A post only to thank?
 

Hi!
I have a big metaphysical question: should one write a post only to thank another member?

I get often precious answers to my questions and most of the time I do not write any "thanks" post because then the thread comes again at the top without new infos. I only thank when I can put at the same time something new in the post.
So:
should I write anyway a post only to thank another member?

Thanks.

You can email them if they've chosen that option, or give them an Affero if they enabled it. If neither of those methods work, IMO a thanks in the thread shouldn't be a problem.

I would definitely reccomend posting a "Thanks." message. It tells the person that helped you that the issue is resolved, and it also helps anyone searching for an answer to know that yours worked. Not to mention, it's polite and makes me feel good whenever I see it :)

Also if a solution works, pointing out the steps which you took to resolve the problem would be very beneficial to the community. Remember that a lot of us use the "search" option and threads without solutions are not very helpful to future users. Thanking is a good gesture, but if people also do this, it is of greater benefit to all of us.

I definitely agree with the above comments and I would encourage all LQ'ers to post back with a Thank You note if a suggestion solved the problem. Two things to consider:

* You say that a thank you post doesn't add any "new info". I'd disagree - confirming that a particular suggestion did resolve the problem is highly useful, and can help future readers immensely because it highlights the successful corrective action. In other words, which is better: a thread with 2 or 3 misc suggestions, or that same thread with a comment from the OP indicating that one of them worked perfectly?

* Along those lines, suppose you are the one who has offered advice. Wouldn't it be nice to find out that your suggestion actually helped somebody out? To me that's what this site is all about, and so again I'd encourage everyone to followup on their threads to indicate that a particular recommendation was helpful

Thanks ;-) for your answers! You're right, I haven't thought of it: having a thanks shows that the thread proposed a solution that worked.

I like J.W. point of view. I never thaught about
the apreciation post this way either. But he is right;
confirmation of problem solved could be useful.

Here are 2 examples: link and link

Exactly.
It is both polite and practical when the one who asks says "The question is solved, thank you".
It indicates that the discussion ends on his part, and he now leaves.

Now that I really think about it: I actually get a bit angry from time to time because I get to read some posts where a solution is proposed from someone but the author of the thread doesn't say anything whether it had worked or not: no "thanks" or no "it didn't work". And I have to ask me: ok, is this solution worth trying or not? which could save a lot of time when the solution involve compiling patches or modules.