Mod+ WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FORUM

I liked the set of symbols previously . Particularly the like and dislike thumbs up and down. Reading some posts from certain members (mentioning no names) makes me fume ..and it makes me feel better to give them a good "thumbs downing"......"take that you so and so" :) It's possibly childish I know but it's human nature and ultimately it doesn't hurt them, does it ?
This is one of the reasons I like the feature. Others may dislike the dislike button but I prefer it to having to root through a huge string of angry posts.

AP
 
I don't think I have ever used the 'dislike' button because if I dislike something, I probably want to say why. However, the 'like' button is far more useful,because if you simply agree with a post or find it informative, why not be able to say so insuch a neat way?

David
 
I think they encouraged even more vagueness than usual. If you care enough to agree/disagree than make a post stating why/what you agree or disagree with. That helps foster better discussion. It's an astounding level of laziness to want to not to have to key a few sentences. I'd like to see the [Like] be shelved too.

I don't see the problem here. If I happen to like or find a post funny it is up to me to elaborate on that if i had to. Having me and everyone else making a post saying"+1" or "I agree" etc is even more clogging of the system and disruptive. Sometimes you CAN reduce your thoughts down to a "like", "funny", "well researched" and "funny" without making an essay about it. When one feel one have to chime in and really show why, and elaborate on a post, that one like - then fine. Otherwise I think "Likes" are pretty uninvasive and does not clog up a thread with; "Yes I agree", "thats what I mean", "I like that post" etc. I really dont see the problem here.
 
Last edited:
AVForums 15th Jan 2014:

Luke the post ratings addon is killing our server

It's adding 13 subqueries to the main thread query. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Please can you optimise this? ASAP?
(We checked that it's not our editorial element, and it's not. The query took 18 seconds to run without it).

----
Luke:

Set 'Minimum ratings for thread list top rating' to 0 if you want to avoid that query

I'd also recommend checking that you have enough RAM allocated to the innodb buffer pool, because there's no way the query could be that slow unless the index isn't being held in memory
Was this on this forum or??
If it was I might have a look around to see if there has been an upgrade and a fix to this add-on.
 
The use of the word "hinder" here is an arbitrary judgement. Though I don't favour the "dislike" button, I'd much rather see that used than some of the sarcastic, demeaning or insulting comments which might otherwise be used. Those things can really hinder a discourse.
That's not quite correct. Discourse doesn't have to be PC. Sarcasm conveys something and is a valid part of discourse. Insult fests do hinder discourse but I haven't seen any of those on here. Someone taking offense at something is not what I use as a measure of insult.
 
Well, Saiko, you're entitled to your opinion. but I'll stick to my way of seeing things...and I liked it the way it was and I would give you a thumbs down for your rudeness. But you are entitled to be rude, it's part of the rough and tumble
That's an even better example of why those buttons are a detriment. I was not in any way, shape or form rude to you. The fact is that you disliked what I stated, perhaps have some bias against me and given those buttons would attempt to use them as weapons.
 
I don't see the problem here. If I happen to like or find a post funny it is up to me to elaborate on that if i had to. Having me and everyone else making a post saying"+1" or "I agree" etc is even more clogging of the system and disruptive. Sometimes you CAN reduce your thoughts down to a "like", "funny", "well researched" and "funny" without making an essay about it. When one feel one have to chime in and really show why, and elaborate on a post, that one like - then fine. Otherwise I think "Likes" are pretty uninvasive and does not clog up a thread with; "Yes I agree", "thats what I mean", "I like that post" etc. I really dont see the problem here.

This has already been covered. No one has to post "I agree" or "+1" and, relatively speaking, few people do. The "problem" (your term not mine) is that all the things you mention do not foster discourse. They certainly don't foster expanding knowledge beyond materialism. So I guess it depends on ones' aim. If one wants to have a "cool forum to pal around with people" then the "popularity contest" approach has some merit. If however one's aim is a site to discuss and investigate knowledge and developments beyond materialism then it has no merit at all. Reducing things to "like, dislike, agree, disagree" plays back into underlying misconceptions. It's much the same as those who offer viewpoints like "90% of scientists say . . ." as if that makes what those scientists think anymore true than the viewpoint of the 10%.
Then again, perhaps there is something to be gained from [agrees] - the more [agrees] the more likely something is simply a restating of mass beliefs.
 
Last edited:
Saiko ... sometimes things are not just black and white as you always seem to put it.

No one has to post "I agree" or "+1" and, relatively speaking, few people do. The "problem" (your term not mine) is that all the things you mention do not foster discourse.
Sometimes it is just an act of kindness to add a +1 or thumbs up to someone who has posted and interesting message or resource. Just to express a "thank you", so that the poster knows the resource was appreciated (or it wasn't).
End of story. It's a nice addition. Makes the place less dry and indirect.

Like a smiley face :)

Might not be necessary but it doesn't hurt either. If you don't appreciate it, just avoid using the tool.
 
Is anyone else getting email alerts despite turning off that preference?
 
That's an even better example of why those buttons are a detriment. I was not in any way, shape or form rude to you. The fact is that you disliked what I stated, perhaps have some bias against me and given those buttons would attempt to use them as weapons.

My first reply to you was wiped out so here goes again. I don't know who you are and as far as I can remember have not responded to you before.
You did not introduce yourself to me (that's ok of course) ....such as Hi, I'm Saiko etc etc.....you simply quoted my post as an example of what you consider to be bad behaviour basically. That is rude in my opinion. It doesn't matter that it is rude, you are entitled to be rude if you wish (I have been rude occasionally with a certain person on here) but you shouldn't quote somebody and then criticize them without introducing yourself.
 
I wondered why this thread needed a mod+, now I see why.:)
LOL -I see your point!

To anyone who finds they end up in this sub forum, rather than the top level, it would seem that Skeptiko has moved, and you are being diverted from the old (not the even older) site to this location, but to the wrong location! Here is the direct link:

http://www.skeptiko-forum.com

Who knows how long this will last :(

David
 
If you don't appreciate it, just avoid using the tool.
Yes. However that doesn't change the fact that the buttons will have an overall impact on discourse. And that said impact isn't in keeping with the pursuit of knowledge.
 
You did not introduce yourself to me (that's ok of course) ....such as Hi, I'm Saiko etc etc.....you simply quoted my post as an example of what you consider to be bad behaviour basically. That is rude in my opinion. It doesn't matter that it is rude, you are entitled to be rude if you wish (I have been rude occasionally with a certain person on here) but you shouldn't quote somebody and then criticize them without introducing yourself.

Ummmm . . . .your opinion on what is rude means that you consider most dialog in forums to be rude. Also, I did not criticize you. I criticized your usage of the buttons.
 
So, the forum has moved to a new domain; good thinking! But: It should have been moved to forum.skeptiko.com, as a subdomain! Then you would get the SEO benefit and preserve page rank. I would switch ASAP ...
 
Ummmm . . . .your opinion on what is rude means that you consider most dialog in forums to be rude. Also, I did not criticize you. I criticized your usage of the buttons.

I do not consider most dialogue in the forums to be rude at all. What on earth are you saying that for ? You should have introduced yourself before criticizing my opinion, which you are perfectly entitled to do.
 
My take: I don't mind the ratings whotsit except for one thing: the "dislike" option registers permanently against people's profiles. I've noticed some people use it just to needle others, which IMO is juvenile, and frankly, plain nasty. For that reason, I've never used it myself, though some people have used it against me even when I've made it perfectly plain I don't use it against anyone myself. The "disagree" option can signal disapproval, but doesn't register against one's profile.

If you're going to register something permanently for someone, I say let it be positive. I feel really strongly about that and if the old system comes back complete with permanent and cumulative negative ratings, I'm not sure whether I'd like to stick around. If it is kept but could be made not to register permanently, there'd be no problem.
 
My take: I don't mind the ratings whotsit except for one thing: the "dislike" option registers permanently against people's profiles. I've noticed some people use it just to needle others, which IMO is juvenile, and frankly, plain nasty. For that reason, I've never used it myself, though some people have used it against me even when I've made it perfectly plain I don't use it against anyone myself. The "disagree" option can signal disapproval, but doesn't register against one's profile.

If you're going to register something permanently for someone, I say let it be positive. I feel really strongly about that and if the old system comes back complete with permanent and cumulative negative ratings, I'm not sure whether I'd like to stick around. If it is kept but could be made not to register permanently, there'd be no problem.

I've noticed some people use it just to needle others, which IMO is juvenile, and frankly, plain nasty.

Wow, that's a bit strong isn't it, Michael ? I don't see how it can be "nasty" to use one of the rating systems that's been provided. I've given Linda scores of dislikes because I don't like at all what she's saying, juvenile ? possibly but it lets off some steam instead of having to write another reply.
 
I've noticed some people use it just to needle others, which IMO is juvenile, and frankly, plain nasty.

Wow, that's a bit strong isn't it, Michael ? I don't see how it can be "nasty" to use one of the rating systems that's been provided. I've given Linda scores of dislikes because I don't like at all what she's saying, juvenile ? possibly but it lets off some steam instead of having to write another reply.

IMO, it's nasty because it's permanent. Every additional dislike just accumulates in the dislike tally for a person's profile and stigmatises the recipient: it's the intellectual equivalent of a brand or a tattoo. If it didn't accumulate in this way, I'd have no problem with it. It's not exactly like a thumbs down rating, which on most blogs only relates to specific posts and you don't know just by looking at someone's avatar that they might have received many negative ratings in the past. Much as I often disagree with Linda, I've never given her (or anyone else) a dislike rating. In the worst case, I've given people a disagree rating, because I know that doesn't accumulate and therefore doesn't stigmatise.
 
Back
Top