May I make a suggestion? "Thanks"

[Chris01]

I use another forum like this (don't worry - it's NOT family history!), which uses the same software, where they have a 'Thanks' button next to the 'Quote' and 'Edit' buttons on the right hand side of every post.

Could we have this please?

It means that you can say thank you to the kind people who respond, without cluttering up the forum with posts which just say 'thank you' and not much else. It also makes it more individual because you can thank each person separately.

I think it would be a nice gesture. What do you think?

[Sue Mackay]

It means that you can say thank you to the kind people who respond, without cluttering up the forum with posts which just say 'thank you' and not much else. It also makes it more individual because you can thank each person separately.

I'm not entirely clear how this works. If it doesn't clutter up the forum with posts that just say "thank you", does it generate a private message to the poster? In which case, why not just send a private message? Personally I think it can be useful to quote a bit of the message on the thread and say something like "Thanks, I will try that" or "Yes, that's definitely the right person - thanks a million" so that other members know the state of play and don't continue the search needlessly.

[v.wells]

Things are just great the way they are! I agree with Sue. :)

[Peter Goodey]

Just a single public message of thanks to all to replied is usually appreciated and all that is needed.

[Chris01]

Do you know what version of the software they are running? I cannot find that option anywhere in Admin in our current version.

They have just upgraded to 3.8 but they have had the 'Thanks' button since at least 2006 and probably earlier.

[Chris01]

I'm not entirely clear how this works. If it doesn't clutter up the forum with posts that just say "thank you", does it generate a private message to the poster? In which case, why not just send a private message? Personally I think it can be useful to quote a bit of the message on the thread and say something like "Thanks, I will try that" or "Yes, that's definitely the right person - thanks a million" so that other members know the state of play and don't continue the search needlessly.
Of course if it is a search and it is finished you should say so! No, it doesn't generate a private message, it merely has a link underneath the posting listing people who have said thanks - there may of course be more than one. It's not unusual for a posting to help more than one person and it's a means to show your appreciation without raising the thread to the top unnecessarily when there is no more work to be done.

[Sue Mackay]

It's not unusual for a posting to help more than one person and it's a means to show your appreciation without raising the thread to the top unnecessarily when there is no more work to be done.

OK, I can see the point now. On the other hand, I can think of a few really useful threads on here where new members have found the thread and posted something like "Gosh, thanks, what useful information", which has bumped it to the top of New Posts, thereby giving that useful information to a whole lot more people.

[BeeE586]

Just a single public message of thanks to all to replied is usually appreciated and all that is needed.

I agree with Peter. If I have been able to help someone I am quite happy to be included in a 'general' message and if people have helped me, I usually just thank all of them together.

Eileen

[Chris01]

There's nothing to stop people posting separate thank you messages as well, you don't have to change your behaviour if you don't want to, it's just a SUGGESTION for something NICE to do, which we can't do now, it won't cost anything or stop anybody doing as they currently do.

Good grief, I didn't expect anyone to NOT want it! :o

[Carmy]

I am truly grateful for the time another member spent helping me track down information. The least I can do is come in and say thank you. Pressing a Thank You button could never express my gratitiude.

As a side note -- I see help extended on many threads but no thanks are given. I think that's rude.