Ratings Buttons Revisited - again

[The Snark]

ArachnoBoards is predominantly an academic web site. Similar to a reference library.
The vast majority of log-ons to AB are people seeking information. Let the hundreds of 'bots' constantly logged on 24/7 speak for themselves. Information harvesters.

AB should present a public face where academics feel comfortable to log on and contribute.

Certain aspects of AB reduce it's value. Make it a place where academics commonly shun the site. Turn it into a social media gathering place.

Consider:
Replace Like with Of Value
Replace Dislike with Questionable (Posting person, I'm unsure of content accuracy)
Replace Disagree with Debateable (I have data which may refute this)
And others -seeking input.

I hope the trend here is obvious. Instead of childish one-upmanship subjective social games we move the board into an admittedly less popular venue, but of much greater value. AB is never going to compete with the social games as found on Facebook et al anyway.

I'm thinking of the hundreds of times I've meandered through college libraries. The like/dislike/disagree strikes me as no different than vandals that spray painted the bindings of the books.

 

[Venom1080]

We might still need "like" for pictures.

 

[The Snark]

We might still need "like" for pictures.

Unfortunately that is the extreme end of subjective. A microsecond glimpse of the world of art will blast debate and digression at you like a fire hose.
Much better would be a 1 through 5 of usefulness from an academic point of view. Think of Crawford or Vetter viewing the picture.

 

[The Snark]

Something else which would be of benefit. This goes unstated but is present so much of the time. A person makes a statement or claim. The unsaid being 'as I understand it' or 'from what I've been told' or 'feel free to correct me here'.
There should be a color coding or something similar that is glaringly obvious that states, "HEY! From what I know. I'm not married to this. You got better info, best a rtef to a white paper, lay it on us!"

I'd refer everyone to Crawford IDing a spider. It is almost never black and white. His usual response is 'It appears to be' or similar. He's done that with blatantly obvious Hobo Spiders dozens of times.

 

[The Snark]

Much better would be a 1 through 5 of usefulness from an academic point of view.

Cue @Smokehound714 @Ungoliant et al: 'Can you get a close up of the genitalia, preferably P-A and Lat?'