Is it possible to change the wording of the 'Like' button?

[Former-Member]

Hi @BlueBells for me, 'agree' doesn't say the same thing as 'care' or 'support'. It's a bit similarish, in my mind, to 'like' for the not-right reasons. heh, also, I might want to offer support, but might not agree with whatever it is. 

Words can mean lots of a little ... interesting. 

[Lauz]

Hi everyone! 

@Former-Member this is really interesting and something that is definitely on @NikNikand I’s radar so I really appreciate the feedback - from all.

As you can imagine, the tech behind the system here means there are processes and procedures (those two P words argh!) we have to go through to get things like this happening.

Yours and others alternatives are really cool and I’d be really excited to take those to the upper management as we continue to assess certain functions within the forums.

Best,

Lauz

[Former-Member]

Thank you so much for your response @Lauz. 

It would be wonderful to see a change to this seemingly simple, yet so meaningful, acknowledgement of others. I do trust and hope the 'powers that be' see it as the positive it would be to the users of the forum. 

[outlander]

i agree with you @Former-Member i like the alternatives to that have been suggested

[Sans911]

Well done @Former-Member for raising a very important issue. I deliberately don't hit the 'like' button at times because it wouldn't convey the message I want it to. There are some good alternatives that you have considered as well. You're a very compassionate & thoughtful person

[Sophia1]

hello @Former-Member and all others

I agree wholeheartedly and have also mentioned this in responses...

I feel that the "like" button is very out of place in a forum where we must all respond gently...focussing on often sensitive...fragile posts...

Another issue is that it replicates social media..."facebook"....we are all aware of how in some cases the very process of "liking" people can add to insecurities...self doubt....self questioning...self hate....

even bullying can eventuate...this is something that has been addressed of late with the awareness of effects of how many followers or "likes" are received...

used as a measure of people's popularity...I have read on these forums where people have felt that way..

the very term "like" can add to symptoms of mental illness in some cases..

I am not attempting to criticise the forums in any way...I believe in the strong need for these forums..

please accept all of the above as constructive feedback....change can only come about if the facts are presented truthfully...

@Former-Member I too applaud you for starting this thread...also providing alternatives.....

personally I like... ..."listened to" or "heard" and "support"

I keep forgetting that this is here...

y

[Former-Member]

 I thoroughly agree with your discussion points @Sophia1, and a with so many others here, would prefer to see something that provides options other than a word that does't accurately indicate meaning. 

I must say also, that my suggestions are in no way meant as a negative criticism of the forum, it's administration, or any other aspect of it. I try to be constructive, because constructive criticism can, I believe, assist in building more inclusive, meaningful and comfortable situations for everyone. 

Another site I visit regularly has a variety of potential buttons to provide meaningful interaction without necessarily having to reply. I'd like to see a choice of options covering words of care and support rather than just the one, if that could be made a possibility. 

I do understand there are many factors impacting what might or might not be possible to create and implement on such a scale. 

There are also factors such as positioning when using mobile devices that cause a button to be accidently activated and causing problems too. I don't know if that occurs here or not.

That site also offers the option of turning off visibility to the buttons on your own account, which I have done, so as not to see and wonder why someone has cast negative aspersions without explanation on someone's comment/ statement. I don't interact on that forum, it's a 'read only' site for me. 

I thought given that there is discussion about updating the forum, highlighting the importance of this function might gain a position on the 'things that could be addressed' list. @Lauz @NikNik   

I could go on for hours about words .... sorry  

[NikNik]

Hi @Former-Member @Sophia1 and others,

Thanks so much for, not only your feedback, but also providing ideas and solutions.

It's absolutely something flagged to be looked at as part of the Responsive Project.

I want to flag though, there are some limitations to what we can and can't do to the Forum platform. The forum platform itself isn't developed internally, it's a commercial platform that we use - so there's certain things that we don't have control over.

We're yet to understand specifically what control we have over the 'Like' button (eg: can we change the name, can we have a couple of different 'Like' buttons to communicate different emotions (eg: like Facebook). But it's something we want to look into.

I just wanted to let you know that you have been heard and it's on the radar 🙂

[Former-Member]

Oh, thank you so much for responding with such detailed information @NikNik.

Good to know those points, because, yes, the platform being used makes all the difference as to what can, and can't be done.

Thank you for sharing that piece of information. 

Here's hoping that there are some positive changes that can be incorporated into the platform! 

Perhaps ... perhaps ... someone (okay, a lot of someones), somewhere, might be able to work on building a platform which takes into account the needs/ specifics related to the sensitivities of what is incorporated into SANE, and all it covers, and incorporates those things into its design. 

That'd be some software to own - Australians are good at bulding/ designing useful health related products and services. Time, it'd take time ... and resources ... but ... it would be so cool too. 

[HenryX]

@NikNik @Sophia1 @Sans911 @outlander @Lauz      

Hello to the various people who expressed interest in this discussion, and anyone else who is also interested. Though it may seem strange to be going back to an issue that has already been dealt with, I wanted to state my support for the change from "like" to another more appropriate acknowledgement of members' posts.

I was actually looking for a thread that would allow the opportunity of offering suggestions and requesting answers for changes, anomalies and issues that arise when using the site. Something like "Forum Use, Tips, Tricks, Requests and Questions".

While I am aware of the "Guidelines" pages, there are times when the guidelines and other directions on the site do not easily allow access or availability of answers, if there are any. One that has recently resurfaced, for other members and me, is the

"Authentication Ticket Mismatched, failed authentication."

message that sometimes appears when preparing a long message for posting. I have a post on the following thread:

{"22 Mar 2021 03:10 PM

Re: HenryX' Return to Forum & Ongoing Suggestions"}

that offers a solution for the problem, and which also provides the opportunity of keeping a separate back-up copy of a message, should the site reject the posting of a comment for any reason. It certainly is frustrating to lose the material of a long post, and to have no way of recovering the content of that message.

Another issue, that has arisen for me and possibly others, is an advice that there are no items in the "Your Notifications" list, when I know that there are. There are undoubtedly other issues that members have from time to time.

If I have missed such a thread in my digital travels, I request direction to it. If there is no such thread available, I intend setting one up in the next day or so.

Best Wishes,

HenryX