That.
mmm
The part where people post that the thread should be closed because they are tired of the subject when they actually don’t even have to open them if they don’t want to.
I think I’ve read most of this thread and I still don’t understand the aversion to having an button that more or less just acts as a counter. It’s a moot point since apparently the software doesn’t support the option but the level of vitriol this seems to evoke surprises me.
Moderator Note
Czarcasm and Grrr!, please refrain from the snippy bickering and unhelpful comments. Everyone is free to express their opinion. Don’t belittle other’s opinions just because you disagree with them. If the topic bothers you that much (whichever side you are on), feel free to take it to the Pit.
In this forum, be respectful to others.
Czarcasm, don’t threadshit.
I’ve read the same thread, and I have found several posts that give reasons as to why some might disapprove of having such a discussion.
I’m curious-Are you finding such vitriol on both sides of the conversation, or just the side you happen not to support?
Are you serious? As mentioned in the post you’re responding to (ahem), a dozen or so muscle twitches already suffices. Admittedly, such an antiquated procedure demands several precious seconds of one’s time, but I doubt that many of the other members of the SDMB would equate a dozen keystrokes to a “200 word thesis.”
By the way, I don’t think the feeling here isn’t “Get off my lawn”; it’s “Why must our* particular lawn be as non-verbal and superficial as BookFace?”
- “our” meaning “all members”
Maybe I missed those comments but I haven’t noticed much in the way rabid support for the idea. The vast majority seem to be opposed. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that of course. My comment has more to do with the apparent revulsion those opposing it have.
Personally, I like the idea simply because it gives me an easy way to indicate that I appreciate a post without having to make a useless thank you or +1 post. I use that feature on other forums all of the time and I’ve never noticed any deleterious effects.
But that’s not really the point. My query is to why this seems to rankle so many people to the extent that it does. You almost get the feeling that if this were done it would lead to some sort of digital apocalypse.
Say what you will, but this place is ostensibly about fighting ignorance, not about being a popularity contest. Whether we’re really fighting ignorance is, I guess, debatable, but one imagines that the more this becomes a a popularity contest, the less it feels like an ignorance fighting effort.
It’s only a popularity contest if you pay attention to the counter. I don’t.
Plenty of reasons have been offered in this thread. At this point in this thread, it’s strange if you still have that question unanswered.
All you are doing here is characterizing a certain point of view with hyperbole and then asking why people hold that hyperbolic view. Well, the answer is that they don’t.
Think of it this way:
Currently, it is possible to accomplish the equivalent of a “like” button push. All a poster needs to do to signify they “like” a post is make a post quoting the post they like and then adding something like “+1” or “thumbs up”. And, in a way, that’s preferable to a “like” button because just hitting a like button doesn’t easily show later posters who it is who “liked” the post, whereas making a post to show admiration/agreement puts your name out there as on record for liking it.
Despite the fact we have this ability, do we see it used with any great frequency?
No.
Indeed, the number of such postings probably is less than 1% of the total postings on the Board.
So, pretty clearly, the masses have indicated that they don’t really want to “like” posts, at least not if it takes more effort than just clicking a single button in semi-mindless fashion. Now, if we think about that, I ask a simple question: what positive value is brought to the Board by allowing people to do with one click of a mouse that which they refuse to do with any added effort?
I submit a “like” button would add little, if any, positive value to the Board. The fact that it would make some posters happy to be clicking such a button is not sufficient reason to offer them that opportunity. IMNSHO.
No.
Ask the poster in question to be your “friend”. Seriously. It conveys the same sense of appreciation and leaves most of the rest of us out of the equation and the “Battles of the Likes” that follow things like that too many times.
No.
vBulletin does have an option very similar to “Like” and “Don’t Like” buttons- it’s “Thanks” and “Groan” buttons. I’ve seen them on other vBulletin boards.
That said, I would vote against adding them.
TreacherousCretin really agrees with this.*
- (48 clicks and keystrokes. I’m a slow typist, so 56 seconds of my life have been lost forever. Oh, the humanity.)
This. And the other thing.
Never mind a Like button - if we want to save time and keystrokes, we need a Cite? button.
Regards,
Shodan
Here’s a proposal: Let’s institute a “Like” button, but it’s real function is to insta-ban anyone who uses it. 
How about a “lick” button coupled with a Straight Dope branded teledildonics device? To really show your appreciation.