All Thumbs

[Lizardo]

There should be a little thumbs up or thumbs down thing for posts so that readers can indicate feelings without the necessity of responding with an approval/disapproval post.

[Alenerel]

I agree... It would also help the admons to know which features are most wanted.

Still I think that suggestions and requests in a forum is a messy way and a lot of work. I hope they are at least read everything we talk about, even when ditching it just after reading it.

[RJ]

Something like this? http://www.smfpacks.com/page/sa=facepunch

Last I checked that was the best package out there that's available for SMF.

edit: Although it'd cost $20.

[mumblemumble]

sooooooooo.... dumbing down dialog, and hampering an open marketplace of ideas like reddit?? ill give a thumbs down...I'm passing.

If you cannot spend 2 minutes to post why you disagree, you really shouldn't be speaking on it anyway. I don't mind people disagreeing with me, but it shouldn't just be a popularity contest, it should be a battle of ideas based on merit and logical conclusions. If you cannot do that, too bad. Learn how, and I will take you seriously...otherwise well.... I don't care about anyone's opinions if they have no logic or merit behind them, or at least a convincing argument that can be made.

As for the idea of suggestions being seen as approved or disaproved, maybe just make it STRICTLY for suggestions, and nowhere else...I don't ever want to see a thread get "buried" because of dislikes, or auto-deleted. Such things are easily abused.

[RJ]

If you cannot spend 2 minutes to post why you disagree, you really shouldn't be speaking on it anyway. I don't mind people disagreeing with me, but it shouldn't just be a popularity contest, it should be a battle of ideas based on merit and logical conclusions. If you cannot do that, too bad. Learn how, and I will take you seriously...otherwise well.... I don't care about anyone's opinions if they have no logic or merit behind them, or at least a convincing argument that can be made.

I've been on forums that went from not using a ratings system to using one and each time I've seen community involvement increase. I think the reason is because it's waaaaaay more easier to convey your opinion/thoughts on the matter with a simple click of a button.

[Alenerel]

If you cannot spend 2 minutes to post why you disagree, you really shouldn't be speaking on it anyway. I don't mind people disagreeing with me, but it shouldn't just be a popularity contest, it should be a battle of ideas based on merit and logical conclusions. If you cannot do that, too bad. Learn how, and I will take you seriously...otherwise well.... I don't care about anyone's opinions if they have no logic or merit behind them, or at least a convincing argument that can be made.

I've been on forums that went from not using a ratings system to using one and each time I've seen community involvement increase. I think the reason is because it's waaaaaay more easier to convey your opinion/thoughts on the matter with a simple click of a button.

I agree with that. In another forum there is a "thanks" button, but i miss a "agree" and "disagree" button. Sometimes if I really like the post and agree a lot or disagree a lot i end up making a short comment, but I think that its just wasting space and making the forum more messy.

However, I agree that in the suggestion topics/forums in this web these "agree" and "disagree" buttons should be available, not the like or dislike ones. On the other parts of this forum I think that these buttons are just not useful. It all depends on whats the forum about.

My point is that in suggestions it would make devs easier to know if there are some features that are REALLY wanted. The downside is that, people dont use to read many topics, just the last ones... And then comes to my mind the suggestion system. Something like the uservoice one, that makes easier to check for suggested features, so people wont repeat so much, users can vote, etc.

[Lizardo]

The point is to eliminate comment clutter. It's not a matter of being lazy but of not adding to the clutter of the thread but still wanting to indicate how one feels about a post.  A simple thumbs up or down should be sufficient.

[mumblemumble]

Is there even a PROBLEM with clutter?

And frankly, a simple thumbs up and down cannot tell as much as comments ANYWAY, so I'm not sure this would really reduce it anyway.

You really should consider a few things...
1: What problem are you trying to address with this, and DOES it even exist, if so, how big?
2: Will your new idea possibly cause ADDITIONAL problems in any way?  Depending on courses of actions, what problems could arise, and where, and could you control it (please note, users cannot be controlled)
3: is the solution WORTH the problems which arise with the new solution?

[RJ]

Is there even a PROBLEM with clutter?

And frankly, a simple thumbs up and down cannot tell as much as comments ANYWAY, so I'm not sure this would really reduce it anyway.

You really should consider a few things...
1: What problem are you trying to address with this, and DOES it even exist, if so, how big?
2: Will your new idea possibly cause ADDITIONAL problems in any way?  Depending on courses of actions, what problems could arise, and where, and could you control it (please note, users cannot be controlled)
3: is the solution WORTH the problems which arise with the new solution?

Think of it being it applied like this (i.e. which forums using which ratings):
Suggestions
- Agree

- Disagree

Each time a user makes any kind of suggestion there's almost a "poll" that goes along with it, now anyone can see what people do and don't like just by looking at the number of agrees and disagrees. It makes it easier for developers to identify the wants of the community.

- Optimistic

You could maybe even include optimistic if someone makes a good suggestion, but it would require a lot of work.

Mods
- Thanks

- Agree

- Disagree

- Artistic

People who make mods can easily be appreciated for the work they do with the Thanks rating, or even the Artistic rating for mods that add better textures. They can also engage their own fans by asking questions on what people want and then people can give their thoughts with Agree/Disagree.

Stories/Video/Creative Awards
- Artistic

This one probably isn't needed in these boards as much, but it could make the content creators feel good knowing that people like their content without reading through every post.

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These are some boards that I think the ratings mentioned above would do well in.

On a different note, I was apart of a community that used most of the ratings available and usually people were a bit harsh with the ratings (giving Dumb ratings, Dislike ratings, etc.). The owner simply removed those ratings or changed them to have friendlier connotations and that was the end of it.

edit: There may also be the option for users to disable ratings on their own topics in that package I linked, but I can't remember.

[Alenerel]

Is there even a PROBLEM with clutter?

And frankly, a simple thumbs up and down cannot tell as much as comments ANYWAY, so I'm not sure this would really reduce it anyway.

You really should consider a few things...
1: What problem are you trying to address with this, and DOES it even exist, if so, how big?
2: Will your new idea possibly cause ADDITIONAL problems in any way?  Depending on courses of actions, what problems could arise, and where, and could you control it (please note, users cannot be controlled)
3: is the solution WORTH the problems which arise with the new solution?

There are 286 pages of suggestions in this subforum and 255 pages in the cheapest ideas. I seriously doubt that devs read them all and there are high chances that they miss really good suggestions.

The problems that arise with this arent exactly problems but not solving the problem very much. Old suggestions wont be upvoted and a lot of them will simply be unread. The idea is to make users vote as much as possible, and this can be accomplished if they have to read the least possible. Also the load on the devs and efficiency will be increased if they have to read the least possible.