The "Thanks" button is gone.

[SkipperJohn]

I'll miss it ... feel good in that I actually contributed something that others thanked my post , and can see (sometimes by an overwhelming number) who's posts are well thought of by many

Jax's idea of thanking posts but not having your name tied to it or show up in your profile info is a good one

Sorry to see it go. I have a sort of mental scoreboard I use on forums that use thanks. If I'm posting without being thanked, (outside the posts which are clearly intended to be farsical) then I'm not really contributing anything useful and should likely shut up and rethink what I am saying and how I am saying it.

Anyone think "logged dives is next?.. Don't see the reasoning here at all. Some posts Ya read just deserve a thanks> WTF.....disclaimer = World Trade Federation..

Just quote it, like this, and say "THANK YOU!" :fruit:

There are so many posts on this thread that I'd like to thank.... now I just can't do it with a push of a button.... I'm so sad. :sad:

So anyway - thanks guys!

I think Jax's idea is a great one as well. NetDoc, please reconsider having a "thanks" or "like" button (or agree, etc.) that does not get tabulated for all to compare. I think such a button allows us to agree with a post without cluttering up a thread (more than it already will be) or posting endless replies of thanks.

It seems that the issue was surrounding the thanked POST COUNTS, rather than the thanks button itself. Wouldn't that work, NetDoc? :kiss2: :kiss2:

No . . . It would rate any particular post, but not the user. That way, when a noob like me sees a well-written answer that is BS, I'm sure the "dislikes" and "likes" would tell the overall opinion.

But no one would have a 'score' to parade around, since for some reason that little nigglet annoys the ever-lovin' reason out of some morons around here.

I liked the Thanks button mainly because there was a good feeling in knowing that somebody found something you said useful and I liked to be able to let people know when I found their posts particularly useful to me.

I think the problem though was that not everybody knew how to use it properly. I won't call it an abuse (though for some users it definitely was). I've seen threads where the OP (often a new user, but not always) thanked every single post that followed whether it was useful or not (I have yet to see a context where "lol" is a useful post), and other threads where somebody posts something funny then posts laughing at the joked get thanked.

In my mind there are 2 options involving the Thanks button :
1)make it so Mods can remove thanks from posts that obviously are not useful (possibly too subjective though)
2)make Thanks count private, so those who want to brag can brag but others (new users?)don't get swayed into thinking a given user is more knowledgable than another based on thanks count

I thought the "Thanks" button was one of the unique features of ScubaBoard. I found it to be an interesting way of keeping me honest, so to speak, because my private SB goal was to see how many "Thanks" I could receive by taking the time to do my best to compose a post in such a way that it would be educational or valuable. While not all my posts were educational or informative, and while not all the thanks I received was merited, there was a time that I had 100+ more thanks than posts. I was going to try to move that to 200 more by putting a little effort into each post and weaving post brevity (not my strong suit) with information. It was like the SB version of the Wakulla Award for safe cave diving or something ... just a dangling carrot to chase, but a carrot that for some, like myself, could serve to inspire.

In that way, I'll miss it.

In fact, it kind of drew me into SB much like other silly goals of trying to beat the high score of some really dumb online game like Elf Bowling or beat my friends in Facebook games.

It was also pretty cool when someone I'd normally be battling over a topic would give a "Thanks" ... at times, that was like breaking bread or some other gesture that united rather than polarized.

I also think that when lurkers or new members joined in the discussion by posting a valuable perspective, the thanks received could make them feel valued and accepted by the community.

I think the only thing the "Thanks" button really divided was what made SB a little bit more fun than other boards.

To Pete:
We've basically all come to the same conclusion. Those "abusing" the thanks button did it out of a mixture of humor and possible boredom. We meant no harm and did not realize it was causing an "unhealthy polarization of the community". If you had simply come to us and said, "hey guys, this is causing a lot of tension [for whatever reason] on the board and we're going to have to remove the thanks button", we would have stopped.

I agree with the posters who find the Thanks feature useful, and I agree with those who don't think it's fair to "punish" the many for the actions of few.

All those who "abused" the thanks button are completely willing to stop the "abuse". It was never that big of a deal to us, and who knew so many people were so upset by it...

Therefore I really don't see any reason why SB can't bring back the Thanks button. Heck even reset the Thanks count of all who "abused" if you would like. Or if you feel we need to be punished, then just take our Thanks ability away, and restore it for everyone else.

This issue has been made exponentially bigger than it ever should have, and I think this post presents an easy resolution for people on both sides of the apparently polarizing issue.

I guess that would make me Shemp

Hmm, I am sorry to see it go and I must say I never really felt it was abused. Actually this was the only board I participate in that had the feature, I always thought it was kind of unique.

Wont it make threads very long now, with quotes and "Thanks" - just wondering.?

I agree. I liked the "Thanks" button and I could care less if some people wanted to Thank others a million times. Never bothered me at all. As a matter of fact, I would sometimes have fun with the concept by saying so-and-so must be the best poster on SB because they had been "Thanked" like 20,000+ times. But I do see how some people who may actually take some pride in being Thanked for useful posts and those that Thank people on a serious note were annoyed by the whole thing. I guess I just don't see an easy fix for the situation.

The easy fix for the situation (at this time) is that we (the "thanks abusers") will stop abusing the thanks button. If some other group decides that it's fun to see a bunch of colorful names under their posts, like we did, then I say the mods can deal with it at that time.

For now, I apologize on behalf of the abusers and say bring back the thanks button for the masses.

OK, we may have found a way to re-integrate a newer version of the hack... it might mean a few changes here and there and it will probably reset everyone's thanks back to zero. Hang with us, as we try to integrate it.

I heartily disagree... In fact, I used the thanks button many times to make a friendly gesture toward someone I usually disagreed with.

So, instead of complete censorship of Thanks, censors can selectively decide when and where we can offer thanks.

Why not just treat members like adults, and not over react if occasionally someone "abuses" a privelege, which really causes no one true harm?

Now: the idea of having of a thumbs up or down button....I can see where the thumbs down option COULD be devisive in the wrong hands.

It happens to be more than an issue of a button, or no button. Much more it is the idea that a few can shut down others whenever they find them irritating.

I enjoy SB, immensely, even the occasional bickering can be tolerated, and often laughed at. I like the freedom to discuss everything from dive gear to politics. I could live without any dam Thanks button, but have enjoyed it as an option, and saw little valid reason for terminating that option, simply because one party found another's use of it irritating!

Thanks, +1 & other non-polorizing forms of agreement and appreciation.

Dude, we're old.... S&H Green Stamps.....

I'd like to thank you for your post (but I can't)

Plaid stamps... They eventually converted to new lamps for the living room.

 

[The Chairman]

When there is a small percentage of us pretty much keeping to the Lionfish thread getting out the word on it's destruction and utilizing the THANKS button to have that fun, what harm are we doing?

Wow, Carmen. That's the point I made earlier. It's not all about the Lionfish thread. It's a cumulative issue. People are making all sorts of wild allegations and even apologizing about their actions in the Lionfish thread. That's not what this is all about, although that thread has come up in our discussions. Sure, the lionfish thread gets reported more than other threads, but that has nothing to do with the "Thanks Button". While I think that LionFish eradication is laudable, I don't think that's the only mission of that thread either. Some use it to make fun of others and that can be seen as a form of cyber bullying. We have deleted problematic posts in there to be sure, but to cite it as THE reason for this action is clearly wrong. I hope this helps.

 

[DandyDon]

Why Jim... you act like being a part of the "select few" is a bad thing. I consider those who post on ScubaBoard as part of the "Select Few". After all, those "select few" are what brings the other 500,000+ people to come visit and read ScubaBoard.

Have you seen the Lost Camera thread that made the news circuits, finally with some at least referencing SB? They don't like to the thread, but they are finding it: Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 771 (24 members and 747 guests) Many are joining SB just to post on the thread.

 

[ScubaTigress]

Whew! All this chatter over a button! You'd think we're all sitting in congress discussing/fighting over whether or not to keep that big red button in office titled "Destruction (Push once every 27 days)"

 

[The Chairman]

Have you seen the Lost Camera thread that made the news circuits, finally with some at least referencing SB? They don't like to the thread, but they are finding it: Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 771 (24 members and 747 guests) Many are joining SB just to post on the thread.

Don, its a wonderful thing! We have even set up a new forum because of it: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/lost-found-stolen/339904-welcome-our-lost-found-stolen-forum.html

 

[DebbyDiver]

I miss it...it's an easy way to say "me too" or "I agree" without making another post.

I only have one comment about this...and that is that the polarization of factions of the community existed before some of us started having fun with the thanks button, and that the people who so mightily detest our group of people having silly thanks fun would detest us with, or without, the thanks button's existence. IJS!

 

[dmoore19]

OK, so scubaboard is the biggest online community for scuba. Great! It has been growing for the last 10 years. Wonderful! Did anybody stop to think perhaps one of the many things that makes scubaboard what it is may include the thanks button? Just askin. One more question, why is it gone from The Pub, I post there alot and haven't seen it abused there, maybe I missed it but I doubt it. Besides isn't The Pub allowed to be a little irreverant?

 

[wrybosome]

Whew! All this chatter over a button! You'd think we're all sitting in congress discussing/fighting over whether or not to keep that big red button in office titled "Destruction (Push once every 27 days)"

Us Jerry Springer watching squeaky wheels need to blow our tops once a day online. Keeps us from beating the family.

Honestly, do you look at the number of "Thanks!" a particular post receives to judge whether or not it is worthy, or do you make that determination yourself? Do you attribute any sort of esteem to any member just because they have xxx,xxx "Thanks!" received? Other than a convenient way to voice your agreement with a particular post, what has been lost?

A fun and playful means of talking online that supplements the written stuff. Some people were really artful with it.

Actually, I have tried hard to answer the questions I could. Unfortunately, most users don't get to see the most vituperative posts since our mods are usually quick at cleaning up (when reported). I am not going to violate terms of privacy or my ethics in order to <snip>

I didn't actually see where you tried to answer my question. Not trying to get in your face about it, but the answers I've seen here are vague at best. I can understand not wanting to drag out bad posts etc, but could you please clear up what the abuse was if it wasn't just LF's thanks club?

Thanks, sincerely. I'll await an answer but I'm done on this thread otherwise.

 

[crd_kats]

Wow, Carmen. That's the point I made earlier. It's not all about the Lionfish thread. It's a cumulative issue. People are making all sorts of wild allegations and even apologizing about their actions in the Lionfish thread. That's not what this is all about, although that thread has come up in our discussions. Sure, the lionfish thread gets reported more than other threads, but that has nothing to do with the "Thanks Button". While I think that LionFish eradication is laudable, I don't think that's the only mission of that thread either. Some use it to make fun of others and that can be seen as a form of cyber bullying. We have deleted problematic posts in there to be sure, but to cite it as THE reason for this action is clearly wrong. I hope this helps.

No, Pete. You're post above doesn't help. Instead of explaining to me why you and your staff have removed the THANK YOU button, you have slandered the Lionfish thread. That isn't the topic here.

You've stated unhealthy polarization of the community and was susceptible to abuse by a few. Please explain exactly how telling someone "thank you" is unhealthy and abusive? What is this all about?

 

[The Mighty Thor]

Have you seen the Lost Camera thread that made the news circuits, finally with some at least referencing SB? They don't like to the thread, but they are finding it: Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 771 (24 members and 747 guests) Many are joining SB just to post on the thread.

I can't believe I mised this thread. Where have I been? We should bring the "thanks" button back just for this thread. Can we have a "coolest thread ever" button?