The rec/unrec thing. People really care if strangers on an internet message board recommend or

[RB TexLa]

unrecommended their posts? Why?

I do enjoy laughing at the people who care about it. I just don't understand why they care.

[snot]

1. Because unrecs by trolls cause substantively impt. threads to sink

before they can make the Greatest Page, where they might otherwise have been seen by many more people who might benefit from the info.

This is a serious, practical problem that shd be a concern for anyone trying to use DU to help accomplish anything constructive.

[tammywammy]

2. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=7807403#7807633

[Obamanaut]

3. One would think "substantively impt. threads" would gather enough

responses to keep them on page one of GD, giving them time to also gather enough recs to get on GP.

[snot]

29. Not always; pls see reply #28.

[Obamanaut]

35. OK, here is my reply again re 'substantively impt. threads'

"One would think "substantively impt. threads" would gather enough responses to keep them on page one of GD, giving them time to also gather enough recs to get on GP."

The first example in reply 28 had fewer than 25 responses, the other not only had only one (deleted) response, it was not in GD. They sank because of lack of response. They may well have been important to the OP, but to others - not so much.

It is possible for a thread to remain on the first page of whatever section/forum/group it is posted in for days, merely by people replying to it. If it is interesting or 'substantive' people will respond.

Prior to 'unrec' there would be replies to posts made by (popular) posters that simply said "Off to the greatest page with thee" with no other discussion.

If a person thinks his thread is that important and has not rec'd responses, that person can put it back on the top with a self-serving "kick for the next shift" type reply. It has no substance, but it keeps it in view. I've seen that many times, sometimes several instances in the same thread. A time or two where that was the only type response.

[whistler162]

4. bunkum!

[Heidi]

9. You really believe there are more trolls than honest DUers unrecing threads?

Wow. When my OPs don't make it to Greatest (which is most of the time), organized conspiracy to keep my threads off of Greatest has never crossed my mind. I'm not the center of the universe, nor do I imagine my threads alone to be the lifeblood of DU.

[snot]

24. That's not what I said -- and I'm sure most people unrec relatively responsibly.

But I do think trolls exist, and I'm pretty sure I've seen more than one instance in which our general awareness or understanding of an important issue has been successfully delayed bec. the unrec function gave disproportionate power to a handful of people to sink threads addressing it.

[Vickers]

15. Can you link to one example of this dynamic?

Thanks in advance!

Oh, and K&R to the OP for laughing at the whiny-cats.

[snot]

28. Yes; here:

Again, these are not my posts but others'. I haven't had time to read the Latest Page much lately, and you have to do that to catch them before they sink; but there have been a couple of instances when I messaged a DU'er to basically say hey, pls don't give up even though you got torpedoed, because this is impt. Checking my "Sent" folder, I find these:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8645263

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x79553

[Vickers]

34. One was at +3, the other was archived and you can't see the Rec number.

:shrug:

[sharp_stick]

18. Either what you said or the thread

is only substantially important to the person posting it and the rest of the world doesn't give a shit? I tend to think it's the later.

[snot]

26. I'm not talking about my own OP's.

I'm talking about substantive threads that other, well-intentioned DU'er's obviously put effort and thought into, about important issues like education.

I have no vested interest in this other than in seeing helpful info brought to more people's attention.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

23. I've been on DU for about 6 years and have probably been to the Greatest Page...

6 times. I don't rely on what others are recommending; I quickly peruse LBN, GD: P and GD for what interests me. The hullabaloo over Rec/Unrec is baffling to me, and any mention of it gets a Pavlovian unrec from me. Meh.

[snot]

25. I've been on DU for 6 years too, and have seen many impt. threads get torpedoed.

I'm not talking about my own posts; I rarely do OP's. I'm talking about great posts by other DU'er's containing useful, sourced info about issues I consider important.

I just don't see how any benefits of the unrec function outweigh the harm I've seen it used to do.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

33. Care to share some examples? I'm curious.

Doesn't the cream eventually rise to the top? There are a number of "personalities" on here with loyal followers, and I'll unrec the propaganda they're pushing in a heartbeat. I'm thankful for the feature for that reason. The Sort and Search features are useful to get to the "meaty" posts.

I just ventured over to TGP (so, 7 times in 6 years) and find the format pretty lousy; I'm surprised people rely on it. It's like IMDB -- I don't really care how many numbers of stars a film is rated, I'll make my own assessment.

[saltpoint]

5. I've been known to hire armed thugs in response

to someone's unrec'ing a post I like.

[AndyA]

I do think the rec/unrec feature should be disabled for new members,

until their post levels are high enough to limit the possibility they are here to disrupt. It could also be tied into members who donate to DU as well, although that shouldn't be the only criteria used.

[targetpractice]

6. Why would any site maintain a feature that causes so much ill will?

The intended benefits of the "unrec" feature seem long lost and irrelevant at this point... The implementation missed the mark.

[lynne]

7. I feel the same way about "DU"ing internet polls -

- especially polls on small, local newspaper websites. I can't imagine taking the time to vote - clear cookies - and vote again. What's the point? :shrug:

[pipi_k]

19. that's why I don't do it...

All it does is skew the count artificially.


A poll doesn't change anything.

And a week later, who really cares?

[MoonRiver]

8. You obviously care enough to post about it.

unrec.

[RB TexLa]

13. it's fun to laugh at them. And I'm sure if some express their concerns on this thread

that will be funny as well.

[pwb]

10. I never use it.

And very seldom have my posts unreced. My guess, it is a safety net or another way to alert.

[RKP5637]

11. Why not have just a rec and no unrec. Seems it would accomplish similar w/o

trolls unrec'ing...

[lpbk2713]

12. It's junior high school.

More people want to be "accepted" than "rejected".


I don't create that many posts so I don't really GAF.

[Curmudgeoness]

14. Can anyone explain to me the history of the unrec? Why was it

ever necessary? I have never used it, and never will. A shitty post will die quickly without my two cents. And I notice that only the really thought-provoking posts get unrec votes. In fact, I would like to be able to know how many unrecs a post has gotten, not just the net result of alll rec/unrec. I want to read those with a lot of unrec.

[snot]

30. Agreed!

The problem, of course, is that heavily unrec'd threads sink and disappear extra quickly. But I agree, it would be better if we could at least see the count on both sides.

[TBF]

31. I believe it started this year.

We got through the entire election without it.

[inna]

16. unrec

[HughMoran]

17. Greatest Page is DUers window to the outside world

Many 'outsiders' visit DU to see what's going on - Greatest Page is supposed to be one-stop shopping - now it's garbage central IMO.

That's why I care - this is supposed to represent the views of intelligent Democrats???? :rofl:

[stray cat]

20. LOL!

[elocs]

21. Why? Because too many here are obsessed with Recs and get their undies in a bind if they perceive

their favored thread gets too many UnRecs. Then you have your Rec whores who will post a thread like "K&R if you like Dennis Kucinich". Add to that the well known DU names whose OP will end up on the Front Page if they just say "hi".

In the end, kicking a thread so it goes to the top of its forum and can be more easily seen is more valuable for the OP than the whole Rec/UnRec thing.

[customerserviceguy]

22. There are people who are obsessed

with making sure that everybody they consider on 'their' side agrees with them. It's an insecurity thing, that I thought was limited to religious people...

[TroglodyteScholar]

27. I will never ever understand...

...why people here take such grave offense at being unrecommended. Get over it!

[pitohui]

32. yes people have feelings, i know it's hard to grok, but some people do

we don't all have asperger's some people really do have a social element to them

we are ALL strangers to one another, so saying "people really care if strangers" blah de blah shows a lack of understanding of how the world works

EVERY politician cares about how "strangers" view them, EVERY high achiever cares how "strangers" view them, yes, it's odd, you're letting someone you'll never meet have an impact on your life but it really isn't that whacky if you use a little logic

now i'm not claiming i'm one of these advanced sensitive persons who care, you already know better, but at least i have the sense to understand why they do

it is not stupid or ignorant, they are just more highly evolved than those of us who don't give a care about anyone beyond arm's reach -- the world is a big place and eventually we need more people (not less people) who are capable of caring abt that

people who TRULY don't care abt anyone's opinion of them yet need fame/world acclaim will be uncontrolled by decency and will do "whatever it takes" to achieve fame...these are your guys who climb the texas tower with a rifle...