Forum Suggestion: "liking" individual posts

[gtsfer]

Oh hey, I see a wave of "dislikes" for the idea followed mine. Wait a minute, am I popular now? Because that changes everything. Repost this if you "like" or else your cat will die and your car insurance rates will triple.

[nomko]

Oh hey, I see a wave of "dislikes" for the idea followed mine. Wait a minute, am I popular now? Because that changes everything. Repost this if you "like" or else your cat will die and your car insurance rates will triple.

Getting a lot of dislikes doesn't make you popular all of the sudden... why do you think dislikes are called dislikes?
And now you go back to Facebook were you can like pretty much everything you like!!!

[PatH57]

well even serial killers can be "popular"

your cat will die and your car insurance rates will triple

na our actual government can do way better

If you get kicked in the face with a boot, you really don't care if it's the right or the left one

[all41]

What could be helpful is something like an incremental "Useful Solution" count box in the listings after a solution is reported by the OP.
Other users could increment that count if the solution worked for them as well, causing the post to reascend the listings.
There could also be a tickable "Solved" box viewable only by the OP causing "SOLVED" and that count box to appear in the title.
This prompt may even encourage posters to complete the forum process, and not leave dangling threads.
That count box would be a truer indication of the threads value making it more "liked" and "popular" due to effectiveness of content.

[Habitual]

Sounds like Facebook

Too much like a social site.

what ^ said.
What's next a G+ all over every post?

Ideas are good. I hope you have another.

[gtsfer]

What could be helpful is something like an incremental "Useful Solution" count box in the listings after a solution is reported by the OP.
Other users could increment that count if the solution worked for them as well, causing the post to reascend the listings.

I'd be afraid such a system would only have a negative impact on the paychecks we get from the Linux Mint Forums. Which, by the way, I have been waiting for since March. (just a reminder, in case Clem peeks in)

I like this idea, except... lots of OPs never bother tagging as "solved" even if you ask them. Some of them just disappear once their issue has been fixed, which was, to some, an earth-shattering thing and unbearable to live with in the beginning. There'd be no way to really pull it off.

It might also lead to infighting over who "really solved" the issue. Was it just an idea that sent everyone on the right track? Or was it the technical steps necessary to pull it off? Well, it's both of these things. Sometimes, sure, it's easy and straightforward, but not all the time.

As it stands now I think not having a counting system leads to more camaraderie and cooperation. It really is a volunteer effort and sometimes it genuinely takes a little "team" to diagnose the problem, come up an idea to address it, and then see it through to completion.

It's actually fun sometimes, but there have been occasions where I wanted to pull what's left of my hair out too.

[all41]

Ideas are good. I hope you have another

I suppose near-sighted suggestions which alter tried and true procedures will be exposed by familiarity, especially considering their viability has most likely
been previously considered and rejected. Then we become all too aware of why things ARE exactly as they are--'because they work'
I plea guilty

[gtsfer]

Ideas are good. I hope you have another.

Ideas are the cornerstone of progress. And besides, they're just darned cool sometimes! Ideas are always welcome here I am pretty sure.

[nomko]

Ideas are good. I hope you have another.

Yes, better is to let the topic starter decide which post was useful, informative and constructive for him to fix his problem. The topic starter could mark the threads that helped him in some way or another. That will avoid more or less that horrible "Facebook popularity" contest.

[Mangar]

Another forum they have Like,Dislike and Thank you icons. But the best one is Rep (you can't un rep someone) where if you found a technical write up, or helpful thread a member can click on the post that he/she wants to give reputation points towards. but they can not click the same person until they have click other posts like by %. Say all the rep a persons gives can not be more than 10% towards anyone member. so they have to spread rep around and not all on one individual. Well just an idea?
then the member can have a rep score so new members can tell or Identify knowledgeable members better then pinching salt and tossing over the shoulder like a second bar under the Level bar. cause truthfully a person can make small talk and make it to level 4 and up quickly and not even help anyone

Then you can list threads by most rep first, so when noobs look for Driver issue they so up first, or how to do ____ and those threads show up first because they are the most helpful overall NOT the latest by date.

even specialty badges like Hardware, or Coding etc... kind of helps Noobs and Members Identify higher rank persons area of expertise?

[1.618]

As the saying goes 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'

the forum functions as it should and should be left alone to serve as a place for people to get help, not for scoring rep points and accumulating likes.