# Poll - Is Thank Icon Necessary?



## aido (May 17, 2005)

As I have said before this site is invaluable as a source of information. Why clutter it up with stuff that don't mean anything useful.
I am sure anyone thats gets useful information off this site are very thankful otherwise they wouldn't subscribe. just my opinion what do others have to say about it?..........aido


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## takeaflight (May 9, 2005)

I dont see any problems with a thankyou button, however to have your score ? displayed !!!


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi aido

I added the poll for you - is that OK?


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## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

Thanks... yes you get my vote... the idea is sound and allows folks to show appreciation but...

David (Nuke ) could you not automate a response that allows folks to say 'thanks' as a message?

As it stands it's a potentially divisive element... if folks who think they've posted a helpful message and *don't* get thanked ('cos some folks don't bother with such niceties) they're bound to feel a little peeved...


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## aido (May 17, 2005)

*post subject*

Ken & Jen.
Thanks I didnt know how to do it , first time with a poll ....aido:roll:


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

Hi, Aido

The thing about MHF is that it's not just an invaluable resource - a repository of the thoughts, opinions, knowledge and experiences of thousands of people - it's also a community. There's a lot of off-topic discussions go on, the sometimes the place takes on the feel of the local bar, where you can not only discuss the bar, the beer, the food, but also the issues of the day, tell a few jokes, show a few photos around ... that sort of thing.

With this in mind, the "Thank you" button is a good idea, IMO. I can see a point for not making the 'Thank yous' public, for the reasons you describe. Maybe we'll see how opinions come in on this one.

Gerald


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

The only thing that interests me in the "Thanks" facility is its potential for giving authors feedback on those of their contributions that are valued and those, by implication, that are not. It would be nice to think this had the potential to improve the MHF wheat to chaff ratio, but I recognise this is an aspiration not a corollary of the former, and I also recognise the wider, softer community value of the site rather than just being repository of helpful information.

There is a parallel with my views on tedious blogs in wondering whose purpose they serve, the author's or readers'. Anything that gives the author feedback on that, either by positive feedback or its absence, is beneficial.

As to postcounts/scores, my views are also known and bore nuke with regularity. Keep superflous text, graphics, buttons, duplication of menus, etc to an absolute minimum. Arguably functionality as well if it confuses users, and more importantly potential users, more than it enables them. As an example, but merely one of potentially hundreds of similar observations, why does every posting have to show how that person found out about MHF? As far as I'm concerned, the panel to the left of a post need only contain the username, staff status, avatar, post count if under 100, say, motorhome and location.

Dave


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

DABurleigh said:


> The only thing that interests me in the "Thanks" facility is its potential for giving authors feedback on those of their contributions that are valued and those, by implication, that are not. It would be nice to think this had the potential to improve the MHF wheat to chaff ratio, but I recognise this is an aspiration not a corollary of the former, and I also recognise the wider, softer community value of the site rather than just being repository of helpful information.
> 
> There is a parallel with my views on tedious blogs in wondering whose purpose they serve, the author's or readers'. Anything that gives the author feedback on that, either by positive feedback or its absence, is beneficial.
> 
> ...


My thoughts exactly,why all the unnecessary clutter-if you want to find something specific or 'separate the wheat from the chaffe'then use the search facility.Perhaps the poll results will reflect that,I see there is already a sizeable majority against the thanks feature although early days yet.
My thanks go to DABurleigh this morning for saying exactly what I was thinking.

Steve and Sharon


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

lol you simply can't win on MHF !
i get multiple PMs requesting for a facility that is used on plenty of other forums very successfully, I add the facility then get polls springing up requesting it be taken down by other members LOL

I should give up 

anyway for those (Like DAB) who want a completely stripped down version of MHF with little in the way of facilities or superflous gfx I am working on a theme in the background which will have hardly anything in the way of either. (No doubt once complete and unleashed on MHF i will get requests to add GFX / facilities to it


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## 96475 (Oct 9, 2005)

Hi Nuke,

May I suggest you have a poll before you introduce something new, instead of relying on PM's from the minority. Just a thought!

Chris


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

“Is a thank you necessary” was the question. Personally I don’t think it is NECESSARY but if you have appreciated the response and help given then surely it is only polite to thank someone for it The poll asks, “Is it a GOOD thing”. In my view it is, both for politeness and as a sharp reminder that the site was getting a little out of balance . It was introduced in response to complaints about too much trivia and posting just for the sake of posting. I suspect we all initially joined the site to learn something and not to be part of a community although after a while some obviously feel they are a part of a community and know each other quite well so you end up with a site which has to provide for both needs. Newbies will never initially feel part of the community and some will never be interested in it. If the introduction of the “Thank you” helps maintain site balance I am all for it and we should not write it off as a bad move at this early stage.

peedee


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## JustRadio (May 21, 2005)

I'm proud to say I haven't got a clue what a "thank you button" is or where I can find it!


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## nukeadmin (Oct 10, 2003)

> May I suggest you have a poll before you introduce something new, instead of relying on PM's from the minority


I'm afraid if i did that no new facilities would ever be added. What happens inevitably is that only the more vocal members of the site vote, so you only get a minority opinion, sometimes even, we get other members from competitor websites coming over to MHF, creating accounts and trying to sway the results (although this has been alleviated of late due to some measures i have put in place)

In the end with what i deem as fairly trivial addons like the "thank you" I take the command decision to install, i take feedback en route during installation from a few trusted MHF members on how best to implement or improve and then release to the community at large.


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## JustRadio (May 21, 2005)

Go for it Nuke, your site, your responsibility, your decision. I heartily approve, and in particular I like the expression "command decision". 

I'm now taking the command decision to go and shower, hmmm, once I also took command decsions that meant something, sad git that I am, next stop stacking shelves at tesco, "coming now, Sir!"


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## MikeE (May 1, 2005)

> lol you simply can't win on MHF !


As the man said Nuke - "you can't please all the people all the time ...", all you can do is keep trying (and so far a pretty good job!).

My only problem with the "Thank You" button is that the results may well become collector's items ... bit like eBay feedback where A**** has become a much overused (and therefore worthless) comment 

Mike


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## androidGB (May 26, 2005)

I think if you take the trouble to post as a result of a query it's nice if someone expresses their thanks. For those people who don't like superfluous posts cluttering a thread this is perhaps a neat way of achieving both objectives.


Andrew


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## Drummer (May 9, 2005)

nukeadmin said:


> lol you simply can't win on MHF !
> 
> I should give up
> quote]
> ...


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

The thankyou button is a good idea but I can understand why some are not keen.

If it was my choice I'd like the stripped down panel on the left, with just type of m/home, geographical location.
I also like the idea of retaining the 'thanks' button, but not having it on display, exactly for the reasons DAB states.

But, hey, no big deal, if it stays it stays.

The main thing here for me that separates MHF from other sites is that Nuke constantly takes time out to enhance features on here, and just as important, he always listens to feed back.

pete


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## cobaltkoala (Sep 11, 2006)

*Streamlining the site!*

Surely the thank you button has one great use ...

To prevent the endless numbers of one liner posts simply saying thanks. This will streamline the threads and make sourcing information and keeping up to date much easier.

We personally don't care if we are or are not thanked as we understand the interent all to well. One doer to every Squillion takers!
Nuke your a do'er so keep up the good work.


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi all,

I prefer to thank folks for their efforts in the form of a reply. Although I have used the "thanks" button, I also found myself writing, as it is a more polite way of responding.

If we are to retain the "thanks" button, please, please, please, can we get shot of the points system, as it is nothing more than a score board.

Both Rita and I are eternally grateful to contributors, and would wish to communicate our gratitude in words, and actions, (ie, a handshake when we meet up with folks).

Somebody from MHF gave me a bottle of good ale once, as a token of their appreciation, for a contribution that I had made to their MH related problem. Thouroughly enjoyable too, I should add.    

That reminds me, Rita and I owe DAB and Alison a drink when we next meet up. :wink: :wink: :wink: 

Jock.


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

JockandRita said:


> If we are to retain the "thanks" button, please, please, please, can we get shot of the points system, as it is nothing more than a score board.


Quite right, Jock. Maybe a simple "See thanks votes" link or something under our profile, which is only visible by us?

BTW, Jock, I think I owe you a beer too. Can't remember what it's for now as my memory is like a collander, but the 'debt' is logged in there anyway.

Gerald


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

*Quite right, Jock. Maybe a simple "See thanks votes" link or something under our profile, which is only visible by us? *

Thanks Gerald,

I look forward to some supping. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Seriously though, I do agree with your quote above.

Jock.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I think the THANK YOU button is a good idea. It gives posters a clue on what we find useful and what is not. Thereby the really useful knowledge base will grow and all the chaff and clutter will diminish.
I posted an article and got some 'thank you's', which encouraged me to post a follow up. If I hadn't got a clue if members were interested or not then I would not have bothered. If these discussions were in real life face to face then any red herrings chaff and hot air would quickly be stifled with groans, boos and face pulling, etc, but this is the wrong media for body language, so I think a quick click as a thumbs up is a really useful tool.


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

I like the idea of the thanks button but not the score keeping. IMHO it is a simple way of saying thanks without having to go to the trouble of typing 2 fingered as I have to. I just think the counter adds very little positive feedback and may be used by some to compete for the highest number, but Nuke it is your decision. In the meanwhile I will continue to post my thanks to those I feel earn it.

best regards

Noel


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