folks who won't even look at the content of the thread

They'll just see the username
and instantly <3 or </3 it accordingly

that's why I'd at least like a limitation where users actually have to respond before they can leave their little voting metric on the thread, it'd be a better metric that way, because the folks who voted are the folks who participated. not some shadowy figure from the deeps

[Teh Savior]

Ceaen

marshmallowcreampie

I like the feature. If my view has already been stated several times previously by other users, no point in typing all that s**t out if I'm just repeating it. Second, I do like being able to give my opinion when it comes to threads where the OP is really hostile to anyone who has a different opinion. That does happen...

And as a perfect example of what we both said, had this post been up before I began typing mine, I wouldn't have bothered making a response at all, I would have just simply voted.

Now you're implying that feedback is a waste of time if someone else responded.
That is simply not true. When I make a thread, I absolutely love reading every single reply I get.
Even if it's people saying the same thing over and over again, I try to respond to everyone if I can.

Admittedly, eventually I move on from the thread, but we can't keep constant watch over everything we make, eh?

Any feedback at all, that actually promotes thoughtful responses, is valuable.

Someone simply clicking a button, doesn't contribute anything at all.
The metric, as it stands, with how the community uses is, (Specifically, the community of the GCD) makes it nothing more than a prommie meter.

That's why it shouldn't be mandatory.
Because some of us actually enjoy responding to people.

[Mortok]

I downvoted your thread because I shouldn't be forced to explain myself if I don't want to, and the whole point of having the voting system in the first place is so that people can express their opinions without wasting time typing out a whole paragraph.

If you force people to post when they just want to vote instead, they'll just limit themselves to extremely short responses that don't offer any 'discussion' anyway.

I like how you assume that people are downvoting just because they're 'immature' or they don't like you. It could never be because your ideas are genuinely bad. Obviously a crowd of anonymous gaians just likes to troll you. It's a massive conspiracy.

[ceaen]

Teh Savior

Ceaen

marshmallowcreampie

I like the feature. If my view has already been stated several times previously by other users, no point in typing all that s**t out if I'm just repeating it. Second, I do like being able to give my opinion when it comes to threads where the OP is really hostile to anyone who has a different opinion. That does happen...

And as a perfect example of what we both said, had this post been up before I began typing mine, I wouldn't have bothered making a response at all, I would have just simply voted.

Now you're implying that feedback is a waste of time if someone else responded.
That is simply not true. When I make a thread, I absolutely love reading every single reply I get.
Even if it's people saying the same thing over and over again, I try to respond to everyone if I can.

Admittedly, eventually I move on from the thread, but we can't keep constant watch over everything we make, eh?

Any feedback at all, that actually promotes thoughtful responses, is valuable.

Someone simply clicking a button, doesn't contribute anything at all.
The metric, as it stands, with how the community uses is, (Specifically, the community of the GCD) makes it nothing more than a prommie meter.

That's why it shouldn't be mandatory.
Because some of us actually enjoy responding to people.

Then just ignore the haters. You don't have to take the value personally; just assume they're all trolls and it won't hurt you personally.
In all honesty, in most forums (except ones notorious for trolls), people use the system fairly; I rarely ever see an instance where it appears that people are using it to troll. The value tends to relate quite well to the replies that a thread receives.

And people who want to respond will. But not everybody feels that it is necessary to post redundant things that have been said a million times already, or the need to waste time posting something as simple (and unproductive) as "I agree". The system is there to allow people to have a say when they have nothing to contribute to the actual discussion.

[Faelrin]

I get downvotes on plenty of my threads. Do I care? No not really because someone just disagree's and I respect their opinion. They don't have to like my ideas. Sure a reason would be nice, but sometimes its just better to be blunt and simple about it, rather then potentially cause a flamewar. In fact I personally like it when someone just hits the dislike and goes away and doesn't leave any nastyness. 3nodding And no I don't consider constructive criticism and suggestions nastyness. Well anyways, that's just my insight on this whole feature. It's no different then youtube's like/dislike feature for me. And I agree with marshmallowcreampie's response. I just click the button and tip the post that pretty much said everything I was going to say.

[Teh Savior]

Mortok

I downvoted your thread because I shouldn't be forced to explain myself if I don't want to, and the whole point of having the voting system in the first place is so that people can express their opinions without wasting time typing out a whole paragraph.

If you force people to post when they just want to vote instead, they'll just limit themselves to extremely short responses that don't offer any 'discussion' anyway.

I like how you assume that people are downvoting just because they're 'immature' or they don't like you. It could never be because your ideas are genuinely bad. Obviously a crowd of anonymous gaians just likes to troll you. It's a massive conspiracy.

Thanks for the feedback, friend. Got a lot more out of that than I'd ever get out of you just simply clicking that button.

And have you ever BEEN to the GCD? That's pretty much all this feature gets used for there.

If you don't want to respond to a thread, simply don't respond. It's that simple.

Polls are optional, why can't this feature be optional too.

[.~[Misty.Muffin]~.]

Why should I say something in a thread when it's been said ten billion times? You get tired of seeing the SAAAAME replies over and over. So if I know my opinion has already been stated I can simply <3 or </3 a thread then move on to another place. There's no reason to make it an opt-out feature. That seems stupid.

[Chahklet]

I think the feature is useless and discourages good intellectual conversation.
A vote basically isn't s**t but laziness.
It isn't really a clear answer. And no one knows what YOU actually think.

[Fansub]

I can't believe people take this whole vote thing seriously.

[Teh Savior]

.~[Misty.Muffin]~.

Why should I say something in a thread when it's been said ten billion times? You get tired of seeing the SAAAAME replies over and over. So if I know my opinion has already been stated I can simply <3 or </3 a thread then move on to another place. There's no reason to make it an opt-out feature. That seems stupid.

Polls are optional, why can't this be too.

I generally DON'T post threads that often, because of how much this feature bugs me.
What's it matter if its been said before. Go ahead and say it again, it's not a waste of time, and as it stands, two people can say the same thing two different ways, yet both of them will provide different insights on the same response.

[ceaen]

Chahklet

I think the feature is useless and discourages good intellectual conversation.
A vote basically isn't s**t but laziness.
It isn't really a clear answer. And no one knows what YOU actually think.

But how is just leaving a post that says "I agree" or "I disagree" any more useful? That's not conversation either, so removing(or choosing to turn off) the feature won't encourage any more discussion that what is already given. If anything it'll just lead to lots of posts lacking in true content or will just result is less feedback since people may not find that making a post that says "I agree" or "I disagree" is worth it.


Also, just in regards to this feature and the voting here: I find the it to actually be quite useful. Based on posts it would seem opinion is skewed towards disagreement, but the vote is showing pretty much an even split. So there are more people that agree, they just don't seem to have anything additional that needs to be said.