... because often times I read a post about a rant or a really bad experience/day/life, etc., and I want to show support or something, but can't really think of anything to say....
Or even a "hug" button, but i guess that might be too sappy for some :)

Just a thought.

I really like the new "thanks" button feature, btw.

I thought that would be great too!

Good Idea! Then you wouldn't risk offending anyone...or there would be no misinterpretation...hug=hug and support=support! I like it! :)

I'm not sure .. although it is an attractive idea, I am having second thoughts about a Support or Hug or Condolences button .. maybe because I feel that these things are a bit more complex than just a 'thank you - that was helpful'.

Thinking from the 'receiving side' .. what would it be like if I was going through something really hard and got some 'condolence' button presses .. I just don't know. Maybe a word from someone would mean more in a case like this, even if it is way harder to formulate for the giver and I would end up with a lot less 'condolences'. But is that bad?

Same with hugs. If someone touches me .. and that happens often in here, I want to say something. And that's hard to do, because well, emotions tend to be awfully hard to express when I am experiencing them. In real life giving a hug is easy .. at least, I find it easy.
So I sit there with my head full of thoughts and emotions and (meta-)thoughts about that, maybe even be tearful .. and dont know what to say. Sit there with that editor open and type a line ... delete it again. Maybe I end up not posting at all, and often a simple line is all I get in there .. but I would really rather give someone a couple of words .. or even a
http://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/Emotion-Happy/hug.gif
or a
http://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/zz-Uncategorized/console.gif
But I like it that is takes an effort. Wouldn't 'buttonizing' emotions make them too easy - maybe more shallow somehow?
http://www.addforums.com/forums/%5Bimg%5Dhttp://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/zz-Uncategorized/console.gif%5B/img%5D

thats a great idea just a weirdo.
also dont know what to say sometimes.
:):)

I totally hear you Luthien and normally I would agree, but once or twice I have chosen to show support with my own words and it made things worse! ;)

sometimes the simplest words help the most. However, just think of how cluttered the ends of posts could be if we have "i support you" buttons, "my condolences" buttons and the already there "thank you" buttons.

That would be a lot more distractions.

on a personal note, if I was going through something rough, i'd want more than a "my condolences" button - i'd want something more personal. All a person would have to do is say something like "i'm sorry for your loss."

on a moderator note:
it is a good idea, however, if we keep adding buttons for people to press (so that message ends up at the bottom of there post) . that could be very distracting (button-wise and message-wise)

The reason why "thank you" was added is to eliminate the one post "thank you" notes.
We don't want to eliminate supportive comments (since we are a support forum), which is what could happen if we add in a "i'm sorry/my condolences" and/or an "i support you" button.

I understand where you guys are coming from, luthien and livingchaos. I had those doubts in the back of my mind about it, too. Esp. regarding the distractions.
It was just a random idea :-)

Although, I was thinking/hoping that, in most cases, it would be used by who wouldn't otherwise say anything, and therefore add to the original poster's awareness of how many people care (enough to at least push the "support" button).
But of course, the worst case scenario is that people would get lazy.

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa65/wahwahrabbits/buttons.jpg

sorry :o - just had to play with the idea ...

lol...all that's missing is the ignition button!

Luthien, you've just managed to send me to the hospital with split ribs!!

http://media.urbandictionary.com/image/page/xd-16635.jpg

You're a brilliant programmer. Come join us on the Force!! :cool:

lol, thanks .. but it's not programming, just playing with The Gimp :)
(and, admittedly, closing it accidentally and losing all your work .. and therefore having to do it *again*)

and what Force?

I'll give you the Force if I can have the Gimp from you ... and, no, not the Usual Suspect Mr Keyser Zose. :cool:

how about a button that just says i support you. no hugs that way its not invasive in any way.

I'm not sure .. although it is an attractive idea, I am having second thoughts about a Support or Hug or Condolences button .. maybe because I feel that these things are a bit more complex than just a 'thank you - that was helpful'.

Thinking from the 'receiving side' .. what would it be like if I was going through something really hard and got some 'condolence' button presses .. I just don't know. Maybe a word from someone would mean more in a case like this, even if it is way harder to formulate for the giver and I would end up with a lot less 'condolences'. But is that bad?

Same with hugs. If someone touches me .. and that happens often in here, I want to say something. And that's hard to do, because well, emotions tend to be awfully hard to express when I am experiencing them. In real life giving a hug is easy .. at least, I find it easy.
So I sit there with my head full of thoughts and emotions and (meta-)thoughts about that, maybe even be tearful .. and dont know what to say. Sit there with that editor open and type a line ... delete it again. Maybe I end up not posting at all, and often a simple line is all I get in there .. but I would really rather give someone a couple of words .. or even a
http://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/Emotion-Happy/hug.gif
or a
http://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/zz-Uncategorized/console.gif
But I like it that is takes an effort. Wouldn't 'buttonizing' emotions make them too easy - maybe more shallow somehow?
http://www.addforums.com/forums/%5Bimg%5Dhttp://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/zz-Uncategorized/console.gif%5B/img%5D

I agree. Whether someone is venting or feeling down a few words would do more good surely? I tent to just acknowledge a vent with a little sympathy and not much comment. I don't see anything wrong with that. I can always come back and comment more positively later. Also I’m just paranoid enough to imagine, if no one comments after I have vented, that I have upset someone.

sorry :o - just had to play with the idea ...

Perhaps such in the form of a combo box of sorts, giving the ability to add custom phrases. Phrases such as Insightful, Informative, Troll, etc. Oh, wait, there's already a website like that. And of course, the drop-down list would give room for an ignition button also.

Perhaps such in the form of a combo box of sorts, giving the ability to add custom phrases. Phrases such as Insightful, Informative, Troll, etc. Oh, wait, there's already a website like that. And of course, the drop-down list would give room for an ignition button also.

I like it! :p

:-(

It was just a random thought..... enough with the sarcasm....

:-(

It was just a random thought..... enough with the sarcasm....

No harm intended... just pseudo-random thoughts in response to a random thought... :)

:-(

It was just a random thought..... enough with the sarcasm....

awww sorry .. that was not the intention!!!! I think its great that you thought about it! But the idea of all those buttons was just irresistible to play with - if you carry the idea further!

I really did not want to hurt you!

*hug* :(

Perhaps such in the form of a combo box of sorts, giving the ability to add custom phrases. Phrases such as Insightful, Informative, Troll, etc. Oh, wait, there's already a website like that. And of course, the drop-down list would give room for an ignition button also.

Actually .. I've been thinking of that system since last night.. a drop down box with a choice of phrases to use... but have it integrated into the thank you button..... so it doesn't take up a bunch of space.

Oh okay. My misunderstanding, I guess.
Darn electronic screen obscuring things again.
No hard feelings.
Actually, that graphic was pretty funny, Luthien. :-)

carry on, then :-)

Oh okay. My misunderstanding, I guess.
Darn electronic screen obscuring things again.
No hard feelings.
Actually, that graphic was pretty funny, Luthien. :-)

carry on, then :-)


No hard feelings here...:)

Actually, that graphic was pretty funny, Luthien. :-) carry on, then :-)

Ah http://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/Emotion-Happy/hug.gif

ok - then I can post the version with the things that I forgot yesterday :)

http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa65/wahwahrabbits/buttons2.jpg

Hmm... maybe the feature needs to be recursive? A button inside each response also? Or perhaps a check box by each responders name, and a drop down list? Items like *Slap*? But then, it might become more like a directed graph of some sorts. A thinks B's comment is NT. B slaps A. A kicks B, etc, etc.

Hmm... maybe the feature needs to be recursive? A button inside each response also? Or perhaps a check box by each responders name, and a drop down list? Items like *Slap*? But then, it might become more like a directed graph of some sorts. A thinks B's comment is NT. B slaps A. A kicks B, etc, etc.

:eek: er .. :eek: ... *frantically starting Gimp* ...

--> if you take this far enough you'd end up with a near-perfect "Virtual Social Simulator"

"don't be too upset if I don't answer your post right away, I have to feed the cat"
"don't worry old chum / honoured San / mother"
"I'm back and now I'll answer your post / get distracted / ehh? "
"Slap / Tickle / Eeek / No Way Dude % Dudette / Can't wait"
"Listen to this elevator music while you wait for your answer to be written (link)"
"get a life / get another life / do nothing"

:)

awww sorry .. that was not the intention!!!! I think its great that you thought about it! But the idea of all those buttons was just irresistible to play with - if you carry the idea further!

I really did not want to hurt you!

*hug* :(This sounds perfectly ADHD/ADD to me . . . wait a minute! Isn't this an ADHD/ADD support forum? :rolleyes: Keep it coming, Luthien and justaweirdo, thanks for inspiring Luthien.

It would almost be like some RPG games...

:-(

It was just a random thought..... enough with the sarcasm....


I like the idea a lot! :) How about a "laugh" button too?

Sometimes I see a post and I want them to know I thought they were funny..but it's way to late in the thread...like Luthiens example.....HILARIOUS! But the topic hase moved on!

I like to be thanked and supported and funny..oooh! how about a "high five" in the drop down option! High fives are always cool AND it's like a hug for the unhuggable! :)

Perhaps such in the form of a combo box of sorts, giving the ability to add custom phrases. Phrases such as Insightful, Informative, Troll, etc. Oh, wait, there's already a website like that. And of course, the drop-down list would give room for an ignition button also.
That's sounds pretty cool. If you have a drop down box of EG helpfull, informative, funny, sarcastic, troll, etc.

Then you could have a little image displaying next to a person's title what most of the posts are like. This would give people an idea that, for example: Odd's posts are always hilarious, and SB's posts are always very understandable. :D It wouldn't have to be a big image. Maybe just a small icon size.

This would mean that it wouldn't be so much a single competing 'value' for people to reach, (like the recently removed system). I think that system didn't give an idea of what a person was like so much and could easily be influenced. A system based on showing a person's character would be better..... and maybe with the option of that person hiding it if they did't want people to see it.

In some ways it would be a hybrid of the rep points system, and the thank yous.

sometimes the simplest words help the most. However, just think of how cluttered the ends of posts could be if we have "i support you" buttons, "my condolences" buttons and the already there "thank you" buttons.



The more ways people can collectively categorize the posts in a forum database makes the data in that database more valuable. A pop up menu
(in use on this forum already for other uses) would solve the clutter problem.
The menu to vote would pop up and the voting tally would pop up if one moves mouse over a small icon. Sticky threads that undemocratically steal the top stack space are a greater source of clutter IMHO :)

A lot of small posts are often labeled as spam so many net users do not make them. I often start a post reply and decide to delete them because I can not find the words. A simple "I feel your pain" reply would be something many people would use often and could make people feel less alone.

A lot of small posts are often labeled as spam so many net users do not make them. I often start a post reply and decide to delete them because I can not find the words. A simple "I feel your pain" reply would be something many people would use often and could make people feel less alone.
Mmmm. And 'I feel your pain' shouldn't really be tallied up either. Maybe a system similar to facebook - where instead of 'throwing a cow' at someone, you could 'I feel your pain' at someone.