Thanking posters.

Florenceem

I am fairly new to posting on MSE. What is the etiquette for thanking posters? I am a bit confused - is the thanked count below our details - the number of times we have thanked posters or been thanked? I tend to thank a poster when I have read their post as they have taken the time/trouble to write.

3v3

It is the number of times people have thanked you.

I thank people who a) tell me something I didn't know, b) who respond to something I've asked/said, c) if something makes me laugh, d) if I respect their point, even if it differs from my own because it can broaden my views and e) if it has enriched my world in some other way.

If I thanked every post I read without some criteria, my visits here would take up most of my day click click click.

nuatha

Interesting and useful question Florenceem I had been wondering myself.
And thank you for a useful answer 3V3, your criteria are fairly similar to the ones I've been using - I'd never thought of just automatically clicking the "Thanks" button, surely that would make the process worthless?

mummybearx

I click thanks when someone says something I agree with, something that makes me chuckle, or tells me something I didn't know.

I think the forum etiquette is to thank when someone posts something useful.

x

lostinrates

The forum etiquette seems subtly different of different boards of MSE. If i have started a thread I try and thank all respondents unless some are offensive, other wise on long threads I sometimes use thanking to mark were I have read up to, as well as the reasons listed above....for useful advice, kindness, a chuckle or simply acknowldgment. Tbh, I think it's a slightly misleading feature, and that the board would be better without it, though I would find it harder to find where I last read.

Clicking thanks takes me no time at all, infant, not clicking thanks or spam is a hazard scrolling through often enough....I always have to deselect people as spam becuase my mouse and touch screen are both click happy

guineapig

I find it irritating if someone poses a question and you take the trouble to reply and the Op doesn't thank you,it doesn't inspire me to post an answer to other posters who DO have the good manners to thank people who have taken the time to try and help with their questions!

FWIW I agree with the thanking of good ideas/points of view/useful info etc.

heretolearn_2

If I've started a thread and people have been kind enough to give their time in saying something sensible in reply, I'll either post a 'thanks everyone' message or go through and tick thanks to each post, depending on how much time I have.

I also say thanks for really great information I didn't have before on other people's threads.

In the competition/freebie forums it's the etiquette to thank the posts you take action on - so enter or apply for.

rinabean

I thank people who have helped me, gone out of their way to help others, made me laugh or made me think. (But when drunk I will thank every post I see! I guess it lowers the above standards!)

CCP

My use of the 'thanks' button is almost exactly the same 3v3 and lostinrates, although, on the OS board, I particularly use it where someone has posted a recipe or meal suggestion that makes me think 'ooh, I must try that soon' (for recipes, that can translate as 'I'm pinching that idea!' ) - I guess that comes under 3v3's category e?

lovinituk

LOL! Just goes to show that with so many different reasons for thanking, the number of thanks a user has is absolutely meaningless!! (Don't all thank me at once )

lostinrates

lovinituk wrote: »

LOL! Just goes to show that with so many different reasons for thanking, the number of thanks a user has is absolutely meaningless!! (Don't all thank me at once )

Yes, I actually think its a bit of a hazard. The thanks I have gleaned are not really for useful posts IMO. Someone reading some advise I give could assume I am a reasoned and experienced person when I am talking poppycock, and someone with fewer chatty posts but more experience in the topic is less listened to because of the thanks thing.

Though it is a feature I use a lot -although in recent weeks it has been playing up a lot- I think it would be better to abolish it personally.:o