# Showing thanks on the Dope **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 15, 2021, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912 "2021-03-15T04:36:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/1 "2021-03-15T04:36:52Z")
In the discussions about Discourse, there is a lot of good information from people that I’d like to acknowledge and let people know I appreciate their input. In other discussions, there are times when I want to acknowledge that I read and heard someone’s thoughts and appreciate their writing it. But it’s difficult to do in the thread without feeling like I’m interrupting the flow of the conversation. At Reddit, there are at least 5 ways to thank people. 1. Just say thanks in the thread. That’s not only culturally accepted, but people will upvote you for saying thanks as an encouragement. Since the conversations are threaded, the thanks doesn’t hijack or drag down the conversation. 2. Upvote. That’s at least an acknowledgement that the person read what you posted and is acknowledging that they heard you. 3. DM the person. Generally people are super nice about receiving thanks since the notification system is the same as for getting a comment, so it’s not an inconvenience to reply back to them from that screen. 4. Give someone an award. There are lot of awards on Reddit. 5. Give people money in the form of gold or silver. On the Dope 1. Slows down the thread, 2. Not possible, 3. Possible, but not common or as accepted, I think. 4. Not possible 5. Not possible I’m not suggesting that the Dope implement any of the systems on Reddit. I just gave the comparison to show how one system allows for a lot more opportunities for acknowledgement. Given that the only two options of showing thanks either slow the thread down or is not commonly done, which is more accepted and encouraged here? Are there other ways of showing thanks on the Dope that I haven’t thought about? Would you like to see more or less thanks here? ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/2 "2021-03-15T05:42:17Z")
I don’t see how a thanks post slows down a thread. I see and use them all the time. One thing I don’t see mentioned when we talked about this before is my worry that upvotes and likes will take the place of some posts. IMHO we do not need fewer posts on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/3 "2021-03-15T05:48:48Z")
I see people thanking others regularly. Don’t see how it slows down the thread. I send PMs to posters to compliment them in posts. It’s way easier to do on Discourse, since there’s no pm limit like there was on the old boards. The other stuff seems gimmicky rather than true communication. I wouldn’t like it. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/4 "2021-03-15T06:09:14Z")
To clarify what I mean about slowing the thread down. For example, if I posted thanks to every tip that **codinghorror** gave, there would be a LOT of extra posts in the thread, just saying thanks. I really am appreciative of so many of those tips and insights. In other places, I might hit an upvote or a like to save space and other people’s scrolling. Again, I’m not advocating for those systems here. I’m just looking for the best way to thank people. For the people who are saying that they only see 3 posts per screen, those posts would slow them down even further and might become an aggravation rather than something thoughtful. > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I send PMs to posters to compliment them in posts. It’s way easier to do on Discourse, since there’s no pm limit like there was on the old boards. I do sort of like this idea, but it might be nice for people to be publicly acknowledged too, so other people know that they’re appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/5 "2021-03-15T06:30:10Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > - Just say thanks in the thread. That’s not only culturally accepted, but people will upvote you for saying thanks as an encouragement. Since the conversations are threaded, the thanks doesn’t hijack or drag down the conversation. I consider +1 to be the SD like and if the thread has moved on from then use: @Heffalump_and_Roo +1 Being a “not current in this time zone” poster I find this is a regular occurrence. > [@](#): > > - DM the person. Generally people are super nice about receiving thanks since the notification system is the same as for getting a comment, so it’s not an inconvenience to reply back to them from that screen. It’s my habit to send out DMs as compliments on posts quite regularly. Way less than half respond which likely means I’m deemed some antipodean stalker and best ignored. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/6 "2021-03-15T06:54:11Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > I consider +1 to be the SD like and if the thread has moved on from then use: > @Heffalump_and_Roo > +1 @penultima_thule +1 Like. I hadn’t thought of that. Thanks. It does take an extra post, but maybe if I’m replying to other posts as well, it might not be seen as extra. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/7 "2021-03-15T07:05:43Z")
I honestly wouldn’t mind having a “like” or “thanks” button here, but the one that comes with Discourse (just like on Reddit) seems to influence sorting, which I would not want. All I would want it to do is add a number below a post and to optionally notify the user (though they could turn such notifications off). As the software currently exists, I’d just stick with thanking people in posts. As a standalone post, I’d probably limit my thanks somewhat, using it for bigger thanks. But including the thanks as part of another post is an option, too. As is thanking someone for several posts at once… eg. “Thank you for your help. And thanks for the other times you’ve helped me, too.” Maybe I’m odd, but I’d save PM thanks for the most special, or when the thanks gets a bit personal. I know that, if you PM me a compliment/thanks/etc, I’m going to want to reply back. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/8 "2021-03-15T07:38:30Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I honestly wouldn’t mind having a “like” or “thanks” button here I strongly agree with the decision _not_ to have a like button here. I think it distorts conversations, because people tailor their posts to get the most likes. So posting can become a game of ‘who has the most likes’, and can result in an echo chamber of popular opinions. ---
**Author:** ![Enjoy\_Slurm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enjoy_slurm/32/3937_2.png) [@Enjoy\_Slurm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enjoy_Slurm)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/9 "2021-03-15T07:46:55Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I strongly agree with the decision _not_ to have a like button here. > > I think it distorts conversations, because people tailor their posts to get the most likes. So posting can become a game of ‘who has the most likes’, and can result in an echo chamber of popular opinions. _Like_ ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/10 "2021-03-15T07:50:36Z")
Maybe we need to start a tradition of anti-pit threads. (un-pit? de-pit? I’m sure there’s a better term for this…) We have no problem starting a new thread to call out other dopers on their egregious behavior, why are we so hesitant to call them out when they’ve done it right? I know I’ve learned **SO MUCH** in the aviation threads from posters like **LSLGuy, Richard Pearse, Bear Neno** , etc. And if you need the 411 on copyrights and trademarks **Acsenray** is your guy/gal. And there’s many more (whom I’m forgetting at the moment) who are more than wise in their niche area of expertise. It should be part of the board culture to praise these efforts at fighting ignorance!! Thankyou thankyou thankyou!! ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/11 "2021-03-15T09:39:57Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I honestly wouldn’t mind having a “like” or “thanks” button here, but the one that comes with Discourse (just like on Reddit) seems to influence sorting This is incorrect. Sorting is not influenced on Discourse like Reddit. According to **codinghorror** , > [@What were people thinking during the transition to Discourse?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-people-thinking-during-the-transition-to-discourse/917400/74): > > Apology accepted, as this is completely wrong wink Likes are a step toward building a ‘greatest hits album’, but the only place you’d see that is on your user profile, never in the topic itself. The generalized concern is that seeing a like count will affect your view of the world, no different than the argument that twitter or facebook should remove likes. And it is a fair argument to make. I think Instagram did actually do that recently? Let me look it up… One thing I have noticed that … I’m not advocating for a like button. I’m just correcting misinformation here. For the rest of the post, I agree that’s what I see people doing here, waiting for something special to thank someone. It’s why I started the thread. When people wait to thank people, there are less thanks going on. > [@GreenWyvern](#): > > I think it distorts conversations, because people tailor their posts to get the most likes. So posting can become a game of ‘who has the most likes’, and can result in an echo chamber of popular opinions. That has been my thought as well. But I have wondered recently whether it might sometimes reveal that an unpopular opinion has more support than one would think if they just read the thread. For instance, if you read [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vbulletin-or-discourse/912161) on the day after the migration to Discourse on vBulletin vs Discourse, you might think that vBulletin would be winning by a mile. But the poll shows otherwise. Discourse was winning 51% to 41% for vBulletin. Anonymous likes might have the same effect. But again, I’m not advocating for that. It’s just an interesting thought experiment. > [@mikecurtis](#): > > Maybe we need to start a tradition of anti-pit threads. (un-pit? de-pit? I’m sure there’s a better term for this…) Sounds great! I hope more people do this. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/12 "2021-03-15T10:47:24Z")
Can’t understand reluctance to just post a ‘thank you‘ in the thread. They are always pleasant to read, it never ‘slows?’ the thread or conversation down in any way that I have ever detected. As several others have also mentioned! I’ve certainly never seen anyone remark or slag anyone for doing so. I think the OP needs to reexamine that thinking and adjust their attitude maybe. I’m certainly not wanting likes and upvotes, yikes! If you’re wanting anonymity while giving thanks then there is already the perfectly functioning and, already being used as such, PMs! Not really getting the whole ‘thought experiment’ thing, tbh. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/13 "2021-03-15T11:45:47Z")
We can’t have likes it will destroy the board and its culture! ~~We can’t have Profile pics it will destroy the board and its culture!~~ ~~We can’t have more smileys it will destroy the board and its culture!~~ ~~We can’t have pictures in threads it will destroy the board and its culture!~~ Could just be me but I think I see a pattern here. (One could argue that posting ‘likes’ as posts might violate the rarely used _no post padding_ rule.) ---
**Author:** ![CardboardBoxx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardboardboxx/32/7079_2.png) [@CardboardBoxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CardboardBoxx)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/14 "2021-03-15T11:49:30Z")
Likes would only be acceptable if they cannot be given anonymously, and you can also give dislikes. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/15 "2021-03-15T14:18:59Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Can’t understand reluctance to just post a ‘thank you‘ in the thread. They are always pleasant to read, it never ‘slows?’ the thread or conversation down in any way that I have ever detected. As several others have also mentioned! I’ve certainly never seen anyone remark or slag anyone for doing so. This. What’s the big deal? We’re supposed to be talking to each other, it’s a normal part of a conversation. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2021, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/16 "2021-03-15T15:03:48Z")
> [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](#): > > I’m not advocating for a like button. I will. I understand the argument that a Reddit-style system of upvotes/downvotes would stifle discussion on the boards. I disagree, but I understand the argument. But the idea that a “+1” or “this” or “QFT” is somehow a value-added proposition when compared to a “like” button makes no sense to me. So here’s an example: > [@TriPolar](#): > > This. What’s the big deal? We’re supposed to be talking to each other, it’s a normal part of a conversation. **TriPolar** is contributing to the discussion by explaining why he agrees with **elbows**. He could’ve just posted “this” and moved on, and that would also be fine, but how would it be inherently more valuable to the conversation than a like button? Now to respond to the quote directly… > [@TriPolar](#): > > This. What’s the big deal? We’re supposed to be talking to each other, it’s a normal part of a conversation. I would suggest a post incapable of generating more than “likes” (or their one-off equivalents) is not a very good part of the conversation to begin with. It may be a good quip, but it’s not doing anything to move the conversation along. “QFT” is not a conversation - it’s the forum equivalent of a cocked eyebrow and a slow nod of appreciation. And, of course, the addition of a ‘like’ button would not suddenly preclude anything already being done. It wouldn’t (shouldn’t) become against the rules to say “This!” or “/thread” or anything else. It would just be another tool in the toolbox. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2021, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/17 "2021-03-15T15:14:24Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > I understand the argument that a Reddit-style system of upvotes/downvotes would stifle discussion on the boards. I disagree, but I understand the argument. > > But the idea that a **“+1” or “this” or “QFT”** is somehow a value-added proposition when compared to a “like” button makes no sense to me. - Because it makes it clear you’re agreeing with the post, not the poster. An upvote/downvote system can make it possible to “attack the poster” without drawing attention from the mods. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/18 "2021-03-15T15:20:54Z")
I think we should show we like a post by sending money to the poster. Okay. Never mind. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/19 "2021-03-15T15:21:04Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > An upvote/downvote system can make it possible to “attack the poster” without drawing attention from the mods. So upvotes only. I think a ‘like’ button is far more valuable than a ‘dislike’ button. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912/20 "2021-03-15T15:22:34Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Because it makes it clear you’re agreeing with the post, not the poster. Seems exactly the same as a Like button. It works perfectly well on another board I read, [Primetimer.com](http://Primetimer.com). Not sure why people insist it’d be any different here. It seems the only argument against it is, “All change is bad, everything should always stay exactly the same!!” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/showing-thanks-on-the-dope/937912.md?page=2)