# We need a third 'reaction' icon



## S1m0n

Some posters feel the need to post 'thank you' reactions to everyone who responds to their question, but from an answerer's point of view, that provides no feedback about whether we've actually helped them understand, or not. From my point of view, if I answer a question  and get a "thank you!" response, I assume that my answer was helpful, and that they now understand what I was saying.
But that's not always the case. I've noticed that some responders give a 'thank you!' to every comment, and some who have thanked me for my earlier response will respond to a later post and indicate that my first answer has helped them not a bit. Which sucks, because if I knew they were still confused, I'd have explained in greater detail.
So maybe we need split the thank you response into "thank you, but I still don't understand" and 'thank you, I get it now!'.


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## Paulfromitaly

I don't think we need a large set of reactions.
Reactions are a quick and brief way to express "thank you" and "I agree".
If you want to say more than just that, you can post a reply.


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## S1m0n

I think that distinguishing between "?" and '!" would be helpful. They mean very different things, and conflating them impedes communication.
In fact, this is a situation in which having an inexact set of instant reactions makes communication harder rather that easier. If there was no such ikon, it would be easier to tell what people actually thought. The 'thank you' ikon channels them into expressing something that doesn't accurately convey their meaning.


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## Şafak

Paulfromitaly said:


> I don't think we need *a large set of reactions.*
> Reactions are a quick and brief way to express "thank you" and "I agree".
> If you want to say more than just that, you can post a reply.


1-2 more reactions wouldn't hurt.


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## elroy

If they don’t elaborate, that’s not your problem.  If they just give you a 🙏 and don’t say anything, you can just go along your merry way.

Here’s how I see it:

Scenario A: 🙏 + no comment
Response A: Go along your merry way.

Scenario B: 🙏 + comment expressing satisfaction 
Response B1: Go along your merry way.
Response B2: Give them a 🙏, which in this case means “you’re welcome”

Scenario C: 🙏 + comment expressing need for help 
Response C: Reply to their comment (if you feel so inclined)


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## elroy

Şafak said:


> 1-2 more reactions wouldn't hurt.


 What reactions would you like to see?


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## wildan1

The other benefit to using the "thank you" reaction is that you do not bump the thread to the top of the page like you do when you add a new post only to say "thank you". Members who are working on something and creating multiple new threads on the same day risk flooding the forum less when they use the thank-you reaction rather than typing it.


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## DearPrudence

elroy said:


> What reactions would you like to see?


I'd like a  reaction in some less serious forums I can't mention here!


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## merquiades

I'd like an icon indicating closure,  either that the person asking the question feels that their query is solved or that someone answering has nothing more to say on the matter.  Sometimes this is not clear and you can be waiting around for clarification for a long time.
When I say closure I don't mean a moderator or anyone else officially closing the thread.  Anyone can still comment. It's just an indication of where we are.


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## elroy

I'm not in favor of that idea.

If someone doesn't explicitly indicate whether the matter is settled for them, I don't think that's a problem.  If they come back and add a further question or comment, I can then decide whether to address it.  And if they don't ever come back, then there's nothing to even possibly address.

I also don't like the idea of declaring threads or topics "closed," "resolved," or "settled," because 1) the questioner may think it's settled, only to later realize they do have another question, or that something they thought was clear in fact isn't, etc.; and 2) threads are open to everyone, they're discussions, and they don't "belong" to anyone, so even if Poster A has gotten everything out of a thread that they needed, Posters B and C may wish to ask their own questions, seek clarification, add their own two cents, etc.  I see any open thread as open for discussion in perpetuity.

As far as whether an answerer has more to say on the topic, I don't even know if _they_ can tell at the time.  I may post everything I have to say about a topic for the time being, and then realize two hours later that there's something else I want to add.  Similarly, I may think I want to add more later but then decide I don't want to, I don't need to, it's not worth it, I don't have time, etc...  

In short, I don't really see the need to signpost where we are in terms of whether we, at any given time, subjectively consider a certain matter to be settled or our thoughts on the matter to have been sufficiently expressed.  Sometimes, in the course of the discussion itself, I'm curious as to whether someone got the answer they needed or whether someone has something else to add. In those cases, I simply ask, as part of the discussion itself.


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## siares

I am still waiting for this suggestion to be implemented:


Harry Batt said:


> Personally, I am in favor of a recrimination abbreviation code akin to :] which allows subscribers to put down anyone who disagrees with them. The party who posts the thread, then, will devote his/her energy in trying to figure out the answer and not listen to the infighting. Some examples might be ^^1 = Where did you go to school? ^^2 = I studied in France/show me some respect ^^3 = I believe that is not the imperative consolidated past participle ^^4 = you have been rather snotty about my post ^^5 = So you think my English is that bad; well it is better than your Chinese ad infinitum.


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## elroy

Sorry, I don't understand what that suggestion entails.  Can you explain?


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## siares

It is just funny, as a satire on an idea of a 'thank you' button, comes from one of threads finding it inelegant, unnecessary etc. I am hoping that


elroy said:


> declaring threads or topics "closed," "resolved," or "settled


will follow the same path. Decades of opposition, resounding success once implemented. (declaring topics 'unsettled' rather than 'settled' maybe)


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## elroy

Are you in favor of a “settled” designation, an “unsettled” designation, or both?


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## siares

Hmm, it is different to other reactions, would need to be visible when the threads are closed (to motivate answers). I don't have this one thought through...


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## cherine

I know we're in the age of social media and people are getting more and more comfortable expressing their thoughts using multiple emojis instead of words, but maybe I'm too old [school] for this and still prefer seeing people express their thoughts through verbal communication. 

But if Mike is ok with adding smiles and hearts in the "less serious forum"  then I'm fine with it too. They won't hurt.


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## Paulfromitaly

cherine said:


> maybe I'm too old [school] for this and still prefer seeing people express their thoughts through verbal communication.


It's not that you/I are old school.  The point is that WR is a_ language_ forum, a forum people join to learn/use/improve languages.
We can learn something even from a little answer given by a native speaker. We certainly don't learn anything from emojis.


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## elroy

Speaking for myself, using reactions has not taken away from my verbal communication.  I still communicate verbally the way I always have.  For me, reactions _supplement_ my verbal communication, they don't _supplant_ it.  And they also have a certain _je ne sais quoi _about them that makes them unique. Giving a  reaction is not identical in every way to a post that says "Thank you."  It has a different feel, a different quality.  Additionally, it's attached to the post itself, so the effect is also different.  Not to mention that it's way more practical and efficient.   

Human communication is a complex, multi-faceted thing, and with all the communication tools we've developed we still fail at it all the time.  I personally don't see why we should limit ourselves to certain forms of communications over others; they all have their advantages and drawbacks, and the more tools we have at our disposal, the more likely we are to be able to deploy the right combination of tools in service of successful communication.

Someone may be able to communicate certain things more effectively with an emoji than with a sentence.  Someone else may find that written words work better for them.  Anyone can choose whatever form of communication (or combination of forms) they think will best achieve their communicative needs.  Whoever doesn't like reactions can choose not to use them, it's that simple.  No one is forced to use them.  Many of us like them and find that they are a good tool, and this is not because we are lacking in the area of verbal communication.  If I have to use only words, I can, but I welcome other options as well.


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## GundisalvusVitalis

Hi, everyone!

Does anyone know why there are no reaction buttons in the Spanish-English Vocabulary / Vocabulario Español-Inglés forum? Is it a forum setting or is one of my settings blocking/hiding the reactions button. I can see the reactions button in the French-English Vocabulary / Vocabulaire Français-Anglais forum. I wrote to one of the Spanish-English moderators about this issue. TIA for any help with this.






Best,


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## merquiades

GundisalvusVitalis said:


> Hi, everyone!
> 
> Does anyone know why there are no reaction buttons in the Spanish-English Vocabulary / Vocabulario Español-Inglés forum? Is it a forum setting or is one of my settings blocking/hiding the reactions button. I can see the reactions button in the French-English Vocabulary / Vocabulaire Français-Anglais forum. I wrote to one of the Spanish-English moderators about this issue. TIA for any help with this.
> 
> View attachment 64301
> 
> Best,


Reaction buttons are not available in any of the Spanish forums. The problem is not with your device and there is no setting to control this feature.


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