New format test

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I very rarely visit the “Ask a Cruise Question” section of the board.  Now that I see a new feature I will visit more often to better familiarize myself with it in order to provide thoughtful feedback.

 

 

 

I like the tabs which section off “Questions With No Best Answer” and “Popular Questions…”.  No Best Answer allows me to see at a glance whether I can be of any help, however this is only useful if someone really is looking for help or if they’re just wanting to ask a question to start a new thread and chat.  (Which seems to be the most popular use of this sub-forum; hence why I don’t visit this section very often.)

 

Up-voting is useful for when you’re genuinely searching for an answer, but not so useful when the question is just for chat purposes.

Can you define “upvoting”?

 

How does it differ from “voting”?
 

If there is an action referred to as “upvoting”, shouldn’t there also be “downvoting”?
 

Can there be an “up” anything without there also being a “down”?

[mammajamma2013]

this isn't an answer to your question but I don't see how to just post a comment.

 

To the mods, please don't do this. I loved the last iteration of the forums, it was streamlined and easy to get the information I was looking for. This current format is cumbersome, and as so many have said, the most popular posts may not even have correct information.

 

This isn't a popularity contest forum, this is a place to have questions answered and to access resources for cruising. Please keep it that way.

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Sounds just great.

Um, SOUNDS great, but... 

... how do we now figure out which post is the "post #4" that you were referring to?

 

 

 

Oh boy, that is a good point.   Just to be sure, I was referring to @Heidi13's post asking that this new format be eliminated.  VOTE YES!  Haha.   

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I have actually now saw 1 positive comment, but the reaction is still overwhelmingly negative.

 

I wonder if it will get the most votes?  😀

[JRG]

The threads "Australia" and "Cruises with Amazing Scenery"   are good examples to see how well this may work.

 

Perhaps the naysayers should go to these posts,   then honestly upvote what you think is the best answer.   (then give feedback to the Mods and criticize if need be)

 

Right now,  those two posts are showing that the best answers have been upvoted.    This is good for readers who can skip all of the baloney posts that don't get upvoted.

 

Why don't we show some appreciation for the efforts that our Moderators put in and cooperate.

 

Try it out naysayers and let's see what happens.    

 

 

[Kristelle]

Something like Does Singapore Airlines fly to Cambodia? - has a correct answer.

Objectively it either does or doesn't.

 

But most threads asking those sort of questions get answered quickly and there is no need for discussion (and mostly person could of found out for themselves without CC anyway)

 

any discussion will have opinions, preferences, pro's/cons etc - there isnt a correct answer

[Kristelle]

13 minutes ago, JRG said:

The threads "Australia" and "Cruises with Amazing Scenery"   are good examples to see how well this may work.

 

Perhaps the naysayers should go to these posts,   then honestly upvote what you think is the best answer.   (then give feedback to the Mods and criticize if need be)

 

Right now,  those two posts are showing that the best answers have been upvoted.    This is good for readers who can skip all of the baloney posts that don't get upvoted.

 

Why don't we show some appreciation for the efforts that our Moderators put in and cooperate.

 

Try it out naysayers and let's see what happens.    

 

 

I normally wouldnt quote a post that  I a m directly responding to - but changing post order means conversations will be all muddled up.🥴

 

We are showing appreciation - they asked for feedback so we are giving it.

 

I will not be voting for any posts.

 

and Cruises with Amazing Scenery seems to me an example of a totally subjective topic with no possible best answer.

 

I see it also now has no votes - so  I dont think any answer was ever voted as best - it just had temporary votes, now withdrawn,  by someone testing the system, not actually choosing a best answer

[clo]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I have actually now saw 1 positive comment, but the reaction is still overwhelmingly negative.

I haven't looked at it since it showed up a second day. And won't.

[ldubs]

10 minutes ago, JRG said:

The threads "Australia" and "Cruises with Amazing Scenery"   are good examples to see how well this may work.

 

Perhaps the naysayers should go to these posts,   then honestly upvote what you think is the best answer.   (then give feedback to the Mods and criticize if need be)

 

Right now,  those two posts are showing that the best answers have been upvoted.    This is good for readers who can skip all of the baloney posts that don't get upvoted.

 

Why don't we show some appreciation for the efforts that our Moderators put in and cooperate.

 

Try it out naysayers and let's see what happens.    

 

 

 

Does it?  I looked at the "Amazing Scenery" thread.  Two posts naming Alaska, Montenegro, and the Chilean Fjords, got one vote each.  I agree those are terrific places, but they are not the only scenic places named.  That they are "a" correct answer but not "the" correct answer demonstrates the flaw.   There are other posts naming very scenic places that got zero votes.  I can't see how this helps at all. 

 

To be clear, while I think voting for the best post has issues, I care more about the new cumbersome formatting.   

[clo]

3 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

Since when is there a single "THE CORRECT ANSWER"?

 

This is not the subject matter - cruising - that will generally have a correct answer. Yeah, re dimensions of ships but what else? 

[Charles4515]

9 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

I normally wouldnt quote a post that  I a m directly responding to - but changing post order means conversations will be all muddled up.🥴

A major issue for me is that when I open a thread I can not longer go to the last unread.So it is no longer a thread. It is just as you say, a muddle. 

[KC Gorilla]

3 hours ago, MCC retired said:

End this now!

Agree

[ontheweb]

3 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Sounds just great.

Um, SOUNDS great, but... 

... how do we now figure out which post is the "post #4" that you were referring to?

 

Are the CC powers REALLY going to mess this up through the end of the week?

That pretty much makes any entries through that time useless.

 

I just LOVE the idea of someone writing something like, 

"I agree!  That's just what we do, and I *strongly* recommend it!"

.... except... how would we know, with the New Improved [***NOT***] formatting?

 

I'm sure this is an especially realistic nightmare.

 

Surely NO ONE could think that "Reddit" is a useful model for CruiseCritic.

Most of Reddit isn't useful for much of anything.

But what do I know?  I've never posted on Reddit, and only "find it" sometimes when I'm using Google to do a search... and I do NOT look to any of the "Reddits" as a "source of information", to put it mildly.

 

About that "pre-testing" I asked about up front/at the top... unless that's now at the bottom??

😡

 

I'm sure I'm not alone in not even understanding what "upvoting" is.

How does that differ from "voting"?

Oh, I got it: IT SORTS THE POSTS TO *ELIMINATE* ANY LOGIC to the stream of posts!

 

Well done! 😱

(*not*)

 

Sigh.

 

GC

One thing that it does that is very BAD is that it no longer shows when the last post was made to the thread. 😒 I am sure I am not the only one who when he comes to these forums knows how long ago he was on last and scrolls down to that point in the forum.

[John Bull]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

 

Oh boy, that is a good point.   Just to be sure, I was referring to @Heidi13's post asking that this new format be eliminated.  VOTE YES!  Haha.   

 

 I just up-voted your post.

That moved it way up to near the top, putting it out of synch - ahead of both the person to whom you are responding and the post you were referring to.

 

Now imagine that on threads with hundreds of replies 😮

 

You're welcome 😜

 

JB 🙂

[leaveitallbehind]

1 hour ago, JRG said:

The threads "Australia" and "Cruises with Amazing Scenery"   are good examples to see how well this may work.

 

Perhaps the naysayers should go to these posts,   then honestly upvote what you think is the best answer.   (then give feedback to the Mods and criticize if need be)

 

Right now,  those two posts are showing that the best answers have been upvoted.    This is good for readers who can skip all of the baloney posts that don't get upvoted.

 

 

Again, "best" answers according to whom?  "Baloney" posts according to whom? These answers in your examples express subjective opinions, not "correct" answers based on any fact.  But if the intent is to use "upvoting" simply to show popularity of subjective information without context, then I guess "vanilla" topics such as these will result in no harm. I still question how helpful or informative that will really be.  But to suggest that member "upvoting" will be the answer to confirm objective information to specific fact based issues leaves a large degree of doubt in my mind.  Just my opinion.  

[njhorseman]

FWIW, I see that a significant number of posters who typically provide factually accurate answers and well-reasoned opinions on this board are essentially unanimous in their opposition to this experimental format.

Enough said...

[JRG]

20 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Who is deciding what a "best answer" is?

 

This seems to be a what is troubling readers the most.

 

Sure it is subjective,   but I don't see a need to get hung up on that.

 

Refer to it as the Best Subjective Answer and see if that particular issue goes away.

 

 

 

 

[aungrl]

9 hours ago, ontheweb said:

The fact that every thread seems to have 0 votes speaks a lot to the reaction from your regular posters. This is a terrible experiment. Giving it until the end of the week is not going to do anything but turn off more people!

Exactly my thought when I read Laura's post!

[aungrl]

8 hours ago, LauraS said:

 

The actual intention is for the correct answer to be upvoted -- it shouldn't be about the user at all.  

Laura, I think you're getting a clear indication that people don't believe this is the right forum to upvote a "right" answer.  As so many are indicating in one way or another, Cruise Critic at its best is about experienced cruisers providing answers and guidance as requested.  And many times, these answers and guidance are based on personal experience and opinion.  In other words, there is no one right answer to any given question or topic.  So best case, upvoting is meaningless, and worst case, it's destructive to the overall intent of 'users helping users', and allowing various opinions to flourish and expand others' thinking.

[aungrl]

3 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Does it?  I looked at the "Amazing Scenery" thread.  Two posts naming Alaska, Montenegro, and the Chilean Fjords, got one vote each.  I agree those are terrific places, but they are not the only scenic places named.  That they are "a" correct answer but not "the" correct answer demonstrates the flaw.   There are other posts naming very scenic places that got zero votes.  I can't see how this helps at all. 

 

To be clear, while I think voting for the best post has issues, I care more about the new cumbersome formatting.   

This is very similar to a longer post I wrote on the other thread related to the change.  Completely agree!

[cattolica]

Deleted 

Edited January 24 by cattolica
No reason to comment

[edinburgher]

What a confusing mess!

Edited January 24 by edinburgher

[CDNPolar]

Agree with others, I don't like this format.  I don't think that I would post a question on this style of forum, now do I want to contribute.

 

However whatever CC decides to use is up to them.  Personally I will just avoid this forum.

[sparks1093]

I haven't seen anyone commenting on the need for a post to be moderated before it is posted so I'm wondering if it just happened to my posts for some reason. One was approved and the other is still pending approval. This alone makes me not want the new format.

[sparks1093]

Just now, sparks1093 said:

I haven't seen anyone commenting on the need for a post to be moderated before it is posted so I'm wondering if it just happened to my posts for some reason. One was approved and the other is still pending approval. This alone makes me not want the new format.

And this one posted without an issue, so maybe it hinges on a key word being used.