Poll: Remove the forum Thanked (Karma)?

[Computer Hope Admin]

It has been brought up in another thread that some users would like to have the "Thanked" (Karma) count shown in the left column of each post to be removed from the forums. I can change this, however, I would like each of you to put in a vote whether you would like to have this removed or to keep it enabled on the forum. You're also more than welcome to express your thoughts about this potential change or submit new ideas about the Karma system.

If removed, this would not reset the thanked count. However, the total thanked count would be hidden everywhere on the forum, the "Thanked xxxx" links on the posts would be removed, and the new helper icon ribbon for 50+ thanked would be removed as well.

As most of you know I try to keep this forum community driven and feel this is the best method of understanding what the overall community wants, since everyone has his or her own opinion on how they would like things.

Guests will not be allowed to vote on this poll, the votes can be changed, and we this poll will run for 30 days.

[Azzaboi]

lol @ the votes can be changed. 

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Appreciate the helpful input.

The Thanked system measures activity more than helpfulness, in my opinion.

I have no preference either way.

[harry 48]

like carbon i have no preference , but i feel it might help new comers to see how many times someone has posted and been thanked when looking for advice

[moro]

When I ask and I receive an answer. I thank answerer in reply
 and Because there are members have a lot of posts . And the number of thanks. Relatively few
I see no need

[Sidewinder]

Dump It! Dump It Now!! Dump It Forever!!! 

After reading some of the posts in this thread and others, it seems not even the CH membership can agree on what this number represents or why it is helpful.
 

... but i feel it might help new comers to see how many times someone has posted and been thanked when looking for advice

The OP cannot choose who responds to their treads. The "Thanks" count seems more useful to members for bragging rights and nothing more.

Why not replace the "Thanks" count with something innocuous like "Member since: mm/dd/yyyy" or even leave it as empty space?

 

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Or even have it only display if you click the user's profile.

[moro]

Compromise

[soybean]

As I said in the other thread:

"The Thanks feature is meaningless in this forum because it does not show who left the Thanks and in what topics.  I'd like to see it either discontinued or changed to show who left Thanks."

[rthompson80819]

I think the combination of the number of posts and thanked is a good indicator of how good the posters advice is.

[Allan]

I think the combination of the number of posts and thanked is a good indicator of how good the posters advice is.

I tend to agree. Clearly it's not always perfect (as with long time members), but in general it's a reasonable indicator.

[soybean]

Again, not seeing where the Thanks come from is a major shortcoming, IMO.  Allan currently a count of 598.  That's very good but I'd just like to see from where the Thanks came, and I mean for all members, of course.  Exactly what posts did someone value enough to post a Thanks? 

I believe showing who left Thanks would also show that leaving Thanks is a very subjective matter.  And, some people just don't give the leaving of Thanks a thought while someone else may almost routinely leave Thanks.  Without being able to see such details, the count is much less meaningful and useful than it would be if the details were revealed.  Will I get Thanks for http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,111371.0.html?  Probably not since the member is new and may not even be aware of the Thanks feature yet.  But, if the question had been posted by someone who is aware of the Thanks feature and that person is someone who would normally be inclined to use the it, then it might very well receive a Thanks.  So, again, without the source of Thanks not being revealed, making any sense of it is somewhat akin to floundering around in the darkness.

[rthompson80819]

I would like to see where my "thanks" came from but it's more from curiosity than anything else.  There is no way I'm going to spend the time to research where other members thanks came from.

[soybean]

There is no way I'm going to spend the time to research where other members thanks came from.

Me, either, but the info can be seen when reading discussion threads.

[quaxo]

I see nothing wrong with keeping it, but it doesn't necessarily have to be displayed where it is. This whole "thanks" thing kind of goes back to the conversation we had before about the helper ribbon, which I still think is a good idea, even if you scrap the "thanks" option.