# We've added share buttons **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 2, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521 "2011-05-02T22:16:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/142 "2011-05-08T14:00:24Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > This board is not a special fucking snowflake. I’m here. Deal with it. > > I’ll post to Facebook, or not, as I see fit, and your precious sensibilities be damned. I’ve got socks older than you have been at this board sweetheart. Deal with _that_. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/143 "2011-05-08T21:08:11Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I’ve got socks older than you have been at this board sweetheart. Deal with _that_. _All_ my socks are older than that. Is that bad? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/144 "2011-05-08T21:29:09Z")
I have a sweatshirt that I bought in 1993. Look, I lost track, what exactly are we doing in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/145 "2011-05-08T22:35:55Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > _All_ my socks are older than that. Is that bad? Ban him! Am I the only one who can see nothing on this board that I’d want to post on facebook? “Look friends, a conversation between anonymous people you don’t know.” Cecil’s column is different. I’d link to that and have people read or not as they wish. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/146 "2011-05-09T00:16:31Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > I fully believe the quality of conversation here is better than I’ve seen on any other general-purpose discussion board that’s still running. It may be a fine line, but I think the sentiment that we have better conversation - by which I mean more interesting to me - is different from believing that we’re actually better people. The latter is elitist and snobbish. The former is expressing a personal preference, and that’s what I mean when I talk about how I think the board is a special snowflake and how important it is to not go out and do things just because everyone else is. And that’s fine. I disagree, but then we’re probably just hanging out at different boards. 😉 But let’s remember one thing: this place is going to change. The “feel” or “culture” of it, whatever, has since I’ve been here. And that’s inevitable. That happens. It has nothing to do with Facebook sharing, or avatars, or whatever. People come and go, topics and rules change, etc. (I’d say that the new Pit rules played a bigger role than any cosmetic look would) Resisting it isn’t going to do any good. It’s not going to change the quality, necessarily. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/147 "2011-05-09T01:20:37Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > But let’s remember one thing: this place is going to change. The “feel” or “culture” of it, whatever, has since I’ve been here. And that’s inevitable. That happens. It has nothing to do with Facebook sharing, or avatars, or whatever. People come and go, topics and rules change, etc. (I’d say that the new Pit rules played a bigger role than any cosmetic look would) > > Resisting it isn’t going to do any good. It’s not going to change the quality, necessarily. Of course change is inevitable. But the direction of that change is not some force of nature we (\*) are helpless to influence. How we advertise the board, who we welcome, and who we shun all impacts the board’s culture. We actually _can_ shape the future culture of this board, and that’s what these discussions around avatars, share buttons, Google indexing, etc tend to be about. (\*) We here meaning the overall SDMB community. Obviously admins have outsized influence here. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/148 "2011-05-09T03:15:10Z")
True. But to say that a few cosmetic changes will negatively impact the board is, to my mind, absurd. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/149 "2011-05-09T06:47:42Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Besides, sometimes it’s fun to let in the occassional idiot. Well… Never mind. WAY too easy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/150 "2011-05-09T06:55:56Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I just don’t like it when people get snobby about how much better this place is than the rest of the web. That’s one thing I really can’t stand about this place Really? Interesting. > [@](#): > > I don’t think people MEAN it like that That’s a load off of my mind. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/151 "2011-05-09T15:10:11Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Of course change is inevitable. But the direction of that change is not some force of nature we (\*) are helpless to influence. How we advertise the board, who we welcome, and who we shun all impacts the board’s culture. We actually _can_ shape the future culture of this board, and that’s what these discussions around avatars, share buttons, Google indexing, etc tend to be about. Should the board’s culture be static, or should it evolve over time? An earlier poster said that they didn’t mind the promotion the SDMB got through the “if LOTR was written by someone else” thread, because it attracted “our kind of people” or something like that. Really? How does the site _really_ grow if the end result is just going to be even more of the same Tolkien fan-wankery? Many message board members move on to some other community or distraction after a while. How will they be replaced if nobody knows about the site? What I see here on the SDMB almost mirrors the culture of academia. As in academia, there’s great resistance to change. So many members seem to liken themselves to eccentric beard-stroking professors, who see this place as a general interest message board, but a _virtual panoptic symposium_. Dopers argue endlessly over minutae in a way that reinforces the validity of [Sayre’s Law](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayre%27s_Law): “Academic politics is the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low.” While there is a need to back up an argument with facts, some demand cites for the obvious, as if they were wannabee referees of peer reviewed journals. The SDMB is just message board catering to a more mature and intellectually curious crowd than most, not some mahogany-lined professor’s lounge at an Ivy. Get over yourselves. Do you really think intelligent people would find themselves more attracted to message boards that don’t have avatars than those that do? Do you really think that the odd Facebook like is going to attract the unwashed masses? The popular belief that members who would have found the SDMB through a Google search or other third party are somehow less intelligent to those that discovered it through the Straight Dope column or the books is an insult to the many active, productive members that stumbled upon this place, or sought such a message board out. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/152 "2011-05-10T00:20:46Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Well… > Never mind. WAY too easy. 😃 Ha ha – 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/153 "2011-06-17T20:51:31Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > Go ahead and laugh, but a friend of mine finally gave in and signed up for Facebook a few months ago. And now they’re dead. Coincidence? So I just looked down the page and THERE IS THE DREADED FACEBOOK BUTTON!! I’m typing this to warn everyone, then I’m throwing my mouse across the room, changing my name, and moving to a small earthen home in an unpronounceable third world country. Without electricity. If anyone wants to talk me down from the ledge, better hurry. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/154 "2011-06-17T21:59:16Z")
Now that they’re there, anyone know how to hide them? I’m not using them, so won’t mind regaining the screen real estate. Not looking for anything dramatic (they’re there, but not overly intrusively), but an AdBlock-like ad-on would be nice/convenient. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/155 "2011-06-17T22:01:16Z")
I don’t know why the board can’t have a button to hide them. Like if you’re on the main board page, you can hit the double up carets next to Side Conversations and hide those forums. Could we get a function like that to hide the social buttons? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/156 "2011-06-18T06:35:04Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t know why the board can’t have a button to hide them. Like if you’re on the main board page, you can hit the double up carets next to Side Conversations and hide those forums. Could we get a function like that to hide the social buttons? That would only require a tiny bit of code to do, but considering the fact that the buttons are already way near the bottom (past the entire thread and the ad), I doubt TPTB would waste the time to implement something like that. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/157 "2011-06-18T15:55:23Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t know why the board can’t have a button to hide them. Like if you’re on the main board page, you can hit the double up carets next to Side Conversations and hide those forums. Could we get a function like that to hide the social buttons? It’s not an option in this version of vB. It’s either on or off. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/158 "2011-06-18T16:52:43Z")
I’m really noticing the difference with those buttons already. I can’t point to any specific posts, threads or posters, but I just have this sensation that the SDMB has changed. It’s tough to put my finger on, kind of like every time I go into a different forum, maybe these new people suddenly jump out, it’s like just seeing someone’s shadow once in a awhile, never actually running into the person. For me, my spider-sense is tingling off the charts and I’m going to be pretty careful about posting here from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/159 "2011-06-18T17:04:57Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I can’t point to any specific posts, threads or posters, but I just have this sensation that the SDMB has changed. It’s tough to put my finger on, kind of like every time I go into a different forum, maybe these new people suddenly jump out, it’s like just seeing someone’s shadow once in a awhile, never actually running into the person. They’re exactly where you don’t want to look, where you never want to look. The corner of your eye. Also, don’t blink. They’re multifaceted like that. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/160 "2011-06-18T17:15:22Z")
> [@RaftPeople](#): > > I’m really noticing the difference with those buttons already. :rolleyes: just :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521/161 "2011-06-18T17:25:21Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > :rolleyes: just :rolleyes: Okay, one of us has been whooshed. For RaftPeople’s sake, I hope it’s you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weve-added-share-buttons/580521.md?page=9)