Let's do our best for the Forum

[shermay]

Hi everyone,

As you probably know I don’t ‘do’ polls, but I was wondering what everyone’s reaction to the ‘The Best Answer’?? Was.

I mean, I posted a thread about my Father dying, and Medhelp sent me an email asking who I thought the ‘Best Answer’ was - not very fair, IMO

I didn’t choose anyone, because I personally thought that they were all very good answers.

Many of you have such good knowledge about MS and other medical health issues, that I don’t think it is fair for them to ask us to select a ‘Best Answer’

I may well be wrong, in my opinion, but it would be interesting to know what my Forum friends thought about this new ‘update’ was???

Also the stars:/  Well now if it just down to replying to postings, saying anything you want just to gain  the ‘stars’ do you think that is fair??  I don’t – I mean we could say anything, without any real knowledge and hey ho, we have more stars against our name!  

This appears (from what have I learnt) is the reason for the stars:/

So, from what I have discovered  over the weekend it doesn’t matter what you say, as long as you reply, then you gain stars – duh:/

I hope I have not started up a Hornets nest, but it would be interesting to know what we all think – and I promise I will not put a ‘Best Answer’)))

So, if Medhelp - you get to read this – let’s hope we have plenty of IMO))

Maybe they should be looking at a spell check instead;)))

Hope your all having a good one,

Hugs and love,(and I hope that I have not offended anyone - if I have, then I will say sorry in advance ok?)

Debs xxxxxx

[Nancy T]

I am very unhappy about the stars. I don't think it's a coincidence that shortly after they showed up, I got a "friend" invitation from someone (not a person on this forum) that made me very uneasy.

I don't like having attention called to my name in any way. I just want to read, answer, and ask questions without being singled out as a "top answerer," which--regardless of Medhelp's explanations of what that means, which may or may not get read--will inevitably and unjustifiably make some people think the starred folks have a special expertise or status, and may draw unwanted attention to them as well.

Despite the disclaimers, the chosen wording of "Top Answerer" could well lead to an expectation by new or less-experienced forum users (or the desperate, demanding, maybe even malicious types) that these starred people SHOULD answer their post.

I wrote to Medhelp a few days ago and asked to opt out of the stars. I got no reply.

Those stupid stars have the effect of making me wish to NOT post and participate here. They just make me nervous. (And I wish I'd never used my real first name.)

Social media are great, but when the owners start classifying people and drawing attention to them without letting them opt out, it really gives you pause about using such forums. I'm sure the owners don't care if a few disaffected people leave, but it's hard to leave behind a community you've come to know to some extent.

[Nancy T]

Also, it it just my computer, or has this forum slowed down a lot recently? It takes forever to load pages.

[Lulu54]

Hello Everyone,

Earlier this week I saw this post but didn't have the energy or time to respond since I was in the midst of funeral activities for my mother-in-law.

I just spent quite a bit of time reading your responses and am not surprised by your reactions to stars, best answers, and questions needing to be answered.  

We co-cl's here already know that we have the best community at MedHelp - you are all wise and compassionate, and extraordinarily well versed in MS and its various manifestations.

To single anyone of us out at more significant than the next is counter-productive to the open atmosphere we have here. I personally feel great heartburn each time I see my name at the top of the top answerers list.  Yes,  probably I write more responses than anyone else around here; I have great access to computers through out the day and am able to pop on and off of the forum and give quick replies and welcomes to our new folks.  As your "social director" here, that is what I do best.  

When it comes to quality and content, Dr. Q trumps everyone.  I do wish there was a way to put her at the top because this is a community that she has built with her love, sweat and typos!  LOL   Yes, we do need a spell checker, but I have long ago given up worrying about the errors and figure you all know what I mean, anyway!

I will let the moderators at MedHelp know of this thread, give them the url, and invite them to read your comments.  It may surprise them to know that this group has already figured the new system is pointless for our community, and that you ignore the stars, ratings and best answer queries.  

Thanks for all of your inputs - I believe this is an evolving system for MH  and perhaps it is early enough in the process that they will rethink the idea.  

be well,
Lulu

[RubyWitch]

Absolutely loved that you opened up this discussion on your forum! What a great idea. Actually, I DID consider doing basically the same thing on the Anxiety Forum, but I just wasn't sure it would work as well as it did here.

I would like to have a friendly disagreement about who has the "best community" on MH, but isn't this whole "BEST" crap what we're railing against? You have, without a single doubt, a great forum and I believe the same about mine. We can't compare apples and oranges and instead should just be EXTREMELY proud of both our forums and our wonderful, caring, compassionate members who don't give a rats rear about how many stupid stars they have, but only in giving the "best" of themselves to help others.      

I agreed with everyone here who wrote in with their opinions on the new apps. There was one poster that I had a VERY slight issue with and it's something that I mentioned in my original post on the CL Forum. I will just cut and paste the line I'm referring to as I don't want, or mean, to single this person out or make them feel bad. The rest of her post was excellent.



She wrote:

"Best answer is also all but useless the way it is used.  The only benefit I could see would be on a topic that has an unusually long number of responses.  Those sometimes get off tract besides.  Having the ability to pull one (or more) answers to the top could help people in the future to find answers without having to wade through the fluff.  Having an option to mark if an answer is helpful might be more useful..........."

This poster made an excellent point when she said that long threads can, and often do, get off track at times. But for those that DON'T get off track, in all those posts there is a wealth of information, advice, empathy and compassion, suggestions, encouragement and support. When she says that "pulling one or more answers to the top could help people in the future find answers without having to wade through the fluff." If I misunderstood this statement, if by "fluff" she meant pull the off topic posts so people don't have to wade through those, I would agree with her 100%. But as so many people are saying, and what is MY biggest complaint with this "Best Answer" BS is that not only is EVERY single post worth reading, it may take 3 or 4 or 8 posts for the OP to obtain the answer or the reassurance they are looking for. Her suggestion to have the ability for the OP to respond if a "chosen" answer was helpful is not a bad idea, in and of itself, but I fear that it once again brings in the aspect of competition and hurt feelings. Perhaps like on some other sites, we could ask the OP if ALL the information was helpful............just make it a general question rather than name any ONE post as the "BEST" and risk the rest being ignored.

I truly hope I have not offended anyone by coming onto your forum and being unable to keep my two cents to myself. I was here looking for an answer for one of  my Anxiety people and saw this post and just couldn't help myself.
If I have, I am deeply sorry and offer my heartfelt apology.

I do hope MH reads this, but I'm afraid I doubt it will do any good. I hate to be so pessimistic, but I think our opinions are pretty far down on the food chain.

I will slink back to my forum now and build a fort to hide behind! LOL
Before I go, I would like to wish all the moms on this forum a very Happy Mother's Day!
Warmly
Greenlydia/CL Anxiety Forum

[Wind_and_Water]

I'm a new poster, but I've been lurking a while.  I found the stars and so on to be clownish and distracting -- a net negative.  But the information is very useful, and that is the core of the forum.  So I registered, anyway.  At the very least, I hope MedHelp will allow us to Opt Out of these features.

MedHelp, thank you for providing the forum, and I hope you find our feedback valuable.

[Lulu54]

Hi Greenlydia,

It is always nice to see another CL pop through and share thoughts.  So I'll give you one - this is one of the best two forums here at MH, ok?  LOL

This thread was started by one of our members and not the co-cl's.  The concensus here seems to be to ignore it all and keep on keeping on.  

enjoy the day, what's left of it.
Lulu