Like feature should go

[jeffgoddin]

Ever since the "Like" feature has arrived, actual meaningful replies to posts has dropped drastically I've noticed, specifically in the "Did You See Anything Good Today" thread where I spend much of my time here.

Anybody else notice this consequence of the added "Like" feature and feel as I do? That it actually has detracted from the the community participatory experience of GTP?

 

[Tornado]

Certainly people use it to passive aggressively circle jerk, but why is what is happening in the DYSAGT thread actually a negative? If people don't see stuff, that seems independent of the Like feature; and if people are just liking posts instead of going "cool" or whatever what's the problem?

 

[CinnamonOD]

I remember people quoting specific cars and giving cool information about rare spots posted in that thread or sharing experiences.

Would it be that those people eventually stopped watching that thread?

 

[Dan]

From what I've seen, it's cut down on the number of unnecessary replies to a post where people only say "haha" or "I agree." I often use the like button to acknowledge that I've seen someone's reply to me.

One thing that actually needs to go are the morons who create threads in the GT Suggestion forum of cars that no one would ever drive, except for maybe ten people at the most. They only create those threads to receive likes, but ultimately end up cluttering that forum.

 

[jeffgoddin]

I remember people quoting specific cars and giving cool information about rare spots posted in that thread or sharing experiences.

Would it be that those people eventually stopped watching that thread?

Yeah, I just liked his post...

But that's exactly what I mean. Participation in discussion is nowadays reduced to a simple "Like." And when that option was unavailable, instead an actual verbal response was required to participate in the thread feedback.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I wouldn't mind see the "like" options expanded. One other site I frequent has buttons for things like Agree, Winner, Like, Funny etc. All positive responses, but a little variety to mix things up.

 

[jeffgoddin]

From what I've seen, it's cut down on the number of unnecessary replies to a post

Yes, but It's also cut down on the number of meaningful verbal responses as well.

I wouldn't mind see the "like" options expanded. One other site I frequent has buttons for things like Agree, Winner, Like, Funny etc. All positive responses, but a little variety to mix things up.

That's not a bad idea, and yeah I get that while I've often wished there was an "Unlike" option that just leads to unconstructive flame wars, a more expanded set of single click response options may be a good compromise between no "Like" option and too many unnecessary responses.

Still, I miss hearing individual responses versus just seeing the "Likes" add up.

 

[Tornado]

Yes, but It's also cut down on the number of meaningful verbal responses as well.

I don't think that is anymore than an unrelated thing that happened to coincide. That subforum in general has been pretty down in talking for the past year or so, and I think it is a stretch to say that is related to the reputation system.

More likely a lot of the memberbase that tended to frequent that subforum has just moved on somewhere else. Particularly the Premium section.

 

[Dan]

Yes, but It's also cut down on the number of meaningful verbal responses as well.

True, but sometimes, those responses don't add anything to the discussion and just agree with everything someone said. When I'm in a discussion and have nothing new to say, I don't say anything at all.

 

[Cowboy]

I only like posts that I think make a good point, are appropriately funny, or are just good posts in general. If the like button went away, things like the suggestions forum would be nonexistent.

 

[Shaun]

I often use the like button to acknowledge that I've seen someone's reply to me.

This is one of the best uses of the like button if you ask me and also do it all the time.
No need to reply with just thanks or whatever is appropriate when hitting like pretty much covers it. 👍

 

[RACECAR]

As much as I was against the Like button at first, I think the lack of meaningful replies to posts was already down before it came along. My only problem with it was how it was going to be abused and the requests section has sadly proven that point more then I forsaw.

 

[GTPorsche]

I only like posts that I think make a good point, are appropriately funny, or are just good posts in general. If the like button went away, things like the suggestions forum would be nonexistent.

It would still exist. It just wouldn't function the exact same way it does now.

 

[Clark]

The like feature does cut down on uneccesary posts, so I think it's a good feature.

 

[Famine]

It's certainly cut down on the number of pointless "+1" and "^ This" posts, largely by rendering them unnecessary. There does also seem to be a reduction in single line posts.

I don't think that it has cut out genuinely useful posts - and I'm not sure how it would.

One thing that actually needs to go are the morons who create threads in the GT Suggestion forum of cars that no one would ever drive, except for maybe ten people at the most.

Much of GT's existing car list is made of such cars.

If they're cars those people actually want I don't see the problem.

 

[Robin]

I also think it's good, it helps highlight and acknowledge useful, insightful, funny posts without the need for 10 replies under it.

Also if your actively chasing 'likes' then unfortunately the vapid world of social media validation has gotten to you.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

From what I've seen, it's cut down on the number of unnecessary replies to a post where people only say "haha" or "I agree." I often use the like button to acknowledge that I've seen someone's reply to me.

This right here, I at times use the like to acknowledge a good post in relation to the thread topic, without having to say anything else. Most easiest place to do so is in the cool wall or various car picture threads or the best use of all the funny picture thread. No comments are ever really needed there (unless a pun chain is created or something else funny is said in relation to a picture) as far as the picture threads go, especially if it's going to be "cool" or "that's funny".

The only rare issues I've seen are the few newer users who use it to basically make some sort of status by obtaining likes, even though the site has gotten rid of like tally being openly seen by others. You have to actually go out of your way and search for how many likes a user has now. Which actually is great at cutting down the idea of just collecting meaningless likes. However, you still get the occasional "like this if you agree" as if it's facebook or youtube, but as I said they're rare, and so much so that I don't see a reason to just ban a feature.

I feel at this point a dislike feature would be nice, I feel GTP is mature enough, but I can also see how that would make an overall feature more hated by some users.

 

[Com Fox]

Half and half.

It is good as it cuts down those "^" and "Agreed" posts but it is also bad as now people are making posts solely for Likes which are just as useless as the post we had back then.

Either way, I don't really mind wherever it goes as this will never be changed for the better or worst,

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

Half and half.

It is good as it cuts down those "^" and "Agreed" posts but it is also bad as now people are making posts solely for Likes which are just as useless as the post we had back then.

Either way, I don't really mind wherever it goes as this will never be changed for the better or worst,

That latter happens far less than the former though. Maybe if GTP had statistics showing the average amount of posts a day over the year prior to the like feature vs that of after it was brought in, that hard data would probably put all this to rest. And only those who dislike the feature because of it's social gain aspect would be left to argue against it.

Not sure if GTP has that kind of data but it'd be cool to see what it looks like if they did. Obviously more variants are involved but the one underlining systematic change that could have an impact would be the absence of the like feature vs the introduction of it.

 

[Matej]

Merits of the 'Like' button outbalances drawbacks it may possibly have. I wish other forums could have that option, it can be very useful in reducing number of unnecessary posts or in threads where people express their opinions of a certain topic, such as Opinions & Current Events.

As for the Car Suggestions sub-forum, I don't have anything against people posting so-called 'useless' cars as long as they provide enough interesting informations very few of us knew beforehand. I often use that sub-forum to inform myself about new, unknown cars or certain facts/videos someone managed to dig out from somewhere.

In other words, the Car Suggestions sub-forum can become a huge treasury of knowledge about cars for people who often stop there. If you look at it from that perspective, there is no such car that would become a 'pointless suggestion'.

 

[Tornado]

In other words, the Car Suggestions sub-forum can become a huge treasury of knowledge about cars for people who often stop there. If you look at it from that perspective, there is no such car that would become a 'pointless suggestion'.

That's only really true when the people doing so actually have knowledge about the cars themselves instead of just copying unsourced passages from a blog that they think is informative. Otherwise you get things like "Volvette Built" and/or humongous attack rants against people who tried to correct information that is wrong.

 

[eran0004]

One thing that actually needs to go are the morons who create threads in the GT Suggestion forum of cars that no one would ever drive, except for maybe ten people at the most. They only create those threads to receive likes, but ultimately end up cluttering that forum.

You say they post cars nobody likes in order to get more likes?

Can you see how that contradicts itself?

And given the amount of car models ever made in the history of the car, a cluttered forum is inevitable, even if you just post cars that "everybody" wants to drive. Famine has done a great job reminding people to use the appropriate title format, so it's not that hard to use the search function if you're looking for a specific model to vote for. The suggestion frequencey also isn't so wild that it's hard to spot new suggestions made, since it's only about 1 to 2 new suggestions made every day.

 

[Tornado]

There is no contradiction in saying that certain people are more interested in fishing for likes (from the same handful of people, no less) than they are suggesting cars people want to drive.

 

[Wiegert]

Ever since the "Like" feature has arrived, actual meaningful replies to posts has dropped drastically I've noticed, specifically in the "Did You See Anything Good Today" thread where I spend much of my time here.

To be fair, the majority of the discussions that went on in the DYSAGTT have since migrated over to the Car Spotters Club convo. So it isn't really a 'like' feature issue to begin with regarding that thread.

 

[jeffgoddin]

To be fair, the majority of the discussions that went on in the DYSAGTT have since migrated over to the Car Spotters Club convo. So it isn't really a 'like' feature issue to begin with regarding that thread.

Ah, must've missed that. I know there was one conversation I was in that got shut down by a mod, did another one start?

Also, I can see the positive side of the Like feature better now, yes it does drastically reduce unnecessary posts.

 

[Wiegert]

Ah, must've missed that. I know there was one conversation I was in that got shut down by a mod, did another one start?

It says you're a participant in the current one which has been ongoing since last May.

 

[Aphelion]

Well, i feel that its kind of bad in the photo-mode forums. Its pretty disheartening for a noob when he receives 1 like and the guy below him receives 20.


Speaking from experience here

 

[BobK]

Well, i feel that its kind of bad in the photo-mode forums. Its pretty disheartening for a noob when he receives 1 like and the guy below him receives 20.


Speaking from experience here

So we get rid of the like system because it might damage someone's fragile ego?

 

[Aphelion]

So we get rid of the like system because it might damage someone's fragile ego?

Not at all, just saying what I think about it. I still think its an extremely helpful feature, just a little awkward at times. Only in the suggestion and the photo-mode forums though.

 

[Barra333]

To be fair, the majority of the discussions that went on in the DYSAGTT have since migrated over to the Car Spotters Club convo. So it isn't really a 'like' feature issue to begin with regarding that thread.

Wait, so you guys took a thread which was (mostly) full of nice pictures and discussion and a good place for people to browse in general, and took it private?
It seems that the problem with the DYSAGT thread was that the active people thought what they were doing was too good for the average user to browse through every few weeks.