Comments on: The Like as interest and social gesture http://johnnyholland.org/2010/09/the-like-as-interest-and-social-gesture/ It's all about interaction Wed, 05 Jun 2013 06:03:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Adrian Chan http://johnnyholland.org/2010/09/the-like-as-interest-and-social-gesture/#comment-113279 Adrian Chan Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:46:26 +0000 http://johnnyholland.org/?p=7765#comment-113279 Pieter, I completely agree -- ambiguity is a currency of sorts here. I don't think I'd see formalization of the gesture in ways that make it more precise unless accompanied by some kind of context. In fact, context may be a way to supplement the gesture with additional meta. From a user perspective, ambiguity is more or less fine -- we're much better suited to working out what it means than any system. But for those in the business of capturing meta data from Likes, such as to use in advertising etc, it's more tricky. It was to the imprecision of the Like for those folks that I had the design breakdown in mind. Pieter,

I completely agree — ambiguity is a currency of sorts here. I don’t think I’d see formalization of the gesture in ways that make it more precise unless accompanied by some kind of context. In fact, context may be a way to supplement the gesture with additional meta.

From a user perspective, ambiguity is more or less fine — we’re much better suited to working out what it means than any system.

But for those in the business of capturing meta data from Likes, such as to use in advertising etc, it’s more tricky. It was to the imprecision of the Like for those folks that I had the design breakdown in mind.

]]> By: Pieter Jongerius http://johnnyholland.org/2010/09/the-like-as-interest-and-social-gesture/#comment-113278 Pieter Jongerius Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:00:58 +0000 http://johnnyholland.org/?p=7765#comment-113278 I my opinion, the funny thing of this all is -- it doesn't matter. At least for users. True, as a designer you will have to understand the motivation of users to express them in this way. Only if you get a grip on the dozens of reasons people may express a like, you can apply the mechanism in an effective way. But I strongly believe that the like has become so popular /because/ it can mean many things, and you can remain ambiguous about it. And that it would be a mistake to make it more...sophisticated. For instance, I may express a like on an individual post of someone I vaguely know not because I like that post, but because I want to express appreciation towards that person. I want that to remain implicit. These nuanced messages are often best left in the heads of sender and receiver, and not have a somewhat cognitive interface for something so emotional and intuitive. Maybe likes are the body language of social. Cheers, Pieter I my opinion, the funny thing of this all is — it doesn’t matter. At least for users. True, as a designer you will have to understand the motivation of users to express them in this way. Only if you get a grip on the dozens of reasons people may express a like, you can apply the mechanism in an effective way.

But I strongly believe that the like has become so popular /because/ it can mean many things, and you can remain ambiguous about it. And that it would be a mistake to make it more…sophisticated. For instance, I may express a like on an individual post of someone I vaguely know not because I like that post, but because I want to express appreciation towards that person. I want that to remain implicit.

These nuanced messages are often best left in the heads of sender and receiver, and not have a somewhat cognitive interface for something so emotional and intuitive.

Maybe likes are the body language of social.

Cheers,
Pieter

]]> By: Pete Love http://johnnyholland.org/2010/09/the-like-as-interest-and-social-gesture/#comment-113277 Pete Love Sun, 12 Sep 2010 20:28:41 +0000 http://johnnyholland.org/?p=7765#comment-113277 I think you hit the nail on the head when you describe 'Likes' as being like social bookmarks. Such a simplistic statement as 'like' tells us very little... it can be mean so many things, including simply a desire of the user to associate themselves with the content in front of, like you say, an audience. I think you hit the nail on the head when you describe ‘Likes’ as being like social bookmarks. Such a simplistic statement as ‘like’ tells us very little… it can be mean so many things, including simply a desire of the user to associate themselves with the content in front of, like you say, an audience.

]]> By: The Evolution of Likes as Social Gestures | Lifestream Blog http://johnnyholland.org/2010/09/the-like-as-interest-and-social-gesture/#comment-113276 The Evolution of Likes as Social Gestures | Lifestream Blog Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:48:52 +0000 http://johnnyholland.org/?p=7765#comment-113276 [...] social gesture. Thanks to Svartling I came across this very interesting post titled “The like as interest and social gesture” written by Adrian Chan. It really made me give some more thought to “likes”, [...] [...] social gesture. Thanks to Svartling I came across this very interesting post titled “The like as interest and social gesture” written by Adrian Chan. It really made me give some more thought to “likes”, [...]

]]> By: Sherman Unkefer http://johnnyholland.org/2010/09/the-like-as-interest-and-social-gesture/#comment-113275 Sherman Unkefer Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:39:52 +0000 http://johnnyholland.org/?p=7765#comment-113275 I wonder what better terms could be used as opposed to the simplistic like? Plus, the ability to dislike something was hoped as a negative rating as opposed to the removal of like - that tweak could give some much needed added value. I wonder what better terms could be used as opposed to the simplistic like? Plus, the ability to dislike something was hoped as a negative rating as opposed to the removal of like – that tweak could give some much needed added value.

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