Re: Re: Encouraging comments for downvotes

Huh? Are you saying that ++ votes are meaningless?

No. ++ votes mean it was an especially good post. The lack of additional comment means there was nothing to add or correct.

there's nothing to add or correct, it's a neutral post, and should receive no votes.

No. If a post is thorough, what needs to be added? If it's exactly what I would have said, but said better, why shouldn't I upvote it? If it's something I wouldn't have thought of, but a great idea, I should upvote it.

It seems to me the topic is raised by whiners who can't stand receiving downvotes, but who never seem to question their upvotes.

I'm sure that such a smug prejudice is much preferable to reading and understanding what's written. As I've explained several times already, people know why they get upvotes -- it's for the same reason that they thought their post was worth making. And the threads -- including this one -- are started by people who find it frustrating to get no useful feedback that would help them improve their posts.

Update: An explanation of why you got a ++ would not likely give you any information on how to improve your posts. The ++ is not an indicator that you need to improve it.

The PerlMonk tr/// Advocate

Comment on Re: Re: Encouraging comments for downvotes

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Re: Encouraging comments for downvotes by Abigail-II (Bishop) on Apr 06, 2004 at 18:30 UTC
An explanation of why you got a ++ would not likely give you any information on how to improve your posts. Of course it does. If you make a post and you get upvotes without an explaination, you don't know what was good in your post. Was it funny? Did you get points for being polite? Upvotes because you were the first to answer the question? Because you included a benchmark? Was it because your answer was correct, and the others weren't? If noone tells you why you got upvotes, you don't know what to repeat. Abigail	[reply]
Re: Re: Encouraging comments for downvotes by Roy Johnson (Monsignor) on Apr 06, 2004 at 20:08 UTC
If you make a post and you get upvotes without an explaination, you don't know what was good in your post. You know why you considered it worth posting, and the chances are high that those who liked it agreed with that assessment. If noone tells you why you got upvotes, you don't know what to repeat. But you can trust your judgment, because, after all, it worked this time. It's when your judgment has failed that you need direction. The PerlMonk `tr///` Advocate	[reply]