# Thanked posts gone?



## Amz

Just wondering why the "thanks" system isn't working. In everyone's posts, you can see 

"Thanks Given:
Thanked Times in Posts"

But there are no numbers, and there's no option to give thanks for a post.

Is it gone for good, or just momentarily glitching?


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## CaliTiels

Ya I noticed that today too when I tried to thank someone


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## MeanneyFids

Staff have decided to remove the thanks button. It has been removed and it will not likely be coming back


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## Kiwi

Aw we can't thank anymore?


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## Vickitiel

Why have they decided that? We demand answers!


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## urbandecayno5

*sigh*
Why?
Now there's going to be a million "thanks" posts
Even if some used it as a "like" button its not really a big deal(if that's the reason)
Can we at least get the karma system


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## ollieandme

that's so sad! do we have no way of appreciating someone's posts?


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## Renae

It was being abused, and to use it in a way that abuses it rather than for the right reason, results in this happening.


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## ollieandme

abused as in people using it to "side" with other people? i have to admit that that was happening rather too much!


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## Vickitiel

Abused how?

I keep going to 'thank' someone and have to stop myself, lol.


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## urbandecayno5

Abusing the thank you button

That sounds like the most absurd reason. 
I would love to know how many members actually complained about it compared to ones who havent
Nobody said there were rules on what you can and can't use it for or how you have to use it
If so there should have been a section on "what you can and can't thank someone for" in the rules

I would hope you guys would have involved everyone in this decision. Maybe make a poll on who thinks its abused and should get rid of it vs who wants to keep it
I think youde see 99.9% of the people use it because its convenient and shows appreciation
Plus I've seen moderators do this so its not like its just the plain old members
I had a few examples I was going to show but I can't now that its totally gone....

But hey its your forum if you see being controlling and trying to punish the members(whom without there would be no forum) then that's cool
I have to say i have never seen a forum run like this. Very power trippy. You guys really know how to drive people away


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## roxy culver

> But hey its your forum if you see being controlling and trying to punish the members(whom without there would be no forum) then that's cool
> I have to say i have never seen a forum run like this. Very power trippy. You guys really know how to drive people away


I'm sorry you feel this when, but when members are being driven away from the forum because they feel ganged up on because of a button, I'm sorry but it wont be tolerated. We did a vote among the staff and it was a decision made by the staff. While its not what I was hoping for, it was not meant to be a like button although it was treated as one. There is the chance that it can come back, this isn't a permanent removal, but we need to get away from using it how it was being used. 

The thanks button was a newly added feature, we've never had it on this forum before, so its not a huge loss to be honest. It was meant as a way to thank members for helpful posts, not as a like button as on facebook.


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## urbandecayno5

Can't you at least enable the karma system so we have something
It gives a form of appreciation while not offending others
It works great on TB


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## roxy culver

That's something I can talk to Yung about...I'm not sure why they have the karma system over there and we don't have it here. We have the setup for it, but its only ever been visible with this new skin. Its never actually worked, but that's something I'll look into.


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## enigma731

You know, it would be super nice if there was, like, _any_ communication between admins and members about this kind of thing. Maybe if there was a discussion, people wouldn't feel like staff was ganging up on them. The point of the forum is, after all, to serve its members...


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## Haimovfids

> You know, it would be super nice if there was, like, _any_ communication between admins and members about this kind of thing. Maybe if there was a discussion, people wouldn't feel like staff was ganging up on them. The point of the forum is, after all, to serve its members...


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## MeanneyFids

enigma731 said:


> You know, it would be super nice if there was, like, _any_ communication between admins and members about this kind of thing. Maybe if there was a discussion, people wouldn't feel like staff was ganging up on them. The point of the forum is, after all, to serve its members...


And when members come to us as staff and have problems with the forum itself, the staff discuss it and make a decision. Which is what happened here. You of all members would know how this works, we discuss forum problems as staff and make decisions as staff. The abuse of the thanks button was upsetting some members and we felt that it was not worth upsetting people over it. We did not want to see more people get driven away because of the thanks button and feeling ganged up on.

When admins need to announce something to the forum, they do so. 


to urbandecayno5
As to number of complaints VS not complaints, it does not matter. We take complaints of harassment and bullying very seriously. When people are using the thanks button to gang up on others, it is bullying and we do not accept bullying. The best option is to remove the method of bullying.


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## Clair

I had no idea there was any type of ganging-up problem here. I really liked that feature and I hope you eventually bring it back.


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## Sugars Mum

Ok, since i've only been here a few days i obviously haven't noticed any form of 'ganging up' on people (sorry, trying not to sound like i'm in pre school so using exact wording) but it was one feature i'd noticed that i haven't seen on any other forum and i kinda liked it. 

Say if 10 people were to like someones advice, it's easier to press the 'thanks' button than it is for 10 people to post a thanks. 
Not only does it take longer (sorry, i'm not lazy, i just like to spend time with my animals and anything that allows me more time to do so is a huge plus) but it also clogs the forum up and it means people like me having to search through more 'pointless' (i say pointless because with the 'thanks' feature, they don't need to be there') posts losing time to spend with the fury/feathered family members...

But like i say, i've only just joined so feel free to disregard the above since i haven't had much experience with it... It's a great community with or without the button


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## enigma731

That's how it's _supposed_ to work, but a lack of clear rules with an objective enforcement system has been a problem for a long, long time and this is another great example. I hope things have, in fact, improved since I resigned, but the fact that this wasn't even announced until someone asked about it--and that I'm sure this thread will probably get closed as soon as enough people disagree with the decision--seems to say otherwise.


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## urbandecayno5

I don't think thanking someone for a comment you agree with is bullying. Especially if it saves you time from saying it

"Bullying" is thrown around and abused far to much these days. Yes there are circumstances where it is appropriate to use it but this one isn't it
Calling forum members bullies(which is what you are implying) for hitting a thank you button is ridiculous
I haven't seen any comment with more then 2 or 3 thanks on it. 

I can't see someone complaining that a "thanks" button made them feel ganged up on..that sounds really off....if it did then maybe rules should be set on how to use it.

99% of forums have communication between members and staff and that's what makes it more pleasant and makes everyone feel involved and like a community ( I think that's what its suppose it be?)
Some moderators here should not be one. Very outspoken and degrading towards members
I know there has been a problem with people abusing power in the past
but its still happening..maybe the staff can get together and talk about that to?

Maybe you guys can get rid of the smileys to so they can't be added at the end of snarky comments

I agree with enigma once you guys don't find what people say relevant to yourselves or like what's said it'll be closed

It works like clockwork


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## roxy culver

Seeing as how I've had members come to me and others in the staff and state that they felt ganged up on then no its not ridiculous or far fetched at all. I'm sorry that this has upset you guys, the button was removed last night, I noticed it right before I went to bed, and this thread was created before I even got up this morning (and I got up pretty darn early too.)

Urban, if you have an issue with someone in the staff, you need to come to me about it. I can't handle anything if you don't tell me. My staff all works hard and I back them up on their decisions. We are looking into the karma system, which from the sounds of it may be a better option than the thanks button. Its unanimous, which the thanks button was not, and I believe that may have been part of the problem in making members feel the way they did about it.


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## moonchild

If there was any bullying going on, I certainly didn't see it. I'm not saying it's true in all cases, but sometimes people really need to grow some thicker skin.

On another forum I'm on, there is actually a "like" button and it works great in my opinion. If I don't actually have anything to contribute to a discussion, or I just want to show my appreciation for someone's compliment on my photo or something, I can "like" the post -- and I haven't seen it "abused" at all. This is pretty much how the thanks system was being used here. I for one vote for a "like" button. Not that it seems to matter what people want...

IMHO, this should have been brought up. There should have been a vote. Or SOMETHING.

I wish we could get issues like the broken images taken care of in as timely a manner as this.


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## roxy culver

This forum has never been the type of forum where members voted on decisions, it has always been left up to the staff to make decisions. If the staff don't run the forum, then what's the point of staff in the first place? I'm sorry that you guys feel this way, but when its something like this, and you the members, aren't seeing the complaints that I am, you don't know all the facts. The thanks button was not meant to be a like button, it was meant as something where members used it to thank other members for informational posts. That was its purpose and that's not how it was being used.



> Maybe you guys can get rid of the smileys to so they can't be added at the end of snarky comments


 You weren't here last year when we were having a rudeness issue and I think that this needs to be brought up again anyways. http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=33837 This announcement was made to help members work on how we speak to each other. Using smilies at the end of sentences are a way to make them less harsh then they sound because we are on the internet and it is very hard to interpret the tone people are using while typing. Not saying its OK to say something mean or nasty and then post a smiley after it, that wont fly. But it is a way to make our posts a little lighter than they actually seem in black and white. 

I realize that this is not something that is popular, but there are other options and I will be talking with Yung about them. Moonchild, that was my fault, I didn't mention it to him, which I will go do now before I forget. The karma system is a better system because it is unanimous. This is the only forum where I've ever seen anything that says the name of the person who thanked anyone and I think that without that part of the feature it might go better. In which case the karma system might be more ideal. 

We do take the forum's opinions into consideration when making decisions, but there are other factors involved besides what a group of people want. If ONE person feels that they are being bullied, I'm sorry it will be stopped. It wont be tolerated and telling them to grow a thicker skin is not helpful in the least. Stopping the bullying is. But that's a whole other topic that I wont even get into on here. I will speak to Yung and see what we can work out.


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## urbandecayno5

I was taking the smilies as more of trying **** someone off/annoy them more

Its hard online to know tone... so if I find what that person said rude or snarky then they put a smiley at the end of it then it kind of makes it worse
Now I know why they are being put there

The karma system is definitely better


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## enigma731

I don't think I understand the way the word "unanimous" is being used here. Do you maybe mean anonymous? 

If there was a problem with "ganging up" by people agreeing with problematic posts, then why not address the problematic posts themselves? If the posts that people were thanking were not against the rules in the first place, then I don't see the problem with people agreeing. People are allowed to have opinions. Agreeing with an unpopular opinion is not "ganging up." Taking away and ability to agree, or closing a thread because a lot of people are expressing dissenting opinions has a really uncomfortable flavor of censorship.


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## Amz

Oh dear.. I didn't mean to start drama, I'm sorry. :/ I just wanted to point it out in case it was a glitch that no one had noticed..

Personally I'm indifferent, I liked the "thanks" button but it's not going to change my life one way or another if it's here or not...


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## MeanneyFids

Amz, no worries, you did not cause any drama for asking a well-meaning question


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## Amz

As a regular member, so obviously I wouldn't be biased, I feel like the staff are attacked a lot more than they should be. It's not like they're trying to alienate people, it's their job to do what they feel is best and they have their positions for a reason.

So I hate to be the one to start a board where more attacking is going on. How 'bout we all just make a campfire and sit and tell funny tiel stores, eh? I don't like when people fight earl:


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## urbandecayno5

Disagreeing with them and sharing opinions is not attacking them
Some don't believe there's valid reasons for certain things that are done that are done and want a good answer not just things going missing and titles being changed without an explanation to the members
Its confusing and unreasonable
I don't think they are purposely trying to alienate people but sometimes it comes off as abrupt and brash decisions like this one was which obviously got alot of members pretty confused and peeved

It really feels like a hierarchy in the way people are refereed and treated
Look at how other forums are run. They are way more light hearted but at the same time know when its necessary to intervene without pissing off people
Look at TB and other popular forums and see how much more of a community feel it is, how moderators treat the members, and drama free

I personally would have shut up after the karma suggestion but more input was added by a moderator that I couldn't help but comment back to


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## moonchild

enigma731 said:


> If there was a problem with "ganging up" by people agreeing with problematic posts, then why not address the problematic posts themselves? If the posts that people were thanking were not against the rules in the first place, then I don't see the problem with people agreeing. People are allowed to have opinions. Agreeing with an unpopular opinion is not "ganging up." Taking away and ability to agree, or closing a thread because a lot of people are expressing dissenting opinions has a really uncomfortable flavor of censorship.


My thoughts exactly. Thank you for this useful post. 



urbandecayno5 said:


> Disagreeing with them and sharing opinions is not attacking them
> Some don't believe there's valid reasons for certain things that are done that are done and want a good answer not just things going missing and titles being changed without an explanation to the members
> Its confusing and unreasonable
> I don't think they are purposely trying to alienate people but sometimes it comes off as abrupt and brash decisions like this one was which obviously got alot of members pretty confused and peeved
> 
> It really feels like a hierarchy in the way people are refereed and treated
> Look at how other forums are run. They are way more light hearted but at the same time know when its necessary to intervene without pissing off people
> Look at TB and other popular forums and see how much more of a community feel it is, how moderators treat the members, and drama free


Again, agreed.

I am not trying to be critical; I do not know what it's like to try to run a forum and I'm sure you come across some tough decisions. But I don't know...this doesn't sit all that well with me.


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## ollieandme

haha i'm just constantly about to hit the thank button :lol: major system re-programming here!!

i want to say that although not all of us are supportive of the decision made over this thanks button, it is important to eliminate bullying. i'm sure none of us meant to intentionally hurt others, but we do not want to be a forum known for siding and bullying others. 

a forum needs moderators: without we'd be sunk. and we have to trust and follow these moderators. although we may not always agree with them, these people are working for us and trying to keep everything running as smoothly and efficiently as possible. i'm not entirely supportive of this new decision, but i think we need to accept it since the moderators make decisions on behalf of us.


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## Seven11

If everyone was using it as a "like" button, why not make a "like" button?

Sent from my N9500 using Tapatalk 2


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## moonchild

I think that would be a good idea.  As I mentioned before we have that on another forum and it contributes to a positive atmosphere rather than a negative one. Some, sometimes people can "like" a post and thus disagree with another, but it's life and people will have different opinions...


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## Renae

I am not going to bother replying to each post, because some of you are saying some really unnecessary stuff. It is sad that this thread can’t even be kept mature and some people feel the need to spout off to the point where it is getting overboard now. But, hey, feel free to get it off your chest and complain if it makes you feel better. 

Roxy has already said she is looking into something else that can’t be used in a way to make other members feel like they are being bullied/ganged up on.


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## enigma731

I actually think we're trying to have a mature discussion about this...

Just because we're disagreeing doesn't mean anyone's being rude.


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## ollieandme

maybe this thread should be closed since it's becoming a staff vs. members battle? just a thought  relationships may be kept better intact if this can't be a public place to rant.

edit: this isn't too immature, in my opinion. people are just saying what they think so that staff get a good idea of the majority opinion.


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## moonchild

This is an honest question and I'm not trying to be a smart-alec. If nine out of ten people have one opinion, and one person has a differing opinion, does it make that one "ganged up on?" I find it a little hard to believe we have actual bullies here. The vast majority seem too nice.  Of course I don't know what happened but I think it's important to remember that this is a forum where people express ideas and we can't always hold hands and sing kumbaya and agree on everything. Now if someone is being rude or snarky or spiteful, that should be addressed. But, why should we get rid of an entirely fine system just because one person decided to be a jerk (or someone perceived them as a jerk?). That is the only reason I'm objecting. The reaction seems extreme.


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## moonchild

Here's a thought. If someone is being a bully, they should get a warning. And if they don't heed it, they should be suspended or banned.


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## Haimovfids

> I actually think we're trying to have a mature discussion about this...
> 
> Just because we're disagreeing doesn't mean anyone's being rude.


So true! You took the words right out of my mouth



> Here's a thought. If someone is being a bully, they should get a warning. And if they don't heed it, they should be suspended or banned.













To be honest I loved the thank button! It makes me feel like my comment actually made some feel that it was nice! I really want a like button...at least?


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## enigma731

moonchild said:


> Here's a thought. If someone is being a bully, they should get a warning. And if they don't heed it, they should be suspended or banned.


Thank you for this useful post. :thumbu:

(Look, I even used a smiley.)


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## Renae

*removed since it is so insulting*


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## moonchild

Renae, with all due respect that sounds pretty **** condescending.


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## Vickitiel

So could this at least be removed? It's bugging me, lol:

Thanks Given:
Thanked Times in Posts


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## urbandecayno5

Maybe instead of sitting there calling it ranting and complaining and insulting what members are saying you should take into consideration what the the members are saying and talk with the other staff/try to solve the issues everyone is having in regards to everything that's being said.
Sure call it overboard if that's how you want to take it. I guess I would to if someone was saying something I didn't want to here...
but by saying what you said as a staff member you are just adding to the problem.
It was condescending/sarcastic and mocking what is being said

I realize the "thank you" button situation is being worked on. I even suggested the karma system but everything you guys are saying back to us(minus the admin) hasn't done a thing other then get members heated


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## Haimovfids




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## MeanneyFids

seriously guys, please grow up. you are all whining over something so petty it is rather pathetic. 


you sure are getting cocky, talking like this. it's like dealing with a bunch of children, honestly. there's no need to get sarcastic and childish with someone who has worked so very hard to keep the forum running peacefully. Renae does not ever deserve that treatment and she has been nothing but kind to you all. And this is the thanks you give her? Shame!

Roxy has put in so much effort into this forum, into keeping it running, and has done way more than ANY of you really realize. she's been given a hard hand by some people here (not mentioning names, i don't play that game here) who dont know everything, who dont know when to stop poking their noses in and stop testing their boundaries. and why? who knows? but i've had enough. i've had enough of the childish ways, the sarcasm, the immaturity over something so minor like a silly button. all this fuss and snarky remarks over something that clearly causes more grief than it's worth. it just proves what a total waste of time this really is. i mean, guys, come on, it's a stupid button and getting this upset about it being gone when we dont really need it to appreciate someone's post is really stupid. shape up!


and before the title comments get thrown in, take a very close look before you talk 


the end.


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## roxy culver

OK guys I'm closing the thread. Cussing of any kind is not permitted on the forum at all, please see the forum rules: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=1 This is a family friendly forum and we do have kids on the forum and I will not have cussing on it. No matter how minor you think the word is. This is a warning to anyone who did cuss, the next step will be infraction. 

The staff have discussed this decision and we are working on a better system, seeing how despite what everyone thinks this one is obviously not working the way we had hoped it would. I know it came as a shock that it was removed and I'm sorry for that, but this is as big a deal as its being made out to be. Please read back over the working together thread and lets move on from this. We have new members to help, birds to oohhh and ahhh at, and people to talk to about our fids. Lets get back to doing what this forum does best. 

As to the editting of titles, please see the forum rules again as it is stated here: "•When posting a new thread, use a descriptive title. Don't use titles such as: "Question", "Help me!", etc. Titles such as "Question about cockatiel behavior" or "What should I do if my cockatiel is..." are good examples of thread titles." For this reason, if a title simply states "help" or other nondescript titles, we change the title to give the OP a chance to get more responses from the rest of the forum. If the other members don't know what the thread is about, a lot of them wont answer it. Unfortunately, when we do this, there is no spot for us to type WHY the title is changed, but if the OP is curious as to why, they are more than welcome to ask one of us and we can answer that question for them. Trust me, we'd rather not spend half the day changing titles for people, but when someone comes on and gets almost no response to a thread, we try to do what we can to help them out.


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