The 'Likes' Thread


We didn't have a lot of "-1" posts in the past, but there were quite a few "+1" posts.

The asymmetry is probably caused by the fact that you can like what someone is saying without really needing to add anything to it, but if you dislike something, it would be a poor discussion if you just said "I disagree" without specifying any reasons or arguments.
 
The asymmetry is probably caused by the fact that you can like what someone is saying without really needing to add anything to it, but if you dislike something, it would be a poor discussion if you just said "I disagree" without specifying any reasons or arguments.
Asymmetry is the keyword here: showing your approval is now one click away, showing your dissaproval still needs a post - an effort to actually type something, which not everyone is willing to take.So either give me both or nothing, as only making "likes" possible is just misleading
 
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But what is the meaning of one-click disapproval? It doesn't really add anything to the discussion in terms of arguments, but it still indicates some kind of hostility which is impossible to refute, so it's pointless in my opinion.

Posts that are nothing but "I agree" or "I disagree" are just noise if you're reading a thread to see what the arguments of all sides in a discussion are. So I think it makes sense to try to get rid of such posts.

The "I agree" posts we can get rid of with the like button. The "I disagree" posts we get rid of by not accepting people to just disagree without specifying reasons. If those reasons to disagree are already given by someone else, you can of course also just "like" their disagreement post.
 
But what is the meaning of one-click disapproval? It doesn't really add anything to the discussion in terms of arguments, but it still indicates some kind of hostility which is impossible to refute, so it's pointless in my opinion.
So you are saying if a post is liked it does not matter if it contributes to the discussion, but otherwise it has to contribute otherwise it isn't valid ?


Doesn't make much sense to me.


Also why does disagreement imply hostility ?

Posts that are nothing but "I agree" or "I disagree" are just noise if you're reading a thread to see what the arguments of all sides in a discussion are. So I think it makes sense to try to get rid of such posts.
A "noise" with usually minimal impact on the length of a thread. At least I can't recall any thread we're this was done so excessivly that it made the thread tiresome to read.

The "I agree" posts we can get rid of with the like button. The "I disagree" posts we get rid of by not accepting people to just disagree without specifying reasons. If those reasons to disagree are already given by someone else, you can of course also just "like" their disagreement post.
How many cases were there, were people actually wrote "I disagree" ? If the effort is taken to actually write something usually the motivation is already there to write more.


It can also obscure the discussions "red thread", as a small "like hint" is easier to overlook than a new contribution. Especially in combination with avatars as pictures get more attention than text during the process of visual analysation of the readers viewspace.
 
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If you agree 100% with something, there's nothing more to be done than to express that this is in fact the case, as a way to support that. If you're quick enough to make a "+1" post immediately after that post, then I agree that the noise it adds to the thread is not that bad, but if there's several other posts in between, then you need to quote the statement you're +1'ing, and then the noise does start to add up.

If you disagree with something, and your arguments haven't been stated by anyone else before, then it's just bad form to say "I dislike" without specifying why. If your arguments have already been stated by someone else, you can just "like" that post instead of repeating the same arguments.

There is an inherent asymmetry between liking and disliking: while there is only one way to agree with someone, there are many ways to disagree. I don't think it's a bad thing that the forum infrastructure takes that asymmetry into account.

A debate is not a popularity contest or a vote, where the "winner" is decided by the ratio of likes vs dislikes he gets. A debate is about arguments. If for some reason something like a popularity contest or vote is needed, you can always start a poll to do that.
 
it's great because I need other people to tell me what is cool...

that was sarcastic...
 
If you agree 100% with something, there's nothing more to be done than to express that this is in fact the case, as a way to support that. If you're quick enough to make a "+1" post immediately after that post, then I agree that the noise it adds to the thread is not that bad, but if there's several other posts in between, then you need to quote the statement you're +1'ing, and then the noise does start to add up.
So it basically comes down to good (forum) behaviour

If you disagree with something, and your arguments haven't been stated by anyone else before, then it's just bad form to say "I dislike" without specifying why. If your arguments have already been stated by someone else, you can just "like" that post instead of repeating the same arguments.
As said before I haven't seen this bad behaviour as it is (for the reason already given) very unlikely to happen at all.

There is an inherent asymmetry between liking and disliking: while there is only one way to agree with someone, there are many ways to disagree. I don't think it's a bad thing that the forum infrastructure takes that asymmetry into account.
true, and it isn't a bad thing in general that this is reflected in forums mechanisms, I critise the current form of it.

A debate is not a popularity contest or a vote, where the "winner" is decided by the ratio of likes vs dislikes he gets. A debate is about arguments. If for some reason something like a popularity contest or vote is needed, you can always start a poll to do that.
Finishing your thought implies that likes are as unnecessary a dislikes in a discussion.
 
A debate is not a popularity contest or a vote, where the "winner" is decided by the ratio of likes vs dislikes he gets. A debate is about arguments. If for some reason something like a popularity contest or vote is needed, you can always start a poll to do that.
Finishing your thought implies that likes are as unnecessary a dislikes in a discussion.

I would agree with that to an extent. I've always considered +1 posts to be mostly pointless.


That being said, the indication that someone agrees with a post can add a certain weight to that side of an argument. This can be especially true if the reader happens to respect the opinion of of the person indicating such agreement. It's fine to want to add such weight to the opposing argument instead but to do that the counter argument needs to be expressed to begin with.


- Neelix
 
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