Do we need the like button AND up/down voting?

[red_flanders]

Seems a bit redundant to me. Don't know why, totally subjective. Generally well-used experiences choose one or the other. There are exceptions. How do other feel about it?

I'm currently in the process of designing a community for a major software company. We pulled downvoting out because we found we didn't need the negative signals in the system. No way to show cause and effect because we made a lot of changes to the design, but we have much higher engagement w/o downvoting.

Keep it positive. Lose the up/down. IMO.

 

[RedheadDane]

I think the up/down voting is only for the threads with the question prefix.

 

[red_flanders]

I think the up/down voting is only for the threads with the question prefix.

Ah, thanks. We make a distinction between posts and questions in our Community experience as well. Doesn't do much and very few seem to notice the differences.

Just not a fan.

 

[King Boonen]

It's an option for when you create a thread. It's a bit Reddit-ish and I'm not a fan of it personally. It causes people to conflate knowledge and insight with popularity and seems a poor way to do it.

 

[red_flanders]

It's an option for when you create a thread. It's a bit Reddit-ish and I'm not a fan of it personally. It causes people to conflate knowledge and insight with popularity and seems a poor way to do it.

I get notifications when someone votes my posts down. I genuinely don't care if someone votes my posts down and I definitely don't want a notification about it. Usually when I get a notification it's someone liking my post (positive interaction!) or responding to my post (positive interaction!). Now because one poster downvotes half the posts in a forum, many posters are getting notifications about negative interactions.

Notifications on downvotes just further highlights and breeds negativity in the system, as if the down vote itself wasn't enough. Design the system for positivity and you will get positive interactions. Design for negativity and the same will follow.

I downvote the voting system. It's an annoying and childish feature.

 

[RedheadDane]

Notifications on downvotes just further highlights and breeds negativity in the system, as if the down vote itself wasn't enough. Design the system for positivity and you will get positive interactions. Design for negativity and the same will follow.

Well... you also get notifications if some angry or sad reacts your post.

 

[King Boonen]

I get notifications when someone votes my posts down. I genuinely don't care if someone votes my posts down and I definitely don't want a notification about it. Usually when I get a notification it's someone liking my post (positive interaction!) or responding to my post (positive interaction!). Now because one poster downvotes half the posts in a forum, many posters are getting notifications about negative interactions.

Notifications on downvotes just further highlights and breeds negativity in the system, as if the down vote itself wasn't enough. Design the system for positivity and you will get positive interactions. Design for negativity and the same will follow.

I downvote the voting system. It's an annoying and childish feature.

I'd argue that someone responding in a negative way to your post results in the same notification as someone responding in a positive way, but at least there's a few moments where you don't know!

Yes, I can agree with all that. I understand its purpose, it's really there for questions like "Can I run an SS Ultegra 8000 RD with an 11-32T cassette and standard chainrings?" and a specific answer might be best, not for general discussion threads.

As a mod I'm happy to remove it from threads if the OP can't and doesn't want it, but I don't think it's our place to limit people's options in that way, so they'll have to ask directly. I'm also assuming I can remove it. It looks like I can but I've never tried.