Originally Posted by zcat18

Correct.

For me, the rationale is cutting down on multiple long answers that say the same exact thing (a nice side effect would also be a decrease in "^^" or "Yes, yes, yes +1" posts). Note that I am guilty of this at times, which is part of the reason for the suggestion.

FTers are generally encouraged not to create new threads or even new posts with questions if the answer can be found using search functionality. It is also the case that one question may have multiple valid answers. In order to help folks comply with the board's wishes that new threads and posts be kept to a minimum while maximizing the usefulness of existing threads, a "like" or "+1" button might cut down on repetitiveness, thus making threads easier to navigate and generally digest for someone seeking information.

That's my thought, at least. Whether it actually works in practice remains to be seen.