Star And Flag Alerts?

I am sure I am not the only one that wishes this. There may be a running total in the profile stats and there may be a way to monitor subscriptions, but wouldn't it be nice to get real time alerts for stars and flags? I subscribe to so many OP's that it is not easy to keep up with the ones that are generating responses. Not all replies are specified. I would really like to know when I am getting stars or flags.

Could there not be a place in the banner area or the drop down that provides a link? I know you are going to tell me that I am already being given information. Maybe, when a star or flag is posted the "my ats" moves that one to the top of the page and has a little star or flag attached to it, or maybe when there is a star or flag, the subscription gets highlighted somehow.

Otherwise, the only way to know is to go search every thread and that just takes way to much time. Flags are easier to spot because they are for specific OP's, but stars are given for replies, so they are much more difficult to track under this current system.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Flags for attention OK. Personally I see the stars on this site used more as a weapon then acknowledgment of a valid statement .

a reply to: Greathouse

Maybe in some cases that is true, but it would still be nice to know when a comment gets starred would it not?

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I guess it would be nice. Plus there would be an Extra added benefit of tracking and discerning behavior of some members. To root out the people that use the system vindictively.


Edit;


I gave you a flag . Lol

a reply to: Greathouse

Stars to me are abused for fake recognition, but if someone does star it, I don't want to know who, just that it got a response.

a reply to: Greathouse

Greathouse, can please explain what you mean. I don't understand how they could be used vindictively.

I wonder if anyone here realizes the load that would probably take on the server to accomplish. You're asking essentially for a secondary notification system to administer a large array of messages every minute. How many stars and flags do you think people send out every minute? Hour? Day?

That means that the database has to work twice as hard when someone stars and flags a post, and an additional set of information has to be submitted back to the database in order to keep that information available for the person that's being notified. IMO, it's clutter. Some places use a Karma system, but that's far different than just a general star and flag system.

originally posted by: bananashooter
a reply to: Greathouse

Greathouse, can please explain what you mean. I don't understand how they could be used vindictively.

You will see people that make clear accurate and truthful statements on the site in contention to the majority of posters on a thread.

When the personally motivated members see the logic and fall to the wayside. They intentionally star Inaccurate untruthful and speculative post with the attempt to drown out the valid statements.


For people not paying attention it is a way to stifle dissenting opinion . I will say this is not solely the way they are used but I've seen this tactic applied to other posters .

Stars are pretty invalid imo

My average is decent, but I know for a fact my opinions are not that popular...

It depends on the subject and the tenacity of the post...


Then sometimes it can be a first page descent into madness where everyone has 50 stars in a race for the most asinine snidy remark.



I've never felt validated by a star, much more so by PMs from members who discuss backstage quietly what they appreciated or didn't about a post.

& you can make some real good friends that way too.

Much more personal, and usually more meaningful.



For example, sorry for the diatribe, but I've starred posts that made me laugh, almost cry, stars that I thought the person deserved for effort, people being ganged up on, and sometimes I've starred people by accident...

I think it's generally a mood thing.


I don't know what the question was now.



Ahh yes, I dunno about that idea, might be a lot of configuration work to pull it off.
Flag though, something might come of it.

a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

I think doing a notification system would be difficult and not very effective. The spam that it would generate in alerts would be astronomical.

If anything, I would like to see a system where you can look under your posts in your profile and have a sorting system. Choose to see your posts by date, replies and/or stars.

a reply to: MonkeyFishFrog

Not every star, just the first one.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I don't think they are invalid, maybe abused sometimes, but I would like to know if a reply gets noticed just the same.

originally posted by: Greathouse
a reply to: soulpowertothendegree

Flags for attention OK. Personally I see the stars on this site used more as a weapon then acknowledgment of a valid statement .

Ditto

originally posted by: Greathouse
Flags for attention OK. Personally I see the stars on this site used more as a weapon then acknowledgment of a valid statement .

I want to star this comment, but am conflicted as to what it would mean...