Upvotes and downvotes

[desertrat77]

A bit of red arrow trivia.

 

I was killing time one day, waiting for an appointment, and looked back on my more ancient posts.

 

Some of my most innocuous, vanilla posts had a red arrow.   Not many, maybe five or so.  Timing appears to be during the big software switch several years ago.

 

I mention this not as a complaint, but with a chuckle:  my usual hobby horses/rants/screeds had no red at all.  

[MattR]

I'd be careful with green=I agree and red=I disagree. FB does not have a dislike button for a reason. What they have is a bunch of different ways to agree. And the result is great for pictures of kids graduating from school. When it comes to anything with more than one side it has created an echo chamber. Now throw in a dislike button. Kaboom.

 

We already know who agrees and disagrees. I'd rather see green=this is helping the discussion and red=this is not helping the discussion. My guess is a lot of people don't see the difference between "I agree" and "this is helping the discussion" so maybe it just doesn't matter.

[Stosh]

A negative ding without an explanation is like a punch in the nose by some stranger walking down the street.... maybe he didn't like what you were wearing and just disagreed.  Otherwise, wipe the blood off your nose and spend the rest of the day trying to figure out what that was all about.

 

While I have spent time with the green arrow, I use it for what I would consider an excellent point made or some thoughtful explanation on a subject.  Maybe a green arrow for some well researched information that moves the discussion along.  I do not use the red arrow very often and when I do it is because the discussion has gone beyond normal dialog into personal attacks.  After 11 years I have dinged less than a half dozen times that I can remember. 

 

I do, however, receive red dings along the way and that is my signal to stop all conversation with that person.    That has occurred only in a few instances.  (when in doubt, read my signature line.  It's there for a reason.)

 

As long as the numbers increase, I will assume that my contributions to the forum are worthwhile to those indicating it with an upvote.  Once that trend reverses, it will be easy to assume my comments are no longer needed on the forum and I can find other ways to fill my computer time.

 

I can easily see the lurkers staying in the weeds if anything they might want to contribute is being judged up or down by every other member on the forum. 

 

I for one did not know there was limits on the number of clicks one can do on an arrow per day.  I generally give out when someone has done well.  I have used the report button only when discussions get on a personal level.  I don't think it's necessary to be vindictive with the red arrows, too.

 

I have used the green arrow on occasion when there has been a slip of the finger and someone got accidentally dinged, or someone ran out of green arrows and said so on the comments they provided.  So, no, not all arrows I use indicate any sort of judgment on comments being made, only on the intent behind the comments or the research, thought or benefit to the forum.

 

I have been a moderator on a number of different forums and everyone runs their "rules" differently.  I have stayed the longest with this forum because I get a lot out of it, it has enforced rules, and I enjoy the interaction between the different scouters and scouts.  If that changes, everyone is free to find other options for their time and efforts.

Edited July 6, 2017 by Stosh

[Chadamus]

I too have upvoted a post to even it out when someone accidentally downvoted it. I know my fingers have been guilty of hitting the wrong arrow a couple of times. An apology soon follows. I've also downvoted a few times and I've tried to make an effort to include a response with an explanation as to why I downvoted.

I'm always interested in why someone downvotes a post. Maybe it's that the red catches my eye and takes me back to school when a red mark meant something. Sometimes I think an explanation should go hand-in-hand with the downvote. But then what about the up. . . ?

[Stosh]

I too have upvoted a post to even it out when someone accidentally downvoted it. I know my fingers have been guilty of hitting the wrong arrow a couple of times. An apology soon follows. I've also downvoted a few times and I've tried to make an effort to include a response with an explanation as to why I downvoted.

I'm always interested in why someone downvotes a post. Maybe it's that the red catches my eye and takes me back to school when a red mark meant something. Sometimes I think an explanation should go hand-in-hand with the downvote. But then what about the up. . . ?

 

Explanations on up votes is just as important as down votes.  If one has to give a bit of an explanation it helps the poster know whether he/she is actually contributing something of interest.  It would be helpful to know what that something is.

[Sentinel947]

So I suppose as a moderator I don't care about downvotes. They don't have an autohide feature attached. I tend to use upvotes very liberally, and I don't think I've ever downvoted.

[Stosh]

Up votes indicate the forum is producing a healthy forum for those posting valuable information to others. Down votes let everyone know that the forum isn't useful to the readers. I find the voting is a direct indicator of the value of the forum, not just the person making the comment. I would hate to think the ability to express free speech manipulated on a forum like this be affected in such a way.

[Back Pack]

Expiriment complete. Thank you.

I want to see if there is a trigger at -5 like I think there is.

Positive +5 triggers a flair on a post.

So what did -11 get you?

[Stosh]

So what did -11 get you?

 

He's not a moderator anymore. 

[Col. Flagg]

He's not a moderator anymore. 

 

He can't reply.

[Sentinel947]

I have to work!!! There is no effect I can see from having negative votes. I got to -11 or -12.

[Col. Flagg]

I have to work!!! There is no effect I can see from having negative votes. I got to -11 or -12.

 

Moral of the story: Neg rep all you want...there's no consequences, just daily limits.

 

(Which seems to go for + repping too. Go figure, limits to being nice and not nice.  )

Edited July 6, 2017 by Col. Flagg

[NJCubScouter]

I hit the green arrow in a relatively small number of cases.  I have never really thought about what my "standard" is, but I think that in order for me to hit the button, a post needs to not only say something I agree with, but say it in a particularly outstanding way - either in a very convincing or eloquent way, or it cites a source that is particularly persuasive, or it is a genuinely "new" argument, or something like that.  Also, on posts by my fellow moderators in which they take some "moderator action" or make a statement in their role as moderator (as opposed to posting on the subject matter of the thread), I will usually hit the green arrow to show my support for that action or statement.

 

I do not think I have ever hit the red arrow on purpose.  (I have clumsily hit it a few times by accident.)  That does not necessarily mean I will never use it, but I am not sure under what circumstances I would use it.  If a post is so "bad" that it does not belong in the forum, there are more effective ways of dealing with it, such as reporting it, or if one happens to be a moderator, dealing with it directly. As for spam, which someone mentioned, that problem has been almost completely eliminated (from the standpoint of non-moderators) since Terry turned on the feature of the software that requires moderator approval in order for the first post of any new account to actually appear in the forum. As a result, the (non-moderator) members of this forum have seen very very few, if any, spam posts in the almost two years since that feature was turned on.

[Col. Flagg]

I thought this was appropriate...

 

[CalicoPenn]

I would just as soon get rid of the up and down arrows altogether - I've never paid attention to them and it doesn't add to the discussion.  Agree with me?  Tell me why.  Disagree with me?  Tell me why.  Don't like the direction a thread is going?  Tell us why.  Using the arrows is just a form of passive-aggressiveness that allows people to think they're participating when they really aren't.