A way to Indicate +1/Like/Thumbs-Up/Kudos/Props on posts

Yes, I agree with June and Carole and others. I "like" something on Facebook not because I actually like it, or because I agree with it, but to indicate that I've seen it. Sometimes I do agree. Sometimes it's a rueful groan. If I post some opinionated showing-my-age thing on Facebook and tag my kids, "likes" (to me) indicate that they've seen it. I'm a terrible photographer and I would hate for people to judge my pictures. I think it would discourage me from posting photos. There's a photo contest for that.

I would be cautious to post anything....

Off topic but has anybody noticed that the County Fair has started? Its in really small letters on my home page. Maybe it's more visible on others?

I still remember when, as a fairly new member, I posted my very first picture on DG. It was on the Bird Watching forum. I avoided it for a long time because I was embarrassed by my "less-than-beautiful" bird photos while some members took stunning photos. Finally, I posted a not-very-good picture of a hummingbird.

It made me feel like I belonged when several members told me that EVERYONE'S pics were welcome and enjoyed by all.

I can only imagine how I would have felt at that point if I had been given Thumbs Down (or none at all).

I'm much more in favor of thumbs-up posts in the 'Files and Garden Watchdog than in the forums. I've learned to scan down the list of comments and ignore the negative ratings along the lines of "I bought it but it died" (in plantfiles) or "I hate spiders" (bugfiles) or "they sent nice plants but they didn't make it through the winter" [because they aren't hardy and you didn't bother to read the description on the company website] (GW). I'd like to see comments like those downplayed in favor of descriptions of how plants were packed for shipping, or how helpful customer service was with replacement of a mis-blooming plant... or in the 'Files, I'd love to give thumbs-up to comments about a plant's growth habit, culture requirements, tendency to self-sow...

We all know the difference between useful comments and those that are either just not useful or that "ding" the reputation of a seller or a plant for some spurious reason. I can see reasons to avoid thumbs-down, but thumbs-up and ranking both positive and negative ratings to see the most useful ones first... that would be great!

Oh, and I love the birding forum, both for the photos (pro-quality or otherwise) and the passion there... people don't post to show off their great photos, they post because they want to share their love of birds! There's even a thread for the best bad or missed-opportunity photos, where even the skilled photographers post bird-butt shots or worse. :-) I agree, thumbs up buttons would spoil the spirit of our forums.

Also, I do NOT want a big notice at the top of my home page telling me I got X number of thumbs-ups, especially if the notice stays there until I click on it to get the specifics... one other sites, that just annoys me.

Very well written, Jill! Your examples are excellent ones and so "spot on". You pretty much covered it all, but so much more eloquently then I ever could have. Thank You for saying all the things that I've been thinking!

Your points are all well-taken. The only observation I would add is this: we have multiple photo contests every year (and yes the County Fair is underway now), we have bloom-of-the-day photos selected every day. Sometimes a thread or photo gets a lot of positive comments; others don't. If those features don't make people self-conscious about posting their less-than-award-winning photos, I doubt having a type of "like" or "thumbs-up" mechanism would create a different atmosphere than what we have now :-).

The "other place" is telling me as of now I have 867 "system messages".........most of which are probably that dumb "thumbs up" thing. I do NOT like it at all...........if you can't post "words", then forget it. As you can tell, I have not looked to see what the system messages really are. I am not interested in them. Talk to me, don't "thumb" or "like" it.

I am not a FB fan either, tho I do comment occasionally. FB is a scourge, and gives everyone waaaaay TMI on most everything. I don't want or need to see what you eat for every meal. I don't want or need to know some obscure remark about why you are sooo torqued, but don't say the reason or who/what. Give it up, already. Either SAY why or just fuggetaboutit. I am not interested in playing or thinking "20 questions". And don't get me started on Twitter. I have not and will not succumb to that. Ditto on Instagram. And what the samhill is "Snapchat"???

I will just sign off as "The Old Curmudgeon"...............:>)

I know what you are talking about Anna. I am over there now, but because there are other things, like replies, that show up. I check mine. I am trying to look at it that someone appreciated what I said, as I can get really grumpy about things like that. One day, I told my husband I wanted to put on my profile "I appreciate all these thumbs, but really... I already have two!" He laughed and said, "You are not really cut out for social media, area you?" Haha.

Terri, that's a good point about thumbs-up in the forums. I guess I'm back to seeing both sides of that one... it might be nice to have them as a way to highlight posts that are especially informative (or entertaining), also, if you're skimming down through a thread.