Observation on a weird use of the Thanks Button

[GreyWolf]

I thought I'd point out something I've seen in a lot of threads regarding thanks. Here is a sample thank you post in which someone was thanking me for posting a solution to a problem they were having. (I edited the actual users and thread names)

Re: Some random thread asking for help with some kind of problem.

helpfulmember, that was exactly what I needed. Thanks man.

________________
The Following User Says Thank You to RandomMember For This Useful Post:
OtherMember (Yesterday)

In that thread was a post from helpfulmember giving a fairly detailed explanation for why a problem was happening and what to do to correct it. It even went so far as to quote a source to make it easier for the guy to understand the steps he needed to follow. It solved his problem and he was nice enough to leave a comment post telling helpfulmember thanks, but didn't actually use the thanks button on the actual postl.

That's a common thing that happens, and isn't even what prompted me to post this thread. What happened next though is kinda funny. Someone else used the thanks button to thank the guy who made the thank you post. (No one actually gave a thanks to the helpfulfulmember's post though). lol

Did the OtherMember just think it was cool that the RandomMember had acknowledged how much he appreciated the help? Or did he intend to thank the helpful post but hit the thanks on the wrong post? Whatever it was, it just seems funny that the post solving the problem didn't get an official thanks, but the thankyou post did.

Anyway, I have plenty of thanks and rep so it isn't a big deal or something where I'm trying to get more. I just thought it was worth pointing out since I've seen it for a lot of other peoples posts when they've helped someone as well.

edit-
The point of the thread is that sometimes the actual useful post receives NO thanks at all, but the 'thanks for the help' post does get some thanks.

Does the guy saying 'thanks for the help' (but not using the 'thanks' button), actually deserve to get a 'thanks' more than the guy who actually made the helpful post? lol


I just thought I'd mention it so more people will remember to use the thanks button for the posts they actually want to thank.

[wowhaxor]

I usually hit thanks when:

Someone posts something useful/intelligent, whether or not its directed at me, in a thread I'm reading.

OR

When someone makes me laugh

A lot of people do seem to post it randomly but who knows they probably have a reason.

[Randy569]

Ditto to what Wowhaxor said.

I try to thank people when they post something useful, whether it is directed towards me or not.

I figure, they took the time to try to be helpful, the least I can do is take the time to thank them for their effort.

Same with rep.

[GreyWolf]

I usually hit thanks when: Someone posts something useful/intelligent, whether or not its directed at me, in a thread I'm reading.

I try to thank people when they post something useful, whether it is directed towards me or not.

Yeah that's how it should be.

The point of the thread though is that sometimes the actual useful post receives no thanks, but the following 'thanks for the help' post does get some thanks.

It always seems funny when I see that. lol

[Randy569]

I see your point, Grey Wolf.

Does seem kind of silly, thanking a person for making a "Thanks" post, but not bothering to hit the thanks button for the person who posted the actual useful information.

[GreyWolf]

Does seem kind of silly, thanking a person for making a "Thanks" post, but not bothering to hit the thanks button for the person who posted the actual useful information.

Yes it does. LOL

And yet if you look through many threads you'll see it happens quite often. Usually in the type of threads where someone asks for help to solve a specific problem and someone else posts an actual solution. As often as not a post with the actual solution won't receive any thanks. But more often than you would think, the following 'thanks for the help' comment will get some 'thanks'.

I think it's probably because some newbie likes the solution and then just hits the last 'thanks' button he see's in the thread. That's the only reason I can think for it to happen anyway. lol

I don't know... maybe some people don't care about the actual helpful post and do just want to give thanks to the guy for being nice enough to acknowledge someone else helped. Who knows?! LOL

[The Captain]

greywolf, that was exactly what I needed. Thanks man.

[rody00]

That's odd I wonder how many times this happens...Well I know how to rack up the thanks now

jk lol

[Kharis]

maybe someone could create a WSO "How to get mega thanks at BHW"

but seriously I see this everyday, i wish there was a way to just make somebody hit thanks instead of making a new post that just says "thanks" and bloating their post count

[skyfallsdown]

greywolf, that was exactly what I needed. Thanks man.

use the thx button :d

[GreyWolf]

greywolf, that was exactly what I needed. Thanks man.

___________________
The Following User Says Thank You to The Captain For This Useful Post:
rody00 (09-11-2011)

ROFL!!! This is exactly what I was talking about. The Captain makes a post saying thanks, and then rody00 uses the thanks button on that post, but not the original post or any other posts in the thread.

Like I said... it's cool if that's the intention. Maybe rody00 thought it was cool that The Captain made the post saying thanks, or maybe he just wanted to give some thanks to The Captain for general help he got from him before.

In this thread it isn't even that big a deal because even the original post isn't really some really useful post solving anyone's problem or anything.

But it still seems kinda funny to see a thankyou post getting the thanks in a thread specifically about how funny a thing that is to see.

lol

[Subject]

some pages have a long list of thanks from other people. i think the thanks should hide into an expandable section something. the title need to say, for example, 211 people thanked this (click to view the list).

[hurn]

This is f****** funney



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The captain and rody00 did not hit the thanx button to OP

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[WizGizmo]

Yep! . . . Thanks for thanking the thanker.

I get what you mean (I think . . .)

"Wiz"

[GreyWolf]

some pages have a long list of thanks from other people. i think the thanks should hide into an expandable section something. the title need to say, for example, 211 people thanked this (click to view the list).

Well just imagine what that same thread would be if there was no thanks button and all those thanks were made in separate thank you posts instead.
_________________

That's a different thing than what I was pointing out in this thread though.

hurn posted a great screenshot showing an example of exactly what this thread is about.

This is f****** funney



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The captain and rody00 did not hit the thanx button to OP

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-------------------------

Yeah that's exactly what I'm talking about. It doesn't matter in this thread, but I see it in many threads for posts in which someone really went out of there way to provide a solution for someone else.

Like I said, I just think it's kind of funny.

[Jeevs]

So after -ve rep power...is there a plan to restrict "Thanks" button to JR VIP or above only??

[GreyWolf]

So after -ve rep power...is there a plan to restrict "Thanks" button to JR VIP or above only??

That would be horrible. Then the only way anyone else could say thanks would be by making a thankyou post.

Everyone being able to use the thanks button is definitely the way to go.

[Jeevs]

That would be horrible. Then the only way anyone else could say thanks would be by making a thankyou post.

Everyone being able to use the thanks button is definitely the way to go.

Thank you GreyWolf for this useful post lol

[GreyWolf]

some pages have a long list of thanks from other people. i think the thanks should hide into an expandable section something. the title need to say, for example, 211 people thanked this (click to view the list).

Yeah I agree that would be a great improvement. Unfortunately it's not something under control of the forum admins.

The thanks feature is just a vbulletin hack (kinda like a plugin for wordpress) that's installed on this forum. To get the additional features you're talking about would require the writer of that hack to include it in an updated version. You could always go to the vbulletin forum and post your suggestion in the 'thanks hack' thread. It would definitely be an improvement that users of most vbulletin forums might appreciate.

[Autumn]

I believe I have found a solution...

[Kharis]

I believe I have found a solution...

my eyes.... my eyes
/pokes out eyes with hot poker

[Hogare]

Yea, I've noticed that too.

This usually happens when the OP is new/has low post count/low amount of 'thanked' and the person thanking him is a more reputable member.

Sometimes the amount of thanks one receives greatly depends on the color of the username next to the avatar.

[G-S-T]

Why dont you introduce a 2nd tier thanks system.

Set it so that ANY thanks generated throughout the thread, for each 10 the OP will get a thanks from BHW-BOT or something.

This would seem fair, as the OP would receive some credit for engaging the topic and growing the forum even more.

Everyones a winner.

[tymillz]

[dynox]

Thank you GreyWolf for this useful post lol

Great post Jeevs, rep given.