Like on Facebook... Might serve a purpose but then again might hurt some feelings.

We just have no way to Rec a post that isn’t an OP at the moment.

But I also like a thumbs up/down on the thread based on whether I agree with the OP.

I will frequently DU recommend a thread that I think is worth reading but where I don't agree with the original post/subject.

It gets complicated, doesn't it?

Valentines are only once a year for a brief period, cost money, anonymous. Infrequent posters who post infrequently but write well are going to miss out.

I love getting valentines and on occasions like this I thank the givers whoever they may be. But they and post-likes become a bit of a popularity contest. It seems that the fastest way to collect a couple dozen or several dozen "recommends" is to post an obscenity-laden micro-rant against something.

That makes it more difficult for positive, thoughtful, incisive, enlightening, insightful, fact-filled, proofread, referenced, well-written, more lengthy OPs to get the attention and reads that they deserve. Expect the same from post-likes.

Yes, social media are still in their early childhood and therefore complicated in unsmooth ways.

I can't remember recommending a thread where I disagreed with the OP. (Addendum: I will recommend OPs that are essentially a news item, like "Trump says ....", as noteworthy. Even if I disagree with what Trump says, his statements are sometimes important to be noticed by the members of DU.)

I always recommend a thread that I reply in if I agree with the OP.

I recommend many threads that I never reply to.

I'll hone up on obscenity/etc. Never been good at that.

Perhaps if the DU Recommend wasn't an implicit "I agree with the thread" but rather "This is something worth checking out", even if I totally disagree with the bases.

That way we can know which posts are really worth reading!




I would use a "like" button, BTW. Selectively, that is.

I ain't THAT great.
Really.
I'm a little bit great.
But not THAT great.

BTW, are you related to the Canadian Prime Minister?
Are you HIM!?

I'm just the phonetic spelling of his name.

And, yes, you are THAT great, trof!

would be a welcome addition as well!

one time. Didn't work out.

but it might have been for OP only and not replies. As I recall, it didn't go over too well.

Didn't go over well at all. Created a whole lot of division and clique behavior if I remember right.

There's a stroll down memory lane, eh?

(edited subject line. i spelled "clicks" wrong...lol.)

Can't remember if it was DU2 or right after D3 started. (remember having to type in the smilies? )

As for replies, we often see +1, etc.

because that could cause a disturbance in the Force of the DU echo chamber and our preaching to the choir.

Except that I just said it.
krep

Sorry, that's WAY too much work.
I'm already tired.

Ni-Ni
😴

That's what substitutes -- but it's a lot of trouble compare with the 1-click like on FB. I'm ALL the time looking for that Like button here.

completely

BTW Rolling Stone has a current article about how Facebook processes your "likes" and uses it to microtarget you for marketing and possibly more nefarious purposes to influence your opinion.

It also describes a recent Facebook patent to use your cellphone/tablet/computer camera to take a picture of your face as you "like" things on Facebook to do an analysis of your facial expression to determine your mood and whatnot.

It's a very enlightening and disturbing piece. There's a reason Zuckerberg tapes over the cameras on his devices.

I would like that.

Easy peasy!

We had a system of "unrecommend" which was used to settle score.

I actually remember a post that someone first liked and then added: oh, it is you, so I unrecommend.

From the Forum Rules:

No personal attacks or flaming
Do not personally attack, insult, flame, threaten, bully, harass, stalk, negatively call-out, ascribe ugly ulterior motives to, or make baseless claims about any member of this community. Do not post in a manner that is hostile, abusive, or aggressive toward any member of this community.

Why we have this rule: Civility begets quality discussions. Democratic Underground members are highly passionate about politics which means discussions can get heated -- but they don't need to get nasty. There's no reason why a community of intelligent adults who agree on a majority of political issues can't have a conversation without insulting each other or resorting to other anti-social behaviors.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=termsofservice

Yet, the unrecommend and the "not like" had, and will, in my opinion, do this.

We often add +1, or +1,000 to a post and this accomplishes this.

What if when we see a comment we like, we respond to it, and say "I like this "? Or, if we don't like it say.."I don't like this "

I know my response is sort of dickish, but damn, if we feel strongly enough about something, is it going to kill us to take 15 seconds out of our lives to say so?

And DU smilies...

but I read posts that are responses to the OP that I like, and I would like to rec, but I don't have an option. I don't want to criticize or offer any other opinion except, me too. Not difficult or complicated. Just, I like what he/she said.

I loved the unrec function

but there were a few on here that got bent out of shape over it.

and it was gone.

I was really sad to see it go.

someone up thread suggested a "meh" option, I like would like that as a alternative.

it was glorious.



Sid

It is one of the reasons DU is different and more conversational than Twitter or Facebook.

You like a post? Then SAY you like (or don't like) the post. And while you're at it, say why. Then we'll have a conversation and a much more enriching and personally interactive experience here. That is how DU has created a sense of community. Let's keep it that way.

Sometimes there's an excellent post way down in a thread that is better than the OP and deserves a thumb's up of some kind.

So no, I disagree.

to be able to single it out and 'rec' it rather than necessarily the whole thread.

Threads have one Original Post (OP), one Original Poster (OP) and many posts.

Any post (including of course the OP) can have replies. All replies are posts.

All posts including the OP contain comments. A post can have many comments inside it.

A comment is not a post.

Your proposal properly and clearly stated is "We need a way to 'like' replies, analogous to 'Recommending' threads".

be able to stick a smilie at the bottom of an op, like the hearts.

they have said they are open to it, but dont want it to be like fb.

That said, I have been on DU for a long time and continue to be happy here!

But I really like the Reddit voting on comments thing.

...button there helps racists and other freaks who post there to gain credibility.

One should not, in general, however, seek popularity for one's ideas, since many popular ideas are simply wrong and grotesque.

To see this is so, if the television news with the orange nightmare is not enough, one can always suffer through "Triumph of the Will."

I'm against "like" and "dislike." Words actually work better and they discourage laziness.

It has long been my suspicion that some people read DU with their finger poised over the 'alert' button.

With your idea, they will also read with a finger ready to strike the 'don't like' button.

I liked it & don't know why it was deleted.

As others have mentioned, there was the rec/unrec button at one time.

I simply comment when I really like a comment but a leisurely "like" button would be less effort for me and an economy of effort is not to be discounted.

Whew. I need a nap now.

Sure, it's great to post our support/agreement with another Member, but sometimes there's not enough time. Or (as in my case) the keyboard takes up 80% of my small tablet - and it's a PITA to post. So yeah, I'd really appreciate a 'Like' button.

I couldn't agree more. There are some great thinkers who comment on this site and I want to be able to give them a "thumbs up" instead of having to write a whole post such as I am doing here. Waste. Of. Time.

If you're too lazy to write a post, maybe you don't like or hate the comment that much.

That said, I'm not really opposed to the idea actually.

I get why some may like the idea. It is very quick and convenient to simply click a button in response to someone else's thoughts. Not to get too deep here, but I think that's a sort of a problem in society. People, often in a flash, click on things without having to really express themselves in a clear manner. Why do you agree or disagree with a post? Why not take a few moments to engage in conversation with someone. Your exchange may lead to new discoveries about yourself and the positions of others. At the very least, it can be a step in understanding someone with whom you disagree.

I'm new here, and I find the absence of a 'thumbs down' choice a little surprising.

No need to "like" or "not like" similar to fakebook!

that. Thanks, trof

No to a dislike button.

that makes it too much of a popularity contest. That's what I hate about Reddit and one reason I lurk without posting there. I see lots of hurt feelings because posters get marked down for nothing at all except others have it in for them. If you like or dislike a reply it's better to take the time and post a response to the poster, makes for more discussions too.

Then I feel stupidly controlled by my previous FB experience -- I deleted my account ages ago, and still have that habit.

Yes, I'd like a "like" button. Or the thumbs up, thumbs down thing I see on news sites sometimes.

it was retired for a reason. I don't see a reason to resurrect it.

Unrec/not like would be fine with me but I've never really wished for it.