ASF Downtime

[Bill M]

Liking a post can be a shorthand way of saying, "I agree" and also a way of telling someone that you appreciate the time and effort they have put into creating the post.

I like the like button too. Before we had it most people wanted it, now some people don't like it which I don't understand. Why I like it is for the same reasons as you mention, it is like nodding your head for a yes or I agree or just a short cut for saying thank you. Some people like myself don't post as much as others so by liking a post also shows I'm still around listening, learning and enjoying other people's input. Keep it up, ASF is a great forum, thank you.

 

[Joe Blow]

I have checked the IP addresses of those who are still hitting the old ASF installation and they all appear to be Telstra IP addresses.

Really bad form Telstra. Please update your DNS records more often.

SirRumpole appears to be one of the last over there.

 

[rederob]

I like the like button too. Before we had it most people wanted it, now some people don't like it which I don't understand. Why I like it is for the same reasons as you mention, it is like nodding your head for a yes or I agree or just a short cut for saying thank you.

On the other hand, the almost opposite is true of downvoting or disliking, so I hope Joe does not introduce it to ASF.
I recently left a US-based forum because a good number of members never posted, but always downvoted on topics they simply disliked. It effectively led to the politicisation of many threads, without in any meaningful way adding to theirs utility. In fact, it seemed to encourage some pretty radical posting which of itself led to the destruction of some threads that began well - topics were getting closed on an increasingly regular basis.

 

[SirRumpole]

I have checked the IP addresses of those who are still hitting the old ASF installation and they all appear to be Telstra IP addresses.

Really bad form Telstra. Please update your DNS records more often.

SirRumpole appears to be one of the last over there.

Thanks for noticing Joe. I had some problems last night but all seems well now.

 

[Smurf1976]

Liking a post can be a shorthand way of saying, "I agree" and also a way of telling someone that you appreciate the time and effort they have put into creating the post.

Agreed.

I've certainly "liked" posts where I don't necessarily agree with the content but do appreciate and value the thought and effort that has gone into putting the idea forward.

 

[Ann]

I probably seemed a bit negative about the 'like' button Joe, I think it is a great addition to ASF. It gives one an opportunity to acknowledge a post in either appreciation or simply acknowledgement of having read it and agree. I just think the ratings can be skewed by mates dinging mates for every post. There are some amazing posters here who work incredibly hard and offer real and interesting value to the site but get little reward. I think I come at it from a fairness angle and cheap easy dings seem a bit dingy, having said that, I do appreciate this is your site and understand you have the last word which is only appropriate.

 

[SirRumpole]

On the other hand, the almost opposite is true of downvoting or disliking, so I hope Joe does not introduce it to ASF.

I think if you dislike a post you have an obligation to argue the point in a reply post, rather than just "disliking" it without reason.

Maybe "likes" are becoming a bit too prevalent compared to replies , but otoh there is little point posting if you are in agreement with a certain post.

 

[Smurf1976]

Maybe "likes" are becoming a bit too prevalent compared to replies

For me "liking" a post is often just a way of saying "thanks for your effort, it's interesting and much appreciated, but I don't have anything useful to add at this point in time".

 

[SirRumpole]

For me "liking" a post is often just a way of saying "thanks for your effort, it's interesting and much appreciated, but I don't have anything useful to add at this point in time".

Yes, "Like" and agree.

 

[Joe Blow]

The main negative of the "Like" feature from my perspective is that it may be responsible for a decline in posting. Before it was possible to like other's posts, people would reply to a post to agree or express appreciation. Sometimes they would add more content to that post and it would generate further discussion. I wonder how many of those posts and discussions have been lost because it is now no longer necessary to post for that purpose.

 

[Ann]

The main negative of the "Like" feature from my perspective is that it may be responsible for a decline in posting. Before it was possible to like other's posts, people would reply to a post to agree or express appreciation. Sometimes they would add more content to that post and it would generate further discussion. I wonder how many of those posts and discussions have been lost because it is now no longer necessary to post for that purpose.

I would suggest quite a few, in the past I would always acknowledge a post out of courtesy whereas now a quick flick 'like' is all I need to do. Yes I think you are right, once people start posting, the temptation is to keep chatting a bit more as thoughts flow. No thoughts flow from a button push. Although way back in the day I tend to remember people being given the suggestion to say more than a few words. I think you spent a lot of effort training us to say more than a simple "Yes, agree".

 

[Zaxon]

I wonder how many of those posts and discussions have been lost because it is now no longer necessary to post for that purpose.

I currently use another forum which has an investment section. Their software doesn't have a like button, so I feel I'm in a good position to speak to this.

If I have a useful thought, I'm going to add that whether there's a like button or not. That other forum feels far less interactive because they're missing a like button. And I've never once felt encouraged to post to compensate for the lack of giving a like.

 

[sptrawler]

In my humble opinion, as everyone has said, if I agree and have nothing to add 'like'.
I also use it to thank someone for some positive remark, rather than a written thankyou. I do try to be polite, believe it or not, so if I don't have a like button I will have to pm them. Lol
I do use ASF as I did my workmates, you bounce ideas around, have a bit of banter and the odd political argument.
It does it for me.lol

 

[Ann]

Do PMs count as posts Joe?

 

[Joe Blow]

Do PMs count as posts Joe?

No, PMs do not form part of a person's post count. If they did, we would be well over one million posts by now.

 

[Ann]

No, PMs do not form part of a person's post count. If they did, we would be well over one million posts by now.

I would have given you a 'like' then but resisted the urge! Gosh we do a lot of chatter
underground!
So can you see a count of people PMing? Or are you just guesstimating?

 

[Joe Blow]

So can you see a count of people PMing? Or are you just guesstimating?

Like posts, PMs have a number attached to them that gives you an indication of how many have been sent over the life of the forum. If you open your PM inbox and hover your mouse pointer over any of the PM titles you will see this number at the end of its URL.

A quick check of my recent PMs indicates that more than 64,000 PMs have been sent in the almost 15 years that ASF has existed. That's roughly 4,300 each year.

 

[rederob]

A quick check of my recent PMs indicates that more than 64,000 PMs have been sent in the almost 15 years that ASF has existed.

Like the $64,000 questions?

 

[Joe Blow]

Like the $64,000 questions?

Indeed.

 

[Joe Blow]

I just realised that no outgoing emails such as watched thread notifications, PM notifications or new account confirmation emails have been going out since the server migration occurred Friday night due to incorrect settings on the new server. This has now been rectified and all future emails should now be sent out as usual.

Please let me know if anyone encounters any further email related issues.