Thoughts on adding downvote capability?

[W1zzard]

How about all posts remain hidden until they get +5 ambiguous up votes.

How can people decide how to upvote if the posts are hidden?

 

[Vayra86]

Have said it before and will repeat again because apparently the intent of my posts and explanations is still not clear enough

The suggested system pointed out in the OP is not so much a true 'downvote' but more of a rating system to filter content, in a similar way that 'low quality post' is currently a content filter. With the major difference being that it is a more transparent way to filter, controlled by the userbase and needing much less (possibly biased) moderation from site admins. For the simple fact that twenty 'biased' members of TPU still provide a more balanced opinion than one 'biased' moderator ever could. Let's just consider everyone's biased here. Big numbers eliminate that by design.

You see the whole point is not 'downvoting' people into oblivion, in fact it is almost impossible for a single or even small group of users to dictate the median score, because it is a MEDIAN score, ie average of all scores combined. Its similar to rating something with 5 stars - what you see after twenty reviews is the median of all people giving something 1 to 5 stars. The likelihood of anything actually getting a 1 star median score is extremely low, and usually reserved for the worst of the worst; and when large numbers of people agree on that, I think you can consider it a truth in many cases, especially when it comes to people and attitudes.

The next step of such a system is handing out 'boost' capability to frequent and active users that contribute a high % of high quality posts, so they will get to influence the median scores a tiny bit more than everyone else, for example by making their vote count as two. Small steps forward that admins can play with to see how it affects the community.

So TL DR the suggested system really is aimed at *positive* ways to enforce and promote a nice place to be, and all negativity is really relegated to the quiet corner where nobody really wanted to look anyway. Stop focusing on that downvote, its the least relevant bit of the whole thing

 

[cdawall]

I was completely against this right up until I was reading through a thread and someone went completely off topic talking badly about a large portion of the user base and thought well if we down voted this clown normal users wouldn't see the stupid.

Will it be abused? Sure.

Should we take away a smart feature because some people need to be kicked off of the forum? Probably not.

 

[phanbuey]

I was completely against this right up until I was reading through a thread and someone went completely off topic talking badly about a large portion of the user base and thought well if we down voted this clown normal users wouldn't see the stupid.

Will it be abused? Sure.

Should we take away a smart feature because some people need to be kicked off of the forum? Probably not.

I like this feature as well for technical threads because sometimes advice is given that is clearly outdated or incorrect, this will allow the community to 'hide' some of the incorrect responses so that when googlers come here to fix an issue they won't have to read through them.

 

[Steevo]

Do it and the users who need to be addressed here will probably either get the point that their shit post is unwelcome, and either start drama and end up on the wrong side of a mod and ban stick, or move along on their own.

This community does not need to suffer the insufferable to be successful.

 

[cadaveca]

Sigh. Just add a "No Thanks" button and similar display as likes, and be done?

Just turn it on for the next three months and see where it goes. THEN decide whether you want to move it into something else.

 

[bug]

@Kursah I feel the "right answer" is a red herring, because very few threads on TPU are actually questions.
Threads that need moderation most imho are usually news pieces where some news irritates part of the audience.

 

[EarthDog]

that we should introduce a strict "no political references" in the forums, with a very slight exception in the news threads, when it relates directly to current, previous, or upcoming party policies.

We do this at OCF, but, there aren't many people here talking political that I have seen... bigger fish to fry IMO.

The mods are probably getting overwhelmed by it when they just want to help.

LOL, the mods appear to be handcuffed... at least one said so themselves.

I can't help but think this is continulally trying to reinvent the wheel. Warn, infract, ban, ban longer, perma.... and don't let them back in. There is a functional system already in place, its just not being followed.

@Kursah I feel the "right answer" is a red herring, because very few threads on TPU are actually questions.
Threads that need moderation most imho are usually news pieces where some news irritates part of the audience.

Indeed, but that that is a different story... improvement of news delivery.

 

[oxidized]

I think this is the best forum/tech website i've ever visited, i wouldn't really like this to turn into a reddit-alike. Really guys, you're good as it is.

 

[rtwjunkie]

We do this at OCF, but, there aren't many people here talking political that I have seen... bigger fish to fry IMO.

Actually, take a step back and peruse for awhile. There are all kinds of threads here just in a week’s time in which members throw out something political in an unrelated topic. And then it degrades quickly unless reported.

It’s extremely common, and uncalled for.

 

[EarthDog]

I'm here quite a bit...

I like the rule...don't misunderstand me, but, I haven't seen a need for it. A few recent examples aren't going to sway me... just saying for the last 9 years, it, in general hasn't been an issue. Focus on the toxic behavior, improvement of news delivery and banning... all things that IMO, need to be addressed first here.

 

[bug]

And if we're still throwing ideas around, how about automatically closing a thread where the OP hasn't posted in, say, 3 days? Or, just in case the OP goes on vacation or something, do a "soft-close" after the said 3 days, where only the OP can resurrect the thread, followed by a "hard-close" after a fortnight or a month.
Because you see, I'm not short of ideas about what others could/should do

 

[fullinfusion]

Hey everyone,

I spent some time thinking about some sort of upvote/downvote system (first suggested by @Vayra86 https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...-qualified-as-low-quality.242395/post-3814084)

Maybe we could implement something similar. With constraints like "at least 50 posts, and positive rep before allowed to downvote", "+3 only once per day" etc?

What are your thoughts on this?

Qui

Hey everyone,

I spent some time thinking about some sort of upvote/downvote system (first suggested by @Vayra86 https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...-qualified-as-low-quality.242395/post-3814084)

Maybe we could implement something similar. With constraints like "at least 50 posts, and positive rep before allowed to downvote", "+3 only once per day" etc?

What are your thoughts on this?

Quick where's the down vote so I can click on this post lol..

And I'm with alot of ppl here.. straight out NO!! not with this crowd as @EarthDog mentioned.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

I am in favor of a "Best Answer" or "Best Solution" button that would float those so they are directly under the OPs post. Every forum is an echo chamber and there are for sure "popular" and "unpopular" people in these ecosystems. The right answer might not be looked at because it was from a less than popular person. Up/down votes will not fix this. Look at Reddit someone posts a comment that is totally off topic from the OP post and it is the highest up voted comment and the real answers are pushed down into oblivion.

I honestly think up/down vote would cause more work for the moderators because you can't expect the masses to self moderate...and while this site does have social aspects it isn't the main focus. However I do think clicking on Best Answer/Solution would be easier to moderate and also less abuse. Get the solution to the top of the thread and if you really want to read the entire thread than that is on the user. If the best answer is at the top than down votes would be irrelevant.

 

[Vayra86]

you can't expect the masses to self moderate...

Look around There are whole entire businesses and websites modeled exactly as such - self moderating, self managing, usually with minimal real moderation 'from the top'. Entirely self managed is not possible but you can make systems that do take care of the biggest %, like 90-95% of everything. IMDB is a good example of this, or Metacritic. Good community-driven content is hotter than it has ever been, and moderation is an integral part of any community driven effort.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Look around There are whole entire businesses and websites modeled exactly as such - self moderating, self managing, usually with minimal real moderation 'from the top'. Entirely self managed is not possible but you can make systems that do take care of the biggest %, like 90-95% of everything. IMDB is a good example of this, or Metacritic. Good community-driven content is hotter than it has ever been, and moderation is an integral part of any community driven effort.

Let me rephrase then... You can't expect the masses to self moderate AND have the content and narrative controlled by the owners. Because eventually the two will bump heads and then you either have upset users, upset owners or both. IMDB was good about 5 years ago it is now pretty much 3rd party media hired to pump up movies.

 

[Devon68]

This could have been already resolved with a simple poll with: Yes or No.

 

[eidairaman1]

I think what TPU could benefit the most from is a solution marking system. It might reduce the amount of necromancies too.

Yup put a flag on a Post that states problem was solved by this suggestion.

I just put people on ignore so I don't have to see their ignorance.

 

[natr0n]

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

 

[erocker]

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

I said that to a judge once, he wasn't having it!

 

[manofthem]

Would a downvote help serve the intended purpose? I immediately think of YouTube where downvotes/thumbs down are everywhere, but it really doesn't help with the content at all. YouTube is a breading ground for toxicity IMO, generally hate reading comments there.



All in all though, most of us will go along with whatever is decided upon.

 

[jboydgolfer]

i think that it is important to keep the reality in perspective here. When I read words like "toxic" or "hateful" in a thread like this, i feel exaggeration is afoot. Ive spent MANY hours on TPU, and Rarely do i see genuine hateful or toxic posts (not saying they dont exist, but rarely), 9/10 times its distraction, or derailing posts, or basic nonsense. Of course ,these posts can be annoying, or distracting, but they are an annoyance at best. In my experience, these people are identified fairly quickly in such a tight community, and are ignored to a state of harmlessness. If a person is an asshole, that fact wont stay a secret long, and they will be known for their behavior. something that worries me, is if a person uses a word or an avatar that you personally dont agree with, You have an immediate opinion about that person....with SUCH a limited voice on a site which is forum based, does quieting the little voice we have, Really suite anyone? When You agree with everyone in a room ,Your in an echo chamber, and your basically talking to yourself. I can easily scroll past the idiots that i dont agree with, but i dont think the fact that i dont agree with them makes their opinions, or voice, invalid.

this "resolution" IMO is no better than the "poor quality post " function. if You want "best voted posts" Toms hardware has Your back & the best posts are colored green to save You from reading more "toxic" posts than needed.

 

[Space Lynx]

I said that to a judge once, he wasn't having it!

What you doing in front of a judge mate? TPU community, beware, Erocker has shown his true colors, he is one naughty naughty boi ~huhuhu

 

[Steevo]

What you doing in front of a judge mate? TPU community, beware, Erocker has shown his true colors, he is one naughty naughty boi ~huhuhu

I heard it was for flying the colors sideways from his arse while mooning the local fuzz.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

i think that it is important to keep the reality in perspective here. When I read words like "toxic" or "hateful" in a thread like this, i feel exaggeration is afoot. Ive spent MANY hours on TPU, and Rarely do i see genuine hateful or toxic posts (not saying they dont exist, but rarely), 9/10 times its distraction, or derailing posts, or basic nonsense. Of course ,these posts can be annoying, or distracting, but they are an annoyance at best. In my experience, these people are identified fairly quickly in such a tight community, and are ignored to a state of harmlessness. If a person is an asshole, that fact wont stay a secret long, and they will be known for their behavior. something that worries me, is if a person uses a word or an avatar that you personally dont agree with, You have an immediate opinion about that person....with SUCH a limited voice on a site which is forum based, does quieting the little voice we have, Really suite anyone? When You agree with everyone in a room ,Your in an echo chamber, and your basically talking to yourself. I can easily scroll past the idiots that i dont agree with, but i dont think the fact that i dont agree with them makes their opinions, or voice, invalid.

this "resolution" IMO is no better than the "poor quality post " function. if You want "best voted posts" Toms hardware has Your back & the best posts are colored green to save You from reading more "toxic" posts than needed.

That's why I would like to see "Low Quality Post" changed to "Off Topic" and that system kept....
I really think that idea was sound but seeing something you posted that you may have put effort into labeled as Low Quality is going to cause "butthurt"...


Everybody including mods go off topic.. It happens and it's going to keep happening..
People have egos and insults aren't always intended.
You and I may enjoy the side conversation but the noob looking for help probably won't, especially when they're too frustrated to care.

The toxic posts happen to all of us...
All of us...