Originally Posted by
Sarfa33
Two thoughts here based on my experience with this feature on other boards.
1) The semantic difference between "Like" and "+1" is not reflected in how people actually use the "Like" feature -- people use the button to express agreement with the content of the post.
2) I have not seen the "Like" feature become a popularity contest -- people are generally pretty good about using the feature to highlight the content rather than the poster.
If the wording of the feature could be changed to be "+1" instead of "Like", would that change people's opinions?
-S
+1
I think the place that it brings the most outsized value is when there are contradictory posts. It can be made clear to newbies or to those who don't know the answer, which of the contradictory posts is correct.
But in general, I just like positive feedback. I think it incentivizes quality content. If I receive 10 Likes for a post, it makes me more likely to take the time to contribute quality content in the future. It's just human nature that we like having our efforts appreciated. And appreciated in a way that doesn't sidetrack and clutter the thread.