Suggestion for the 'THANKS' button

[ERD50]

When I want to comment to the poster about his/her post, yet do it non-publicly, it is convenient to use the THANKS button, as that links directly to the post I'm commenting on.

I could do a PM, but then I need to put a link in to the post, etc.

The "THANKS" text box is small, single line, cannot be re-sized, and has a pretty limited character limit. You can only see a few of those limited char at a time. Very hard to use.

SUGGESTION:

1) Make the "THANKS" text box more like a real post text box.

2) Provide a "PM to THIS POST" button/option, that would reference the post.

I have no idea if these are easily configurable, or if they are major efforts. If small, I would like it to be considered. Or at least suggested to the forum SW provider.

Thanks -ERD50

 

[Westernskies]

THANKS for your suggestion.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I use the Thanks feature a lot, too. Good points. Let's see if the admins can work that into the next upgrade.

 

[Bestwifeever]

I like the thanks button as is, personally--it serves a different function than a PM, just a quick hit when something in a post strikes one. Also personally I don't usually respond to a thanks nor would I expect one.

 

[Alan]

I like the Thanks button as it is. You can choose to have a PM sent every time you receive a Thanks, or not. It gives one the option to keep down the number of e-mails one receives.

I also have my options set so that I don't auto subscribe to a thread when I post a reply.

However, I would like it if there was an option to send a PM to a user with a link to the post, as that would save the copy and pasting that has to be done. As a Moderator I do send a lot more PM's with links to a post than I ever used to.

 

[bbbamI]

I see the number of 'thanks' are called 'thanks points'. Can we redeem them for prizes?

 

[ERD50]

I like the thanks button as is, personally--it serves a different function than a PM, just a quick hit when something in a post strikes one. Also personally I don't usually respond to a thanks nor would I expect one.

Would having a larger text window affect that in any way? You can still send a short note, and not expect a return, either way.


I guess I don't see where my request affects using it in the current way. But maybe I'm missing something. I don't intend this to mess with how others use it, just add some options. I use it that way too, but occasionally need a few more char to make my point. If I switch to PM, I've got to copy/paste the link in, and as soon as you select "Send a private message"... you are taken away from that page you wanted to link, so it is a bit inconvenient.

However, I would like it if there was an option to send a PM to a user with a link to the post, as that would save the copy and pasting that has to be done.

Right, another way to do it, similar to my #2 suggestion.

-ERD50

 

[Janet H]

Thanks for the input. We'll mull over the possibilities and tech challenges

 

[Bestwifeever]

Would having a larger text window affect that in any way? You can still send a short note, and not expect a return, either way.
.....
Right, another way to do it, similar to my #2 suggestion.

-ERD50

As I tell DH, who still doesn't understand that an e-mail that runs longer than the visible screen will likely not be read all the way through, sometimes less is more.

When the Thanks option was first provided I thought it was a great idea for a quick short message. Still do.

 

[obgyn65]

I like the "thanks" button as it is. No need to change it IMHO.

 

[harley]

The Thanks button is fine. But I think we need a "don't be an ass" button. I always feel weird hitting Thanks and then typing a negative message.

 

[ERD50]

I always feel weird hitting Thanks and then typing a negative message.

There are times I wanted to write a short negative non-public response, but doing it with the "Thanks" button just struck me as a little too devious, even for me! And it wasn't a big enough deal to do a full PM and dig up the link and all, so I just didn't.

In fact, I received one "Thanks" that I thought was being satirical with that "Thanks" reply - it took me a while to realize the poster was sincere, they just had a similar screen name to someone who was being negative towards me on that topic.

The ones that were truly satirical probably went over my head

-ERD50

 

[Sarah in SC]

The Thanks button is fine. But I think we need a "don't be an ass" button. I always feel weird hitting Thanks and then typing a negative message.

Um, just take a drink and move on. Life is short. Use thanks for showing the love, not the hate...where'd your hippie cred go, man?

 

[harley]

Um, just take a drink and move on. Life is short. Use thanks for showing the love, not the hate...where'd your hippie cred go, man?

I'm a George Carlin hippie. (NSFW)

‪George Carlin - Have a nice day‬‏ - YouTube

I like the "have a drink" idea, though.

 

[bbbamI]

I just saw this above a couple of thank yous sent to me......

Your reputation on this post is Somewhat Positive.

......

 

[Midpack]

FWIW, I also like the thanks button as-is. I can use PM when appropriate, making them the same serves what purpose?

 

[Alan]

FWIW, I also like the thanks button as-is. I can use PM when appropriate, making them the same serves what purpose?

I think we have consenus that an additional option to send a PM from a post, while incuding a link would be best.

If you click on members name within a post it would be nice to add an extra option to the current drop down list "Send a PM to member about this post".

 

[ERD50]

I think we have consenus that an additional option to send a PM from a post, while incuding a link would be best.

If you click on members name within a post it would be nice to add an extra option to the current drop down list "Send a PM to member about this post".

Yes, that would be great. If this can be configured, I would really appreciate it, and I think many people would find it useful. I think it would be one of those things that if you later took it away, people would scream 'hey - why are you changing things on me!'

Looking back at my OP, I realize that I meant to say that EITHER #1 OR #2 would be fine from my perspective. I see now that it looks like I was asking for both. Suggestion #2 is what Alan describes above, and that seems to be preferred, as it maintains the current 'Thanks" function as is. That would be great!

Though that tiny text box still bugs me! If you hit RETURN to start a new line, it sends your unfinished message with no warning! I started to send a THANKS to someone, and I automatically hit RETURN when I saw it hitting the end of the box. I meant to send the following message:

"Hi Poster! Your post made you sound like a blathering idiot [RETURN]

until I caught the satire, then I laughed my @$$ off! Thanks for the laugh - well played! You got me!"

But all they got was

"Hi Poster! Your post made you sound like a blathering idiot"

, and I'm sitting there thinking" what happened to that THANKS I was writing - it's gone!"




-ERD50

 

[Janet H]

I think we have consenus that an additional option to send a PM from a post, while incuding a link would be best.

The thanks box has a 250 character limit and a PM giving notice of an incoming thanks is already (currently) sent that includes a link to the post.

Members can disable the option to receive the PM in their account options here http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions

 

[ERD50]

The thanks box has a 250 character limit

Yes, but only 34 characters are visible at once to the composer (at least in my Chromium browser). It sure makes typing 250 chars (or even 60) more difficult than necessary.

While I'm at it, I really wonder about the person/team who programmed that THANKS box at vBulletin. In addition to the little slit of a text box, it has a 'selection circle' for 'Thanks for contributing.' - but it is pre-selected, and you cannot de-select it. Weird, it should just be a comment without the appearance of a selection. And there is no 'Close' or 'Cancel' box, just a 'Send your Thanks' box (if you click outside the box it closes). As I mentioned, the 'Send your Thanks' is the default, so an unintended hit of the RETURN key sends it w/o warning. Just very odd/inconsistent UI, that's all (and yes, I'm a stickler for consistent UI).

-ERD50

 

[Alan]

The thanks box has a 250 character limit and a PM giving notice of an incoming thanks is already (currently) sent that includes a link to the post.

Members can disable the option to receive the PM in their account options here http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/profile.php?do=editoptions

True, but as I said above, the posts I send PM's about as a Moderator don't look good coming in as, "You have been thanked", "I really appreciated this post that you made"

Plus I often want to add a link to the Community Rules and a lot more text than a "Thanks" allows.