The "favorite" feature on twitter is misused as a "like" button

[hafr]

The purpose of this feature is to save a collection of tweets you found funny or interesting.

It's one of its purposes.

People favorite so many tweets that it's impossible that it is being successfully used for this purpose.

Those people might not be sentimental enough about tweets they read that they care about a collection of their most loved tweets?

I see people favorite the most trivial, inconsequential tweets like one word responses that couldn't possibly be understood as standalone tweets out of context.

Is there no way to see a favourited tweet in its context?

Clearly, it is being used exactly as the "like" button is on Facebook. Strange. They should remedy this by adding a like button.

Twitter should separate the current function into two separate functions, because you think people won't find their favourite tweets otherwise?

 

[boss.king]

I'm talking about tweets like "lol" and "yeah right". Why on earth would you want or need these saved in a list?

Why would anyone favourite "lol"? If youre doing crap like that then no wonder you struggle to find things. Here's a tip: don't favourite every tweet under the sun.

As you pointed out, you're meeting a lot of opposition here, does that not hint to you that your idea is bad? Clutter is not improvement. Doubling up on something people already do is not improvement. Again, you're wrong on this one. Accept it, move on, complain about something else.

 

[TH55]

Why would anyone favourite "lol"? If youre doing crap like that then no wonder you struggle to find things. Here's a tip: don't favourite every tweet under the sun.

As you pointed out, you're meeting a lot of opposition here, does that not hint to you that your idea is bad? Clutter is not improvement. Doubling up on something people already do is not improvement. Again, you're wrong on this one. Accept it, move on, complain about something else.

Did you not read what I wrote? I specifically said I don't favorite insignificant tweets like that, only stuff I find interesting or funny. I use it very selectively, it's everyone else that use it as a like button because it's their only choice.

And there is no "wrong", this is a personal opinion and objectively I have a good point, regardless of whether or not a few people on here don't see it. In fact, I did several searches on both Google and Twitter for "Twitter needs a like button" and found tons of people, many in the tech industry who said the same thing. Do a search, see for yourself that if anything, you are "wrong".

 

[boss.king]

Did you not read what I wrote? I specifically said I don't favorite insignificant tweets like that, only stuff I find interesting or funny. I use it very selectively, it's everyone else that use it as a like button because it's their only choice.

And there is no "wrong", this is a personal opinion and objectively I have a good point, regardless of whether or not a few people on here don't see it. In fact, I did several searches on both Google and Twitter for "Twitter needs a like button" and found tons of people, many in the tech industry who said the same thing. Do a search, see for yourself that if anything, you are "wrong".

I was meaning you in the general sense, not you specifically. And yes, in this case, you are wrong. You say a like button would improve twitter. It wouldn't.the functionality is there already,you simply want to clutter it.

Also, people in the tech industry can be wrong too. For every brilliant idea, there are plentyof bad ones. This is just such an example.

 

[redAPPLE]

for the record, i agree with OP.

the favorite icon should act like a bookmarks icon.

we need a like button @twitter.

 

[Al Downie]

I agree, and think that if the engineers at Twitter can't see their mistake, then education is the way forwards. If you can find a sufficient number of supporters, what about running a series of seminars and workshops around the country - maybe in Starbucks where they could provide special promotional cups for the events. Also, if you can calculate the actual financial cost of the unwanted data storage, show people how it's actually hitting them in their wallets, that might be enough to force a change. May the force be with you.

 

[hafr]

Did you not read what I wrote? I specifically said I don't favorite insignificant tweets like that, only stuff I find interesting or funny. I use it very selectively, it's everyone else that use it as a like button because it's their only choice.

What's the problem? Are you trying to paint a picture where thousands upon thousands of Twitter members have the burning desire to "like" tweets, but are forced to "favourite" them instead - causing havoc in their everyday lives because they can no longer go through their ACTUAL favourite tweets in an efficient way anymore?

Now, I might be completely wrong here, but don't you think that if this was a real problem - tons of people would have already complained about it and there would in fact be two separate functions, let's call them "like" and "bookmark"?

And there is no "wrong",

You might want to consider expressing yourself differently then.

this is a personal opinion and objectively I have a good point, regardless of whether or not a few people on here don't see it.

This is too good. "I am better suited than everyone else to judge the objectiveness of my own subjective opinion, those who don't agree with me are wrong."

I'm gonna pee my pants...

In fact, I did several searches on both Google and Twitter for "Twitter needs a like button" and found tons of people, many in the tech industry who said the same thing. Do a search, see for yourself that if anything, you are "wrong".

Oh, really? You managed to find others who shared your opinion about something? Holy crap, then that means you MUST be right! Those who are using "favourite" as a "like" button are DOING IT WRONG!

All jokes aside. If you want to argue Twitter needs to separate the two functions that are currently one - go right ahead. I'm not going to say you don't have a valid point, because if it's something that you want - I'm not going to say you're wrong in wanting it. But when you're saying you don't want it, but are riding in as mr. White Knight on your high horse saying that people shouldn't use "favourite" as "like" because that's not the way it was intended, and Twitter therefore should instate a separate "like" button, you're just being ridiculous. Best case scenario, you actually think others suffer from this. Worst case scenario, you're being exactly what you come across as, and I hope this does not in any way reflect how you treat your partner, kids, friends, colleagues etc.

All of a sudden I got the urge to listen to Metallica - Holier than thou... I'm out.

 

[Michael Goff]

Sorry guys, it's not "using it wrong" to use it in replacement of a like (which Twitter doesn't have). It might not be the way you use it, or the way you want it to be used, but that's irrelevant. There are no, and I mean no, sources that say "how it should be used".

Do you know why?

Because nobody at Twitter cares about how you use their site, just that you do. Just like there's no right or wrong way to use Twitter in general, there's no concrete right or wrong way to use the favorite button.

 

[Todd B.]

The purpose of this feature is to save a collection of tweets you found funny or interesting.

People favorite so many tweets that it's impossible that it is being successfully used for this purpose.

I see people favorite the most trivial, inconsequential tweets like one word responses that couldn't possibly be understood as standalone tweets out of context.

Clearly, it is being used exactly as the "like" button is on Facebook. Strange. They should remedy this by adding a like button.

Why do you care how other people use a service?

 

[TH55]

Why do you care how other people use a service?

I don't, I want there to be a like button so I can use them both effectively. As it is, I have to pick one or the other.

 

[Todd B.]

I don't, I want there to be a like button so I can use them both effectively. As it is, I have to pick one or the other.

Why does there need to both? Favourite is the same thing with a different name. It's doing the same thing. Showing you liked the post and giving you a place to view it later. 'Like' and 'Favourite' are essentially verbs that describe the same thing.

 

[TH55]

Why does there need to both? Favourite is the same thing with a different name. It's doing the same thing. Showing you liked the post and giving you a place to view it later. 'Like' and 'Favourite' are essentially verbs that describe the same thing.

I've already explained it several times if you would just read the rest of the thread. Favorite is a bookmark feature that saves the tweet in a list, it is simply used as a like button due to a lack of one. If you want to save a tweet that you found interesting or funny it would be nearly impossible to find it in a list at the rate people favorite things. Therefore, no they are not the same thing.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Usually, though not always, I pick something less trivial to get upset about.

 

[TH55]

Usually, though not always, I pick something less trivial to get upset about.

Not really upset it's just hard to not vocalize when I see an obvious flaw/need for improvement. Especially when it could easily be implemented and it would make it much more efficient.

 

[MacDawg]

People use it the way it makes the most sense to them, and who can blame them?

Not sure they need to check with someone on the proper use of a feature that they can clearly choose to use the way they want

Sounds to me like Twitter has left it open to the user to decide how they want to use it, and that's good enough for me

 

[TH55]

People use it the way it makes the most sense to them, and who can blame them?

Not sure they need to check with someone on the proper use of a feature that they can clearly choose to use the way they want

Sounds to me like Twitter has left it open to the user to decide how they want to use it, and that's good enough for me

Of course they use it how they want. But you can't discount the fact that they're clearly using it as a like button because it is the only option for such a function. If there were a like button in addition to a bookmark function, the system would be much more efficient for all users.

 

[MacDawg]

Of course they use it how they want. But you can't discount the fact that they're clearly using it as a like button because it is the only option for such a function. If there were a like button, the system would be much more efficient.

If there were a "like" button, the system would be redundant IMO and for most people

 

[rdowns]

Rather than rant in a tech forum, perhaps you should be tweeting @dickc. Just a thought.

 

[TH55]

If there were a "like" button, the system would be redundant IMO and for most people

No, because the "like" button would remedy the problem of unnecessarily storing every "like" in a list that no one uses.

People "like" the most trivial, unremarkable things simply to acknowledge the tweet and user, it's used as a form of communication not as a bookmark function.

No one wants a list of hundreds of tweets that say "lol" and "ugh mornings suck." Those should be reserved for a like button, while clever jokes, quotes, and memorable tweets should be bookmarked with the favorite feature. It's not that complicated.

 

[MacDawg]

No, because the "like" button would remedy the problem of unnecessarily storing every "like" in a list that no one uses.

People "like" the most trivial, unremarkable things simply to acknowledge the tweet and user, it's used as a form of communication not as a bookmark function. No one wants a list of hundreds of tweets that say "lol" and "ugh mornings suck." There should be two.

A clear case of "my way is the right way and everyone else is wrong"
It isn't unnecessary if I want to go back and see all the tweets I have favorited/liked

If you don't want to look at the list, then don't... no harm no foul

I think the vast majority of Twitter users have found a way to use this feature without having an issue with it

But you would be better served contacting Twitter with your suggestion
If they deem it worthy (unlikely) they will address it
Very few here seem to support your notion, and none can do anything about it

 

[Menel]

The purpose of this feature is to save a collection of tweets you found funny or interesting.

People favorite so many tweets that it's impossible that it is being successfully used for this purpose.

I see people favorite the most trivial, inconsequential tweets like one word responses that couldn't possibly be understood as standalone tweets out of context.

Clearly, it is being used exactly as the "like" button is on Facebook. Strange. They should remedy this by adding a like button.

It is a like feature, so these people are using it correctly.

When you 'favorite' a website in Safari, it stores that to a collection and does NOT notify the website. However, a twitter 'favorite' notifies the original tweeter just like a facebook 'like'. They are analogous.

It is a LIKE feature, people use it as such. YOU are confused.

Support documentation helps users that are as lost and confused as you are. It is shocking to me that something like twitter even needs support documentation... But you are proof thats it good that they provide such.

Favorites, represented by a small star icon next to a Tweet, are most commonly used when users like a Tweet. Favoriting a Tweet can let the original poster know that you liked their Tweet, or you can save the Tweet for later.

 

[TH55]

It is a like feature, so these people are using it correctly.

When you 'favorite' a website in Safari, it stores that to a collection and does NOT notify the website. However, a twitter 'favorite' notifies the original tweeter just like a facebook 'like'. They are analogous.

A Twitter "favorite" also stores it to a collection, just like Safari's bookmark feature. So by your logic, it shares just as much commonality with both features, and is analogous to both the bookmark and the like button. That is exactly my point.

It is a LIKE feature, people use it as such. YOU are confused.

Support documentation helps users that are as lost and confused as you are. It is shocking to me that something like twitter even needs support documentation... But you are proof thats it good that they provide such.

I'm not confused about anything, I know exactly how it works. I'm simply saying there are two functions and therefore there should be two buttons, most people don't want or need a cluttered list of forgettable tweets like "lol" and "ugh finals, kill me now!".

That quote from twitter has already been posted, and it simply says "is most commonly used" which is correct. Nowhere does it say that was the original purpose which is debatable.

----------

A clear case of "my way is the right way and everyone else is wrong"

I never said that, and reducing my argument that I have taken ample time and care to articulate thoroughly to a childish tantrum is disingenuous and deflective.

It isn't unnecessary if I want to go back and see all the tweets I have favorited/liked

If you don't want to look at the list, then don't... no harm no foul

But that's my point, I DO want to look at this list. I just don't want it cluttered with inconsequential and mindless tweets like "yolo" and "Starbucks makes me smile".

 

[rdowns]

Everything is blurred on what’s right and what’s wrong. Using favorite button ambiguity becomes fine. Start with ambiguous behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men. Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers -- they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right. We need a like button.

 

[Todd B.]

I've already explained it several times if you would just read the rest of the thread. Favorite is a bookmark feature that saves the tweet in a list, it is simply used as a like button due to a lack of one. If you want to save a tweet that you found interesting or funny it would be nearly impossible to find it in a list at the rate people favorite things. Therefore, no they are not the same thing.

Ok then, download the Pocket Chrome extension, right click on the link, and save for later.

 

[TH55]

Ok then, download the Pocket Chrome extension, right click on the link, and save for later.

Oh cool, an actual compromise. Thank u sir.