Aug 8, 2017, 9:37 am
Last edit by: JDiver
The new "Like" "button"
When you click on the "Like" button, it registers the handle of the user liking the post in a horizontal box immediately below the "Like" button. "Liking" a post also optionally sends a notification to the post owner. "Like" notifications appear in Your Control Panel in My FlyerTalk.
To turn the notification function on or off, look in Your Control Panel and Settings & Options under Messaging & Notification:
Likes Notifications:
NOTE: Editing a post causes the "Likes" to disappear for a short period of time. They are restored after that pause.
To report issues, problems etc. please visit this thread in the Technical Support and Feedback forum: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/technical-support-feedback/1863159-new-like-button-information-issues-discussion.html
LIST OF SUGGESTIONS, PROS and CONS discussed in thread:
Please add all your suggestions since implementation, August 9 2017:
"Some FTers are supportive of like/helpful button. Some are not. Some on both sides of the issue have questions, concerns and/or need more info. This wiki attempts to highlight them in bullet format/"cliff notes" version from the 566 posts made in prior Talkboard thread, which had 700 posts. More detailed information regarding the pros/cons/questions/concerns/info can be garnered by reading the entire thread, where FTers on both sides of the like/helpful button have been eloquent/provided valuable input. When TalkBoard last polled FT members, the result of the poll was in favour of introducing likes (by a considerable margin)
Pros:
* Make Flyertalk more modern/more like Facebook, LinkedIn and many other social media sites
* A like/helpful button would minimize unnecessary replies such as +1.
* Streamlines posts
* The value add of showing likes, helpful votes, etc. is that it can surface good content and get more views for it
* Positive feedback incentivizes quality content/FTers will post more
* Some people won’t take time to write a thank you but will post a like
* Those with more likes/helpfuls are considered knowledgable
Cons:
* Makes Flyertalk more like Facebook/dumbs it down
* FT had rating system here years ago and it did not go well
* System can be gamed/cliques develop
* Clutters up posts/takes up valuable screen space
* Will not eliminate +1s/+1s also provide positive feedback
* Posts that have inaccurate info can also get likes/doesn't mean poster is knowledgable
* If FTers post info & it doesn't get likes/helpfuls, less incentive to post more
* Some who might have posted info in the past will now just post like, so less information provided to other FTers.
Questions, concerns about how it will work, and/or information based on brief internal trial already done (trial done last time it came up for discussion)
* If implemented, can FTers who prefer not to utilize the like/helpful button turn it off so that they don't see it at all?
* Is there a software way to separate likes of posts from posters? (Limited trial indicates no; don't know if software can be changed to do so)
* Can a post/day count be implemented before implementing for FTers, similar Omni/CC? (Yes)
* Can certain forums have it turned off such as Omni? (No, current software is it's either all forums or none)
* If a sitewide trial is created, what are the metrics for success or failure?
* What is the goal of this/how will the data be used?
* If customization of current software is required, will this take away from development on other projects such as a better mobile app?
* Will or can there be a dislike/unhelpful button?
* What happens if a post that is "liked" gets its content edited and ends up having a different meaning than it initially had at the time the post was "liked"?
* Can threads or individual posts deemed helpful be bookmarked/saved?"
IBobi responded to theses comments and questions here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28664495-post59.html
When you click on the "Like" button, it registers the handle of the user liking the post in a horizontal box immediately below the "Like" button. "Liking" a post also optionally sends a notification to the post owner. "Like" notifications appear in Your Control Panel in My FlyerTalk.
To turn the notification function on or off, look in Your Control Panel and Settings & Options under Messaging & Notification:
Likes Notifications:
- Enable Likes Notifications
- Disable Likes Notifications
NOTE: Editing a post causes the "Likes" to disappear for a short period of time. They are restored after that pause.
To report issues, problems etc. please visit this thread in the Technical Support and Feedback forum: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/technical-support-feedback/1863159-new-like-button-information-issues-discussion.html
LIST OF SUGGESTIONS, PROS and CONS discussed in thread:
Please add all your suggestions since implementation, August 9 2017:
- Modify Like button to take up less real estate - ie, put the button w/ the other buttons & likes under signatures or list only if hover
- Allow members to completely turn off the ability to see likes
- Use Helpful instead of Like
- Completely eliminate Like button
- Do not display handles of those who Liked the post
"Some FTers are supportive of like/helpful button. Some are not. Some on both sides of the issue have questions, concerns and/or need more info. This wiki attempts to highlight them in bullet format/"cliff notes" version from the 566 posts made in prior Talkboard thread, which had 700 posts. More detailed information regarding the pros/cons/questions/concerns/info can be garnered by reading the entire thread, where FTers on both sides of the like/helpful button have been eloquent/provided valuable input. When TalkBoard last polled FT members, the result of the poll was in favour of introducing likes (by a considerable margin)
Pros:
* Make Flyertalk more modern/more like Facebook, LinkedIn and many other social media sites
* A like/helpful button would minimize unnecessary replies such as +1.
* Streamlines posts
* The value add of showing likes, helpful votes, etc. is that it can surface good content and get more views for it
* Positive feedback incentivizes quality content/FTers will post more
* Some people won’t take time to write a thank you but will post a like
* Those with more likes/helpfuls are considered knowledgable
Cons:
* Makes Flyertalk more like Facebook/dumbs it down
* FT had rating system here years ago and it did not go well
* System can be gamed/cliques develop
* Clutters up posts/takes up valuable screen space
* Will not eliminate +1s/+1s also provide positive feedback
* Posts that have inaccurate info can also get likes/doesn't mean poster is knowledgable
* If FTers post info & it doesn't get likes/helpfuls, less incentive to post more
* Some who might have posted info in the past will now just post like, so less information provided to other FTers.
Questions, concerns about how it will work, and/or information based on brief internal trial already done (trial done last time it came up for discussion)
* If implemented, can FTers who prefer not to utilize the like/helpful button turn it off so that they don't see it at all?
* Is there a software way to separate likes of posts from posters? (Limited trial indicates no; don't know if software can be changed to do so)
* Can a post/day count be implemented before implementing for FTers, similar Omni/CC? (Yes)
* Can certain forums have it turned off such as Omni? (No, current software is it's either all forums or none)
* If a sitewide trial is created, what are the metrics for success or failure?
* What is the goal of this/how will the data be used?
* If customization of current software is required, will this take away from development on other projects such as a better mobile app?
* Will or can there be a dislike/unhelpful button?
* What happens if a post that is "liked" gets its content edited and ends up having a different meaning than it initially had at the time the post was "liked"?
* Can threads or individual posts deemed helpful be bookmarked/saved?"
IBobi responded to theses comments and questions here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28664495-post59.html
Suggest FT add “Like” button [implemented 9 Aug 2017]
May 12, 2017, 8:17 am
#16
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The abuse would be from FT friends rating their buddies whether they agree or not. Hey, this if FT, anything that can be abused will be abused 
May 12, 2017, 8:24 am
#17
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May 12, 2017, 8:40 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
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If you can see the number of likes, that's rating them. 2 people could post very similar things, yet one of them will have 30 likes and the other might have 1 or 2.
Collecting likes isn't too far from collecting points and miles
Collecting likes isn't too far from collecting points and miles
May 12, 2017, 9:42 am
#19
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As I'm scrolling through my Facebook news feed, I might (might, but often don't) notice that one post has 3 likes and another has 47.
But by the time I scroll down another screen and read other posts, I've completely forgotten how many likes the posts above had. So the number of likes is really without any consequence. It's not like Facebook is collecting and counting the number of likes and displaying it on the user's profile page...and I don't think anyone is proposing doing that here.
The way Facebook has implemented its system seems to work perfectly well, and the same system seems to work perfectly well on other sites (including MP/IF/whatever it's named this week). There's basically zero potential for contention. Why wouldn't that work here?
May 12, 2017, 9:51 am
#20
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For the reasons I stated in the post above yours. I also don't like it on MP/IF, though I rarely go there.
May 12, 2017, 10:15 am
#21
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So likes aren't "collected." Unless you think some people are going to go by every thread on FT with a clipboard and tally all the likes up...
May 12, 2017, 10:35 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador: World of Hyatt
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That's what I was talking about... being able to see the number of likes.
May 12, 2017, 12:00 pm
#23
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Crikey, I think you are over-thinking this likes stuff. Certainly I never saw it as a competition, on other forums I just click the like button if I like it, not because I know the person or not. And I have certainly never compared similar posts with the number of likes. For me it is simple, if I like the post I click "like". That's it.
May 12, 2017, 1:45 pm
#24
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This is under discussion with Internet Brands to see what can be offered.
Carol/SanDiego1K
Community Director
Carol/SanDiego1K
Community Director
May 17, 2017, 8:48 pm
#25
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I've thought about this before, but prefer the clean look of FT and think a like button would add unnecessary clutter and focus.
May 18, 2017, 3:58 am
#26
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May 29, 2017, 2:46 pm
#27
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Jun 9, 2017, 7:30 am
#28
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I can already foresee how "likes" may be used to play games. For example, games around "liking" of an FTer being "suspended".
Jun 17, 2017, 9:44 am
#29
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no member counter - very good idea >
interesting, i may have missed discussion of these >
no who liked >
just "This Post is Liked" etc ? >
also a good point, depending on options >
no who liked >
also a good point, depending on options >
Jun 18, 2017, 1:01 pm
#30
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I would prefer a Helpful button, with per-post count but no per-member count.
I see no great value and significant hazard in showing which members upvoted a post.
IMHO this mild user feedback rewards and therefore encourages posting behavior that pleases other members. I expect the forums to become more valuable and more fun to read when members are taking more care with their posts to earn praise counts.
I wish user feedback could be enabled on a forum-specific basis (e.g. not for for OMNI/PR) but apparently that would be difficult to implement. We might as well give it a try and see if the net value is positive.
I see no great value and significant hazard in showing which members upvoted a post.
IMHO this mild user feedback rewards and therefore encourages posting behavior that pleases other members. I expect the forums to become more valuable and more fun to read when members are taking more care with their posts to earn praise counts.
I wish user feedback could be enabled on a forum-specific basis (e.g. not for for OMNI/PR) but apparently that would be difficult to implement. We might as well give it a try and see if the net value is positive.