...or by subscribing to the thread, which will then show up in "MyFlyertalk" (for really high-priority stuff, you can even have it email you.)

On a shared level, there are also sticky threads, and stuff that goes out in TalkMail or on the front page.

My concerns are along these lines. In controversial / polarized discussion I see this "like"/"helpful" as just another way for the fractions to express their differences and PROVE one position is more right than another. (And a Dislike would make it even worst.) While in a nice clam/civil/factual world, the like could be useful, much of FT has an edge and this concept will just sharpen that edge. The nature of FT is just different from FB.

So in case it isn't clear, I think this would be a bad change for FT. I do not see the value and I see problems.

I would rather see FT shut down completely then have any sort of "like" system dumped on everyone.

If this useless, unnecessary waste happens, there must be a way for a user to completely disable it, as they can with signatures and setting others to ignore.

An off-topic aside as preamble - I think one reason (certainly not the only, but one) that people inflate their post count is that they are incentivized to get into the habit of it upon joining FT. Because there are barriers to full access that can only be reached upon hitting certain post counts, there is already an apparent reason to "game" that part of the system. I'm not necessarily advocating change in that mechanism, and even if I were, I wouldn't do it in this thread. But just an aside.

There will always be a (reasonably small, I think) subset of people who - for either competitiveness or self-worth reasons - will take a new metric and make it their mission to game it. I don't think that's a reason to avoid change, although it is an argument to proceed carefully (e.g., with a limited rollout) and observe the results.

My comment about self-policing is that anybody who has done some reading on FT for some time starts to build a list (or a fuzzy sketch or a hazy image or however your brain works) in their head of who is reliable/helpful/thoughtful/funny/"a good poster" - however you define that - and who is not. Heck, just reading through a couple of hundred messages in this one thread can give you that sense. So if someone's posts are inaccurate, thoughtless, or always written in screaming all caps, yet they garnered 100 likes, observers will modify their mental list/sketch/impression accordingly.

The person will be self-liking into ridiculousness. Plus, I heard that if you self-like too much, your hand will freeze that way. :D

Please reduce that number to 384. As I explained in response to the TB election debate question of who else I planned to vote for, I voted for nsx because of the leadership qualities he exhibited during his earlier one-year term as TB President (which was my first year on TB). In fact, I voted for him despite his platform, not because of it.

I feel like it wouldn't work. The facebook comparisons of the "like" button working don't make any sense because [overgeneralization] facebook is essentially like an adult tumblr where people post click-bait links and stupid "self-righteous" topics decrying various issues while not actually wanting to do anything about it (and nothing happens because no one on FB or tumblr actually does their research) resulting in factions that will automatically strike down any opposing thoughts and spread blatant lie to fit their narrative [/overgeneralization], which seems to be the exact opposite of what FT is for

I feel like this would be very bad particularly for the UA board with people still waging the pmUA and pmCO battles every once in a while

I'd argue though that those engaging in the pointless "battles" (we have the same at AA presently) deserve what they get; if their "friends" or "allies" want to play games with "helpful" votes, it's stupid, but not much stupider than the thread itself at that point.

On the other had, those discussing miles, status-- how to use them, get them, etc., etc.-- while there very well be stupid use of "helpful" in those discussions/threads for all the reason presented in this thread-- they should still be able to thank a member for their contribution/knowledge or simply be able to help others find "the good stuff" with such use of the feature.

Of course I say this as the author of some of the most historically helpful posts/threads on flyertalk-- so that may color my view slightly. :D

I think you have every right to be proud of your positive contributions to FlyerTalk, for what it is worth.

Forget the “like.” Instead, thank you...

Thanks you VERY much for the kind words!

Without a "helpful" button, members can still thank others for their contributions by posting "thank you" or something similar. I'd argue that a "thank you" post would be more meaningful than a "helpful" button being clicked, because it takes more to post "thank you," rather than just clicking a button.

No doubt about it, agree completely. Although-- and I certainly respect that not everyone shares this as one of their concerns the way I do-- that -does- than bring up the issue of thread-clutter.

People can also use PMs or email to thank others for being especially helpful. This might be more meaningful to the recipient than a public (possibly anonymous) click of some like button.

You're talkin to a guy that gets a LOT of those :), and they are FAR more meaningful, no question about it.

But I'd maintain that seeing a post you find helpful and indicating same, and the ability for others to see that, -does- serve a purpose (a purpose beyond the "ego-boost", etc.-- whatever is being claimed) for other, mostly newer members.

Obviously not everyone agrees-- some disagree strenuously-- and that's great. But, personally-- and obviously a chunk of people agree and others violently disagree-- I think it's a simple addition that would help and make FT a better and more informative place. Personally, I do not see it as remotely similar to the role "like" plays on Facebook in any way, shape or form.

Great points.
I'd agree, except I'd say you have to pretty much be a forum "regular" to understand that. Post count & titles are prominently displayed. People think the titles mean something. The more casual FT user - which I'd probably say is someone that has maybe a couple of posts per month - probably wouldn't notice that. So if they make the votes/# of "helpful" threads visible to the community, then there will be yet another misleading metric presented to people.
Or it gives you a great appreciation for the "ignore" list, as you can scroll through the thread and skip hundreds of messages and not really miss out on anything :p

I'm glad TB is moving on this and the clear majority of FTers wants this! ^