# Is there a "Like" button at SDMB? The Discobot tutorial thinks there is, but I don't see it **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 18, 2024, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287 "2024-01-18T19:41:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dewbiedoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@dewbiedoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewbiedoo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/1 "2024-01-18T19:42:00Z")
I’m happy enough to find a place without the like feature (meaning I can take or leave), but I’m stuck on the tutorial because I don’t see any like buttons, but the Discobot keeps insisting that I do a test “Like” of its message. (Similarly I’m failing at the “flag it” test message because the option I’m told to select does not exist. Again not worried, but mostly just wondering if this iteration of Discourse was modified after the “Greetings!” Discobot tutorial was set up). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/2 "2024-01-18T19:43:03Z")
No, there’s not. ---
**Author:** ![dewbiedoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@dewbiedoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewbiedoo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/3 "2024-01-18T19:44:07Z")
Thanks! So I’m not crazy. Or, at least not crazy in that particular fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/4 "2024-01-18T19:47:55Z")
Yet 57 people have received a badge for their first like. This adds to the confusion, as there must have been a like option at some point and only a privileged few were able to use it and get a badge. ☹ We should all get a like badge, sort of like a participation trophy. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/5 "2024-01-18T19:48:18Z")
There was for the first day or two. It was disabled/removed. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/6 "2024-01-18T19:52:58Z")
We few, we proud, we liked. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/7 "2024-01-18T19:53:35Z")
Discourse does not have a like button. Discourse has a reputation system where users can advance to higher trust levels and take on certain moderator-level abilities, and the like button is an integral part of their reputation system. Discourse expects message boards to be largely self-moderated by the users. This entire system does not fit with the way that we have been operating for the last couple of decades, so we intentionally set the requirements for higher trust levels to be impossible for normal users to attain. As @running_coach said, likes were enabled at first until we realized exactly how they factored into Discourse’s reputation system. Similarly, a lot of users managed to give themselves moderator powers, and, being the SDMB, they immediately abused the privilege and started doing all sorts of things that they weren’t supposed to do (changing other people’s user names, etc). Likes were disabled and a few other things were tweaked to keep users at non-moderator trust levels. Discourse was a bit of a learning curve for all of us. A lot of people want a like button here. Unfortunately, you can’t separate the like button from Discourse’s reputation system, so unless they change the software, we can’t use their like button here. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/8 "2024-01-18T19:56:44Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Similarly, a lot of users managed to give themselves moderator powers, and, being the SDMB, they immediately abused the privilege and started doing all sorts of things that they weren’t supposed to do (changing other people’s user names, etc). - Level 3 trust. As you mentioned, it include some mod powers. I didn’t know it included changing usernames. The only thing I did was edit one typo and move a thread to a different forum, both at author’s request. There was a thread in the Lounge where the Level 3s were having some fun. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/9 "2024-01-18T20:02:40Z")
I don’t think trust was tied to likes. I only got one like but still had access to the lounge and some mod powers. I remember screwing around with the tag system. I think it was based on activity, something like total posts read in a given time period? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/10 "2024-01-18T20:06:54Z")
Likes factor into the trust system, and can’t be separated from it (which is why we can’t ever have a like button here). But it’s not the only thing that factors into it. The default for Discourse to get to trust level 3 is this: To get to trust level 3, in the last 100 days… - Must have visited at least **50%** of days - Must have replied to at least **10** different non-PM topics - Of topics created in the last 100 days, must have viewed **25%** (capped at 500) - Of posts created in the last 100 days, must have read **25%** (capped at 20k) - Must have received **20** likes, and given **30** likes.\* - Must not have received more than 5 spam or offensive flags (with unique posts and unique users for each, confirmed by a moderator) - Must not have been suspended or silenced in the last 6 months I don’t remember exactly what the requirements were set to when we first switched to Discourse. All I know is we were rather surprised when a couple dozen users suddenly showed up as trust level 3. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/11 "2024-01-18T20:08:45Z")
Hm, weird. Thanks for the insight! ---
**Author:** ![dewbiedoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@dewbiedoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewbiedoo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/12 "2024-01-18T20:09:30Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Discourse does not have a like button. Discourse has a reputation system where users can advance to higher trust levels and take on certain moderator-level abilities, and the like button is an integral part of their reputation system. …users managed to give themselves moderator powers, and, being the SDMB, they immediately abused the privilege and started doing all sorts of things that they weren’t supposed to do (changing other people’s user names, etc). also > [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Likes factor into the trust system, and can’t be separated from it (which is why we can’t ever have a like button here). I’m active on a few other fora using Discourse and on one, abuse became rampant but it was doled out as jokes. Primarily, “regular” status and above could change other users’ thread titles (and as you mentioned, getting likes was part of the pathway to higher status). Heck, sometimes you’d go to bed and wake up to a thread that had had 30 title changes overnight. The sysadmins fixed that by reducing those sorts of abilities and limiting them to actual mods. So, they couldn’t disassociate the likes from the trust levels, but they could take some of those extraneous powers away from TL3 and above. Also at that one, they expanded the “like” feature into 12 different aspects (like, happy for you, bulls-eye comment, sad for you, and a bunch of others). It did cut down on posts that did nothing more than express one of the feelings in the options, but whether that’s better or not, I don’t know. ETA - so by disabling the like feature, the only TL3+ people are the mods, yes? All others would be basic members (TL1, like me) or full member (TL2). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/13 "2024-01-18T20:12:14Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > There was a thread in the Lounge where the Level 3s were having some fun. “A Thread For Those With Ill-Considered Powers” does seem to be an appropriate thread title under the circumstances. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/14 "2024-01-18T20:23:33Z")
Huh. The switch to Discourse happened while I was on a long self-imposed break, so I missed all the fun of the rollout. I imagine there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. I imagine some were apoplectic over the like button. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/15 "2024-01-18T20:26:38Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > I don’t remember exactly what the requirements were set to when we first switched to Discourse. All I know is we were rather surprised when a couple dozen users suddenly showed up as trust level 3. Yeah, it was quite a surprise. Also, this happened just about the time of the switch. > [@What happened to my username?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-to-my-username/855862/1): > > This is running coach. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/16 "2024-01-18T21:27:25Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I imagine there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth. A surprisingly large number of users stomped off in a huff demanding that if it didn’t look and work exactly like vBulletin they were done. No learning something new for them. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/17 "2024-01-18T21:40:16Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > A surprisingly large number of users stomped off in a huff demanding that if it didn’t look and work exactly like vBulletin they were done. Evidently the fact that Discourse _works_ was big negative for them. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/18 "2024-01-18T21:40:41Z")
Yeah, that’s… about what I would expect. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/19 "2024-01-18T21:47:44Z")
> [@dewbiedoo](#): > > I’m happy enough to find a place without the like feature (meaning I can take or leave), but I’m stuck on the tutorial because I don’t see any like buttons, but the Discobot keeps insisting that I do a test “Like” of its message. To get past something in the tutorial that you are unable to do, just reply with “skip” and discobot will skip allow you to continue. * * * At one time users had the ability to delete one of their old posts, no matter how old, every 24 hours. Of course people abused that too so the function was removed. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2024, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287/20 "2024-01-18T22:57:16Z")
Big fat hairy **NO** on like/dislike buttons. On the fora I frequent they are often used to enforce groupthink and punish dissenters. There is a baseball blog I frequent which has the infernal things, and I regularly see the most innocuous and reasonable comments downvoted, if they go against the grain there in some subtle way. It has made me much less likely to post anything as a result. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-like-button-at-sdmb-the-discobot-tutorial-thinks-there-is-but-i-dont-see-it/996287.md?page=2)