Can we please remove the vote buttons?

InsanelyApple said:

I'll post anymore ideas as I think of them.

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How about ignoring them? That's what I do and it's been 100% effective so far. I think the post ratings are pretty stupid as well, but until they start making substantive changes to how threads are viewed it's not worth bothering with.

This is the one of the only tools available to dissuade spamming the iPhone forum – voting down the thread, voting down posts and adding spammers to the ignore list being the only three ways of trying to stop the tide of Android 'information'.

Indeed, I'd like to see threads and posts that are rated low to be automatically removed.

You really care enough to write that whole post?

I won't vote because I think it would be hypocritical to vote on something as I find online polls inane.

I agree - remove the votes, they're useless. Even for regulation, they serve no purpose because the only difference voting makes is a number on the post. It does not send the post into obivion a la the Engadget comments, nor does it affect the poster (discouraging him from post such junk again).

In other words, it's just clutter.

have you considered professional help for your Vote Button Issues?

most people just ignore it and live normal productive lives

I agree that most non-apple comments get quite a few negative. It is nice to vote of ignorant or great comments.

Anyone who answers such a question with 'Sounds like you should get a Windows computer. That would be better suited for your needs' deserves every negative vote they get! (So does the second answer mind you.)

When there was no official voting systems, you had lots of comments of this variety:

This ^^

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Or this:

+1

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So why not give the punters what they want and reduce the overall need for these comments?

BTW, your poll wording reminds me of the worst kind of Microsoft Windows dialog:

Remove vote buttons?
(Yes) (No) (Like Button Only) (Other)

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I can just see someone who wants to keep the vote buttons accidentally voting yes, and vice versa.

arn said:

The voting system test is still ongoing.

I have some tweaks to make before we can see how it's performing. As there is no major consequence for getting negative votes, I don't think that people seem to object too much.

We may try the Like-only system, but still working on it...

arn

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A 'like' button would be much more logical. The news threads had already deteriorated as it was...you've added fuel to the fire and made it worse (IMO of course). The +/- system just doesn't work...it didn't work on the news articles and its certainly not working in the forums.

A 'like' button is much more logical. Its a simple, quick way of agreeing. If you disagree, the whole purpose of a forum is for debate...

Just my two cents, but I find the vote buttons irrelvant. I rarely even notice them until someone brings it up in a particular thread.

So I say keep them for the folks who like them.

Side note: It's rather funny how people are arguing for these vote buttons to go away while others are arguing for the vote buttons on the main page to come back.

I say anything the staff does in order to further improve the site whether it be of minimal or great importance, is a great addition!

Of course there are going to be people who oppose to this new system and those who think it's a great new addition, either way, any change is welcomed

kalsta said:

Anyone who answers such a question with 'Sounds like you should get a Windows computer. That would be better suited for your needs' deserves every negative vote they get! (So does the second answer mind you.)

When there was no official voting systems, you had lots of comments of this variety:


Or this:


So why not give the punters what they want and reduce the overall need for these comments?

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I've noticed since the voting buttons were installed users will receive warnings and have their posts deleted for replying with +1.

This is stupid

You know the up and down rating on this forum?

It's stupid on youtube and now this?

I just ignore them, I dont even notice the system is there lol.

I like the vote buttons. I say keep them.

I like the Like/Dislike buttons. When a user posts something stupid they get some feedback on it. Also, it gives a great post some props.

Doctor Q said:

They (or at least the UP buttons) do serve a purpose. Top-voted posts are shown under the news story.

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I've been a pretty big fan of this so far. Gives an "at-a-glance" summary of the community's stance on a particular news item.

"Like only" would be great.

I was looking for this thread. Good idea! From the pool, though, it seems there are allot of vote-hunters. The only step craziest than this, is to create some kind of MMO leveling based on voting.

ravenvii said:

I agree - remove the votes, they're useless. Even for regulation, they serve no purpose because the only difference voting makes is a number on the post. It does not send the post into obivion a la the Engadget comments, nor does it affect the poster (discouraging him from post such junk again).

In other words, it's just clutter.

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I think what the original poster is trying to say is that fanboys typically ruin any actual use for the system. They are the first to plonk en masse on the buttons (many normal users couldn't care less about them to begin with) so if the site did delete low-rated posts, you'd simply have Fanboy World (which the fanboys would LOVE but normal people with more than just a one-sided view of the world would move somewhere else). Similarly, most of the front page voting that involved Apple went along similar lines (huge + for news that's good for Apple and huge - for any lawsuits, etc. against them or progress by anyone other than Apple). That only tells you what you already know. Fanatics love Apple. It doesn't tell you anything about the real world. It was more useful for non-Apple topics whereas voting tended to reflect a more general consensus.

Maybe the site needs a preference option to flag oneself as a fanatic and then voting could be separated by a color flag so that one could tell fanatical voting from normal voting. Then it might be useful, assuming one could actually get all fanatics to admit it or flag their account for them. Maybe they could just have a big scarlet "A" (for Apple of course) on their posts....

Then we could have a site option to ignore either normal or fanatic posts and all the fanatics could only see fanatic posts and the rest of us could only see non-fanatic posts and those that want to see both could see both. Division/separation by CHOICE would be wonderful, IMO. I can only imagine how awesome a Mac Rumors site free of fanatical/emotional posting would be. Think of all the needless arguing that would end. People could discuss things freely without being bombarded by emotional nonsense and those that love Apple could be surrounded by a giant ocean of Apple flavored Kool-Aid with no land in site. They'd be in bliss. Both sides would be happy and neither would have to put up with the other ever again.

Doctor Q said:

They (or at least the UP buttons) do serve a purpose. Top-voted posts are shown under the news story.

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Can you expand on this? Not sure to what you are referring.

Also, any way to see the highest and lowest rated post at-a-glance? This could be one way to make the buttons a bit more useful.

Tilpots said:

Can you expand on this? Not sure to what you are referring.

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View any article, for example this, and at the bottom there is a Top Rated Comments section.