I don't know how easy it would be to implement, but I think it could be helpful to have a system that allows people to add a "thumbs up" to posts they like. Sort of like Facebooks "like" button, which lets you add your approval directly to a post, with your name.

The reason I'm requesting this is, first, I think people do benefit from feedback, knowing that what they've typed has actually registered positively with someone. But also (and to be honest, mainly) because I'm getting really tired of contentless "me too" and "nod" posts tacked onto threads. (Unless of course they're quoting my posts to praise them. In those cases, carry on.)

Here's a vbulletin hack that might do what I'm requesting: http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=122944

I know I've seen this sort of thing implemented in some other forums; wish I could locate an example in actual use.

There's also the star option, but i think that's only for threads.

Not sure what that is, but I've seen both a "rate this thread" and a reputation system in some forums.

Oh, wait, this one has "rate this thread". Duh.

Reputation is apparently a standard feature in some releases, http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?363510-User-reputation&highlight=reputation

The implementation I've seen, not sure if it's standard, or even if it's vBulletin, but you can click a button to add to the reputation of a poster for a specific post. That way their rep goes up and they also get to see which post they're being praised for. But the post itself doesn't get any visible marking.

All those things could be useful but simply having the equivalent of a thumbs up would, I hope, cut down on contentless posts. Maybe I'm just having a bad day but it really steams me when I hit "new posts", see a thread pop up, and it just turns out to be someone saying "I agree". I could flame the person responsible, but that would most likely be counterproductive.

Reputation options lead to cliques in my experience. I wouldn't be in favour of it.

Quote from: Elliot Wilen;407566Oh, wait, this one has "rate this thread". Duh.

Where is this feature hiding?

Quote from: One Horse Town;407570Reputation options lead to cliques in my experience. I wouldn't be in favour of it.

I can take it or leave it. I was just wondering what you meant by "star" option.

Quote from: bouletWhere is this feature hiding?

Boulet, it's on the extreme right of the bar right above the topmost post of a thread.

EDIT: Some threads. Not this thread, for some reason. Maybe due to the forum, or maybe I don't see it because I'm the OP. But it shows up in other threads for me.

Not in this forum, but the other game-related ones, choose rate this thread from the top near thread tools (search this thread and then rate thread) at the top right.

Found it! Thanks guys

I think Enworld has something like what Elliot is requesting.

I would not be very inclined to this feature. Like others have stated, I think it would lead to pointless clique-forming. But more importantly, it serves no meaningful purpose. People will keep posting "me too" posts anyways, and there's no reward system in place (nor will there be!).

If you found a thread or post useful to you, feel free to say so. Ideally with more than just a "me too", but saying something about the quality of what in the post resounded with you.

RPGPundit

No, it's reputation systems that form cliques. I suspect this is mainly when there's a way to "rate someone down" but whatever.

"Thumbs up" on a given post doesn't form cliques, but it gives people a way to give feedback without adding content-free posts and needlessly bumping the thread. In fact even if it doesn't reduce the content-free posts, it'll still allow people to do so who'd like to give some feedback, but personally hate adding content-free "me to's", without resorting to PM.

Quote from: Aos;407618I think Enworld has something like what Elliot is requesting.

Not sure if ENworld has that. I do see a reputation system ("add to X's experience points").

What I'm talking about is something more like this: http://www.avforums.com/forums/lcd-led-lcd-tvs/510432-philips-1080p-set-last.html

Only it doesn't have to (and maybe shouldn't) display the amount of thanks someone got/gave.

I'm not talking about XP- I'm talking about the comment feature. see the text next to the green square in the pic below.





In threads with a lot of back and forth arguing, you will see many posts with several of these comments. I would have taken a screen shot of one of those, but ENworld is really slow for me and I didn't feel like waiting all day for it.
Anyway, I don't know how you make a comment; i suspect you have to be logged in to see the button or whatever, and I don't have an account over there.

Quote from: Aos;407707I would have taken a screen shot of one of those, but ENworld is really slow for me and I didn't feel like waiting all day for it.

And that is one of the reasons why enworld is so slow.