topic Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"? in Discussions & Feedback

Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Mi-Amigo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:24:55 GMT

I realise that kudos are a way of saying "Thank you" for the support and advice in the main sections of the Community and that "Off Topic" is the fun section.

However, in "Off Topic", members have shown support and comfort to each other - as I, myself, will bear witness - and I believe that there should be the opportunity to recognise how much this means by being able to award members kudos and ask if it is possible to consider this when reviewing the changes which might be forthcoming?

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

MI5 — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:30:00 GMT

Personally speaking, no.
Off topic is just for chat and we've managed for years without the need to add kudos in off topic areas.
Just my opinion

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Cleoriff — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:36:58 GMT

@Mi-Amigo

Sorry to say, I disagree with you on this one.

I accept your sentiment about 'others helping others', however there is a risk that the kudo system could be abused.

Primarily, the forum is a place to help people with O2 related issues and if those people have a problem solved then a kudo is a nice way of thanking the poster.

A few people have no interest in Off Topic (and that is absolutely their choice) ...others come here to post only in off topic and again, that's their choice.

Kudos are one part of the 'algorithim' used to assess community rewards, so you will understand what I mean when I say it could be abused.

I post a hell of a lot in Off Topic and I just wouldn't like to see a Kudo system in that part of the forum.

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Mi-Amigo — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 11:50:02 GMT

Thank you @MI5 and @Cleoriff for your feedback.

Now that you have explained how kudos is used in assessing awards and therefore could, potentially, be abused for all the wrong reasons, and, with your length of time with the Community, your experiences, and contributions, I can see the logic in what you have said and would like to withdraw my suggestion for kudos to be on Off Topic in any consideration to future changes.

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Bambino — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:30:27 GMT

A simple thank you, or a PM to say it is far better anyway, @Mi-Amigo . At least it is in my opinion.:smileywink:

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

jonsie — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:55:06 GMT

Even now with kudos being awarded and given in some threads it's quite easy to spot when kudos are much abused. The annual iPhone mega - thread is a classic example, kudos being given for posting times and dates when ordered. Post the colour for another kudo.

Being given in off topic when many people don't participate would be too much, two people could give a kudo to each other post after post

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

pgn — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 12:58:11 GMT

@Bambino wrote:
A simple thank you, or a PM to say it is far better anyway, @Mi-Amigo . At least it is in my opinion.:smileywink:

...when the PM "Message waiting" indicator function has been restored, of course!

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 11:54:43 GMT

Some valid points raised, so it's kind of ironic that not a single kudos has been awarded

Edit: typo

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

jonsie — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 15:55:33 GMT

I didn’t say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

@Anonymous wrote:
Some valid points raised, so it's kind of ironic that not a single kudos has been awarded

Edit: typo

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 17:06:02 GMT

Just playing devil’s advocate

Having experienced another forum where they’re handed out like confetti, I actually understand the reluctance to go down that road.

But I can’t help wondering if this community is sometimes a little too cautious about changing things. Forum regulars tend to set the right example anyway, and the idea of using them sparingly is quite refreshing. I was using this thread as an example of how little influence they appear to have sometimes.

The potential for abuse would always be there, but there are other ways of dealing with it. Perhaps there’s a discussion to be had about what they actually mean, rather than simply trying to restrict their use.

Edit: typo

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Cleoriff — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 20:58:59 GMT

I think the original question was in relation to giving kudoes in Off Topic @Anonymous

As someone who spends most of her time in Off Topic, I advocated aginst it, due to abuse of the system.

@jonsiepointed out this sort of abuse when the iPhone releases. 'I've got my phone' ...a kudo or 2 are given. 'I'm still waiting for mine' ...Never mind, here have a kudo.. The usual iphone buyers forming a little gang of their own. (If it were possible, I would remove those sort of kudo's and that's not an off topic thread!)

My personal criteria for awarding a kudo, is when I learn something new, reading a great review or How To guide. I also love to see new members getting involved and providing others with the correct answer to a question asked (showing that they have watched and learned)

I occasionally give a kudo if a post is brilliantly funny, or bitingly sarcastic and makes me laugh.

There is so much activity in off topic now, compared to a couple of years ago, awarding kudoes would be like sprinkling confetti (to use your own words)

Whilst they remain part of the 'algorithm' for rewards, I will never change my mind about kudos in Off Topic.

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

jonsie — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 21:44:08 GMT

Perfectly put @Cleoriff

Just think how the system could be abused in what are probably the most active threads, the ABC murder!

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Cleoriff — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 22:43:55 GMT

Just to make a point (again)...

Why on earth would someone give me a kudo for giving my opinion that PJ Proby was more than rubbish last night, or telling the Dormouse to get back in his teapot?

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

jonsie — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 22:59:26 GMT

@Cleoriff wrote:
Just to make a point (again)...
Why on earth would someone give me a kudo for giving my opinion that PJ Proby was more than rubbish last night, or telling the Dormouse to get back in his teapot?

Yep.....what the hell?

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

MI5 — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 23:03:28 GMT

There are certain people who would give out kudos for farting though so long stopped taking any notice of their worth.

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

jonsie — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 00:56:28 GMT

@MI5 wrote:
There are certain people who would give out kudos for farting though so long stopped taking any notice of their worth.

A voice of sanity!

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 10:45:50 GMT

It's an interesting discussion, and I don't really have strong views either way. I was just curious to get an understanding of what might influence any decision to restrict the use of kudos in some sections. A couple of years ago I made a similar comment about the Community Spotlight (in this post here). Although it wasn't acted upon at the time, I notice that that popular thread has since been moved to "Welcome & News".

This is quite a small community, and there's a few of us who like to read (i.e. more than they post), so sometimes it's frustrating in situations where you've nothing more to add to the discussion, but would still like to express agreement or simply acknowledge a well-written post. But I appreciate that there could be drawbacks if there weren't suitable measures in place, so it's a difficult balance to strike, and you can't always get it right.

But I'm only thinking out loud, so just ignore me

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

Cleoriff — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:09:21 GMT

I've looked at the post you highlight @Anonymous .

It was another spotlight posted in 2014 and appeared in Off Topic. (no kudos)

Originally Spotlights were posted in Off Topic and then when the 'new guard' moved in, they started to appear in Welcome and News, which is a far better place for them (In my opinion)

Just a few here and if you check you will see half were in Off Topic and after 2014, new ones went into the welcome thread.

https://community.o2.co.uk/t5/forums/searchpage/tab/message?q=Spotlight+Cleoriff

Re: Kudos for "Off Topic"?

jonsie — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 11:28:05 GMT

I know what you mean @Anonymous and there are plenty of times I would like to kudo a post in off topic b but it has been badly abused in the past Kudos do count towards rewards and to move more quickly up the rankings.

There is no real answer to this unfortunately but the way the mystical algorithm works is known only to the admin team so this is how it works best for them. It baffles everyone on here and at times we wonder if it even exists....