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"Like" Button?

View Poll Results: Q: What is your view on FlyerTalk implementing a "Helpful" button feature?
Support
433
59.72%
Oppose
275
37.93%
No opinion
17
2.34%
Voters: 725. You may not vote on this poll

Old Jan 12, 2015, 9:07 pm
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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 in this thread. 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.

Pros:
* Makes Flyertalk more modern; more like Facebook, LinkedIn, and other progressive internet bulletin boards
* A like/helpful button would minimize unnecessary replies such as +1.
* Streamlines posts
* Positive feedback incentivizes quality content/FTers will post more
* Some people wont take time to write a thank you but will post a like
* Those with more likes/helpfuls are considered knowledgable

Cons:
* Makes it easier for airlines/companies to find mistake fares/glitches/underground tricks
* 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.
* Older posts will tend to have more likes/helpfuls on average than newer posts in the same thread, which can be misleading when the information is out-of-date. [added by MSPeconomist]

Questions, concerns about how it will work, and/or information based on brief internal trial already done
* If implemented, can FTers who prefer not to utilize the like/helpful button turn it off so that they don't see it?
* 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?
* Can users "opt out" and select to remove all trace of the system, as is currently possible with the ignore list and removing view of signatures?
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"Like" Button?

 
Old Oct 14, 2014, 8:30 am
  #76  
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I do like the like buttons, but I don't see any real benefit. If it was to be used for trip reports, it could work but then somehow the best TR always find a way to come to the first page time and time again.
I can see on the other travel site *cough* MP *cough* their like/thanks system is there, but basically useless as there are threads where everyone likes each other posts.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 9:13 am
  #77  
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Originally Posted by jason8612
I can see on the other travel site *cough* MP *cough* their like/thanks system is there, but basically useless as there are threads where everyone likes each other posts.
That's because Likes feed a reputation index there. If we don't have any reputation index then gaming Likes will have no wider benefit.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 10:12 am
  #78  
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Originally Posted by nsx
That's because Likes feed a reputation index there. If we don't have any reputation index then gaming Likes will have no wider benefit.
So then what would be the plan? in a subforum do sort by likes?
Or in a popular thread, place the X most liked/thanked posts at the top?
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 11:26 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by jason8612
So then what would be the plan? in a subforum do sort by likes?
Or in a popular thread, place the X most liked/thanked posts at the top?
To start with, just display the Like count per thread and let readers visually scan for highly rated threads. We might as well take this one step at a time. There's less chance of an unpleasant surprise that way.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 11:45 am
  #80  
 
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Originally Posted by wharvey
i would actually find this very distracting and busy.... I honestly want to read the posts for content.... Not who else liked it. And it will take up valuable screen space!
.


^
^
^
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 1:17 pm
  #81  
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Originally Posted by nsx
To start with, just display the Like count per thread and let readers visually scan for highly rated threads. We might as well take this one step at a time. There's less chance of an unpleasant surprise that way.
I scan for threads that are of interest to me. Whether they have likes or not or are highly rated is irrelevant.

Also on MP I've seen likes given for information that is 100% wrong, which is another reason I don't pay much attention to likes. Not always a good barometer of accurate or valuable info.

Cheers.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 1:47 pm
  #82  
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I'm willing to be convinced about a "like" experiment on FT, but I understand that when it was done during the early days of FT, there were big problems. My impression is that its effect on MP has been negative, although at the very beginning it seemed rather fun and innocuous.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 2:12 pm
  #83  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I'm willing to be convinced about a "like" experiment on FT, but I understand that when it was done during the early days of FT, there were big problems. My impression is that its effect on MP has been negative, although at the very beginning it seemed rather fun and innocuous.
I think FT's early reputation thing was very different than the modern positive-only vote system. It allowed people to vote something down, which was (as I understand it) the major source of problems with the way it was used.

Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
Also on MP I've seen likes given for information that is 100% wrong, which is another reason I don't pay much attention to likes. Not always a good barometer of accurate or valuable info.
I've addressed that point previously in this thread. Thoughts?

Originally Posted by jackal
How about the Yelp review model?

Below every Yelp review, there are three buttons:

Was this review …?

Useful / Funny / Cool

On FlyerTalk, perhaps one of them could be labeled "Accurate"?
How about some of the following options:

Thanks / Helpful / Accurate / Welcoming / Agree
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 4:58 pm
  #84  
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Originally Posted by jackal
I think FT's early reputation thing was very different than the modern positive-only vote system. It allowed people to vote something down, which was (as I understand it) the major source of problems with the way it was used.



I've addressed that point previously in this thread. Thoughts?



How about some of the following options:

Thanks / Helpful / Accurate / Welcoming / Agree
So someone could give a post all five different types of likes?
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 7:09 pm
  #85  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
So someone could give a post all five different types of likes?
You can on Yelp. Why would it be a problem to rate a post as Helpful, Accurate, and Welcoming if it's all three?
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 7:32 pm
  #86  
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Originally Posted by jackal
You can on Yelp. Why would it be a problem to rate a post as Helpful, Accurate, and Welcoming if it's all three?
I'm thinking about the number of likes on MP on steroids.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 8:47 pm
  #87  
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Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
I'm thinking about the number of likes on MP on steroids.
That doesn't really answer my question. I don't understand the problem with seeing:

Thanks (2) / Helpful (7) / Accurate (3) / Welcoming (4) / Agree (2)
under a post. Seeing that will give you an idea that this person tends to be helpful and welcoming and that three other people found his/her advice accurate, too.

Here's an example from a Yelp review:



Even if those numbers were:

Useful (292) / Funny (467) / Cool (2,078)
how could that possibly be a bad thing? That illustrates several different positive attributes about that particular reviewer--that many people found the review useful, that some more found it funny, and a bunch of people thought it was cool. That is helpful information to me when looking up this person--he/she is generally thought of as a provider of useful information in a humorous, hip fashion.

Similarly, on FlyerTalk, if someone has a very high "Accurate" rating, then that person is known to provide trustworthy information. If someone has a very high "Welcoming" rating but almost no "Accurate" points, then you might consider double-checking key information that person posts, as it may not be the most accurate information. It helps you to put the post into context for its quality and accuracy without allowing (as the old FlyerTalk reputation system did) negative mudslinging by voting things down.

I just don't understand how that could possibly be a bad thing.
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 8:58 pm
  #88  
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I strongly urge Talkboard members to vote AGAINST a Like button.

We are not a glorified Facebook.

Cheers,

Doc
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Old Oct 14, 2014, 9:06 pm
  #89  
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Originally Posted by jackal
You can on Yelp. Why would it be a problem to rate a post as Helpful, Accurate, and Welcoming if it's all three?
Because that's much more clutter for a speed reader to cut through. Too much information is almost as bad as too little.

There's a reason that most sites have a simple thumbs up count only: It's the easiest for readers to use. No system is perfect, and the harder you try the more unintended consequences appear.

I recommend starting simple and seeing how it works for FT. Maybe we can get more elaborate later, but a simple like (and no dislike option) is the right place to start.
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Old Oct 15, 2014, 9:30 am
  #90  
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Originally Posted by Doc Savage
I strongly urge Talkboard members to vote AGAINST a Like button.

We are not a glorified Facebook.

Cheers,

Doc
^ Agreed!
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