Why are "Likes" turned off in this forum?

[The Sceptical Chymist]

You do not really need to comment, if you 'like' a post, you can drop a merit, if you do not have any smerits, you can suggest the post to other members or merit sources here.

Or just do nothing.  It's not like you have to make your opinion heard on every post you happen to like.  But yeah, if you've got some sMerits, that's the way to go and the merit system is basically what this forum has for a "like" feature.

By the way, this topic of having/not having a "like" feature has been brought up numerous times before, and the community response to the suggestion has generally been negative.  For one thing, it's unnecessary because we have the merit system, and for another it could and most likely would be abused by members with grudges against people.  And personally I just think it's a stupid feature on a forum like this.  On Youtube it makes sense, because it lets content creators know how well their videos are being received (and on Reddit I don't think it's needed).  On bitcointalk it would be just a redundant feature since merits are used to "like" posts.

[Upgrade00]

But that's why a like button would be helpful. It's common courtesy to thank someone for help and a like button would at least curb people just littering threads with pleasantries.

It is an option, but I have my reservations about it.
What real purpose would a 'like feature' serve, to show how many people appreciated your contribution who may not have any smerits to give at the time?

If there's no means to earn the likes would it not turn out to be an unnecessary metric that would be giving at the slightest whim without careful consideration? Users earn merits and by extension smerits, so they would try to be very careful in giving them out, likes on the other hand would be easily overused.
Creating a system where likes are earned (sort of like the bump system) is an alternative, but not sure if it's worth the stress for the admin.

[Pmalek]

The thing to consider is would a like button decrease the amount of spam in threads where people only post to thank the OP or to agree with him?
I think it wouldn't. If someone wants to spam, he/she will do it even if there is a like button. He will write that he liked the post and give reasons why he liked it. On the other hand, if you are not a spammer, you are not going to post a simple 'thank you' or 'I agree' anyways.

Introducing likes would make me question if a post is just like-worthy or merit-worthy. It's good enough for a like, but should I also merit it...

[mediaBuzz]

A funny reaction button also would be something to make the forum more fun and nice to use. A little bit of positivity would not hurt anyone, would it?

[hilariousetc]

But that's why a like button would be helpful. It's common courtesy to thank someone for help and a like button would at least curb people just littering threads with pleasantries.

It is an option, but I have my reservations about it.
What real purpose would a 'like feature' serve, to show how many people appreciated your contribution who may not have any smerits to give at the time?

If there's no means to earn the likes would it not turn out to be an unnecessary metric that would be giving at the slightest whim without careful consideration? Users earn merits and by extension smerits, so they would try to be very careful in giving them out, likes on the other hand would be easily overused.
Creating a system where likes are earned (sort of like the bump system) is an alternative, but not sure if it's worth the stress for the admin.

Well, it's pretty self explanatory really. A thanks button is just that - a way to show appreciation. Not much different than merit really but that is in very limited supply and newbies have little to none of it. It's obviously not essential but would help in situations like the OP and implementation of it should be easy given it'd be like the merit system. 'Overusing' the likes shouldn't matter either because what are the consequences of doing that?

[Delightcrypto1]

Your suggestion is fine but let me make you understand this. On other platforms some people gives you like on what ever you post whether good or bad, some gives you likes out of sympathy but my questions is how much earn have made through that? Secondly there no moderator to guide your post but here we have.... Do you know when you get merit here is like you won America lottery? I don't think we need likes button because is not everybody that likes your post really do.

[Mpamaegbu]

Well, I guess it's that way because the creator(s) or managers of this forum want to make it look different from the park. It's called breaking away from the crowd mentality. In a way, it's ok but I for one will advocate for something of that nature that will enable us show appreciation to posts freely without involving merits. Sometimes, I see posts I like to merit but can't do so because I don't have merit. In a situation like that, clicking the like button should be sufficient.

Sending Merits to a post is almost the same as liking it if you have loved the content someone has written but Unlike likes, you have to earn at least 2 merits in order to have one sMerit. So this means you will have to be active and contribute positively in the forum if you are to receive any Merits.

So, in excess both aren't the same. Liking is freely given while meriting a post will cost the giver something.

[Peanutswar]

I think OP is referring to the reactions like the social media I think it's quite different if this kind of feature will adopt to this forum we have a different set of features here in our forum we have the merit system serve as a like it defines your number of good contents and contributions so if you think you like the content why not give merit still your option.

There's no one pushing you around to comment on a "thank you", " okay "etc that acts as one-liner content just to end the argument.

[UserU]

A funny reaction button also would be something to make the forum more fun and nice to use. A little bit of positivity would not hurt anyone, would it?

That brings me back to the good ol' days of the Facepunch forum.

[FIFA worldcup]

Why are "Likes" turned off in this forum?

Just wondering. 

Because:   when likes are turned off I feel like I need to comment instead, which makes things even noisier in forum threads.

In bitcointalk you can consider  Likes = Merit, as the more you like the post you can give merits to the post. Unlike likes which are usually unlimited in number, you won't have unlimited merits to send. 
Also with likes, you should also have dislikes but here there is no alternative of dislike as you can't show your expression if you disliked a post.

[darklus123]

The thing to consider is would a like button decrease the amount of spam in threads where people only post to thank the OP or to agree with him?

No, not really. In fact, we might encounter spamming issues for the "like" function just like what happened to the merit system when it started (I ain't sure if it still happening today tho).

I think it wouldn't. If someone wants to spam, he/she will do it even if there is a like button. He will write that he liked the post and give reasons why he liked it. On the other hand, if you are not a spammer, you are not going to post a simple 'thank you' or 'I agree' anyways.

Introducing likes would make me question if a post is just like-worthy or merit-worthy. It's good enough for a like, but should I also merit it...

Maybe if we set upvoting function rules like only allowing upvotes to those people who got more than 10 merits or something might lessen the spamming activity but not guaranteed. upvotes can then be considered as one good criterion if the post is worth merit points.

[Pmalek]

Maybe if we set upvoting function rules like only allowing upvotes to those people who got more than 10 merits or something might lessen the spamming activity but not guaranteed. upvotes can then be considered as one good criterion if the post is worth merit points.

That is still an unnecessary complication that we really can do without on this forum. I think we have bigger problems to solve than introducing likes and upvotes.

That 10 merit requirement is unfair towards newbies and jr. members and might be considered as a newbie jail. theymos has stated he is against introducing a newbie jail and I support such a decision. If there were upvotes and likes on Bitcointalk, newbies should have the option to upvote and have their posts liked and upvoted as well.   

[FIFA worldcup]

Maybe if we set upvoting function rules like only allowing upvotes to those people who got more than 10 merits or something might lessen the spamming activity but not guaranteed. upvotes can then be considered as one good criterion if the post is worth merit points.

That is still an unnecessary complication that we really can do without on this forum. I think we have bigger problems to solve than introducing likes and upvotes.

That 10 merit requirement is unfair towards newbies and jr. members and might be considered as a newbie jail. theymos has stated he is against introducing a newbie jail and I support such a decision. If there were upvotes and likes on Bitcointalk, newbies should have the option to upvote and have their posts liked and upvoted as well.   

So are you suggesting that we should stop using these merit requirement to rank up ?
I don't know how upvotes or likes can help prevent the spam. Merit system is being tested for few years now and has proved to be efficient.

[Pmalek]

So are you suggesting that we should stop using these merit requirement to rank up ?

No, that's not what I said. You have to read the part of darklus123's post that I quoted and I am responding to. He suggested that only users with a minimum of 10 merits should be allowed to upvote posts. That's what I am against, not against the current merit system.   

[FIFA worldcup]

So are you suggesting that we should stop using these merit requirement to rank up ?

No, that's not what I said. You have to read the part of darklus123's post that I quoted and I am responding to. He suggested that only users with a minimum of 10 merits should be allowed to upvote posts. That's what I am against, not against the current merit system.   

Yes, now i understand your point of view as it was not clear to me before 
______________________________________-

By the way shouldn't we stop assuming and wasting our energies thinking  about features like Upvote , likes , dislikes which are not present in the forum yet. 

[darklus123]

That 10 merit requirement is unfair towards newbies and jr. members and might be considered as a newbie jail. theymos has stated he is against introducing a newbie jail and I support such a decision. If there were upvotes and likes on Bitcointalk, newbies should have the option to upvote and have their posts liked and upvoted as well.   

This idea is coming from StackOverflow and it is somehow effective.  I completely understand your and theymos's stands about it. However, upvotes or likes shouldn't be really a big deal if the new accounts don't have it. We have to understand also that the forum system is different from social media. We have ranks here and certain ranks have to follow certain restrictions or given specific benefits. If your idea is to break this "That 10 merit requirement is unfair towards newbies and jr. members and might be considered as a newbie jail." then we should start removing merit systems and ranks because it is not also fair for newbies  . I hope I have said my point clear because my English is quite bad.

[Pmalek]

If your idea is to break this "That 10 merit requirement is unfair towards newbies and jr. members and might be considered as a newbie jail." then we should start removing merit systems and ranks because it is not also fair for newbies  . I hope I have said my point clear because my English is quite bad.

The merit system is equally fair on everyone. If I (a legendary) like your post, I merit you. If a Jr. member likes my post, he merits me. Both those merits are the same, and my legendary merit or status doesn't have any greater importance than that of a Jr. member when it comes to the ability of meriting and being merited. Any member on the forum can get merited and can merit others if sMerits are at hand.

A proposal to not allow users who have less than 10 merits to upvote or get upvoted is the opposite to how the merit system works. That would mean that if I like a post made by a newbie, I wouldn't be able to upvote it. If he likes a post made by me, he would also not be able to upvote my post. That's newbie jail.

[darklus123]

A proposal to not allow users who have less than 10 merits to upvote or get upvoted is the opposite to how the merit system works. That would mean that if I like a post made by a newbie, I wouldn't be able to upvote it. If he likes a post made by me, he would also not be able to upvote my post. That's newbie jail.

I'm sorry I might discuss it the wrong way. What I really mean to say is that the user who has less than 10 merits can't upvote ( or to put them in a better situation their upvote count will be separated to other colors, for example, upvotes from a user who has more than 10 merits is green while for < 10 will be yellow) but their post can still be upvoted.  I am not sure tho if this is an important thing to discuss lol