Thanks

[oompah]

There have been some genuine responses in the topic I raised called result, unfortunately by using the thanks button unless the posters revisits they will not know that they have been thanked,I for one think the thanks button should be reinstated in the GD forum the thumbs up/down button to me does not garner the same response.I accept that DIYNOT probaly introduced it to stay ahead of other sites but to me its failed and I'm far from being the only one.
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=236674&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[Johnmelad502]

The thanks button is still there.

I agree with doing away with the thumbs up/down thingy, wast of time.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Its about time the thanks for posts in the GD Forum was changed. The purpose of this site is to offer DIY advice to DIYers. Part of the idea of the thanks system is to give newbie posters a guide as to how helpful a particular poster is. People give thanks in the GD forum for an agreeable shared opinion nothing to do with DIY!

 

[oompah]

The thanks button is still there.

Yes I know but whilst some use it for shall we say ridiculous reasons, I thanked some posters for some genuine replies yet they do not register.

 

[oompah]

People give thanks in the GD forum for an agreeable shared opinion nothing to do with DIY!

probably explains why this post was moved from Gd to in here

General Discussion heading should give any one new a clue to its content.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

People give thanks in the GD forum for an agreeable shared opinion nothing to do with DIY!

that's not always true, there are topics that are not covered be the forums subject list, so offering a post in the GD forum seems to be the next logical step.
I do agree that on the odd occasion the thank button is used for the back slappers.
But some genuine good advise is sometimes given on the GD forum, so why abolish it.
Thumbs up/down, as I have stated elsewhere, if it was used in the same way as it was in the days of the Roman Empire, it could be a good thing, but as it stands meaningless and not really that eye catching.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

There are several posters who predominantly post on the GD forum and attained ludicrously high thanks counts mainly for back slapping as you put it, occasionally they spill into the other forums where their posting is often rubbish yet their thanks count used to suggest their advice was worthy. It is this practice I used to personally object to.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

It is this practice I used to personally object to.

that is very good point, it also crossed my mind that when I do require help, that the reply could well not be from someone who is not best versed in resolving my problem.
So if a plumber with a good thanks rating gave me advise on how to grow rhubarb, how would I discriminate against his/hers thanks rating, assuming the majority of them came from plumbing related matters.

 

[imamartian]

I think you guys have missed a point here... what's the point of this site?
Well i think the point is to offer help to DIYers, but in the form of the How To guides, and not solely through the forums.

And don't get me wrong, i'm not running you guys down, i think there are lots of people on here who put in a vast amount of effort to help others, and all free of charge. But the forums are a 'nice to have' and do compliment the How To guides because there's a dialogue, but they're not a DIY guaranteed advice service.

And, the thank-you count must not be used as a certificate of competance. This is still the internet, and any sane punter asking advice on the internet (and not paying for it) must make a judgement as to how valid/accurate that advice will be. Again, i don't mean to diss any of the tradespeople on here...but how do we know you're a real sparky, and not an attention seeker with a Collins Home Electrics Guide.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I think you guys have missed a point here... what's the point of this site?
Well i think the point is to offer help to DIYers, but in the form of the How To guides, and not solely through the forums.

Well I originally joined the site to seek help, then realised that I was also in position to offer it, as a newbie I joined quite naively without knowing what the site was all about, unaware that I too could give advise. So in that case the site serves at least two purposes, to be helped and to help.

the thank-you count must not be used as a certificate of competance.

No it's not and you would be crazy to think it does, but there is a thanks button which shows a score/rating and without trying to sound egocentric or even selfish, I am quite proud and pleased that someone has found my advise helpful and been kind enough to thank me for it, as I do with those that have helped me.
Whether it be on building, plastering, electrics, plumbing, GDIY or GD etc...
The thing is sometimes the GD is not only used for GD, members ask question that can not be related to the other forum subjects, for instance a forum member is wanting advise say "I am moving house for the first time, can anyone offer me advise on the things I should be doing?" or " I have job interview, what are the right and wrong things to do?"
Why should someone who has helped this member not receive and be rated on the thanks count? Just because it's been posted on the GD forum?

 

[imamartian]

PBOD, i think i agree with you.. why not include GD thanks? as long as they're not taken too seriously in any respect, then the thanks are serving a purpose.

 

[D_Hailsham]

Probably not easy to implement, but if the thanks count only referred to the forum being viewed it would be more useful. So someone could show 10 thanks in Trade, 5 in Electrics and none in Appliances.