WHY DON'T WE HAVE POLLS?

[dizietsma]

Mumsnet is not a very sophisticated looking forum, but I think it would be very interesting if we could incorporate a simple polling function that presents answers in bar chart form like other message boards do. Is there a reason we don't? Is it too much hassle to add such a function?

[Tech]

Hi there, we had a straw poll (about a year ago I think) about whether people wanted the ability to start polls or not, and the general consensus was that most people would rather not have them running as it's easy enough to start a thread saying "what you think about x" instead.

[AbbyMumsnet]

Not sophisticated? I'll have you know that at our last meeting we dined on prawn cocktail, washed down with Blue Nun...

Anyhow, re' polls, I'll ask them that know and get back to you!

[AbbyMumsnet]

x- posts!

[newlifenewname]

Polls is for hunnees

[Jackstini]

Agree Tech - but it's not as easy to see a quick answer if you have got to read a very long thread. (who I am trying to kid - I would read it anyway!)
I am sure having a poll would not stop people posting - would probably create a thread for every poll...

[Threadworm]

Polls wd be pretty valueless imo.

The info garnered is completely unrepresentative, because you can't be sure a cross section of members respond, so there is nothing to be gained from converting an informal 'what do you think about fruit shoots' thread into the pseudo-representative/scientific formal format of a poll.

Plus, advertisers would thwen want to smuggle in polls that were worded to puff their product.

[dizietsma]

I agree with Jackstini, it's a pain to read a 400 page long thread and then tally up everyones responses, that's really why I suggested it.

[WigWamBam]

If you're interested enough in the topic, then reading the thread is far more enlightening and entertaining than seeing it reduced to a set of percentages.

Often the debate is far more important than tallying figures up at the end of it. Taking in both sides, reading the reasons why people feel the way they do, maybe even finding yourself swayed by a persuasive argument (yes, OK, so that last one is a bit optimistic ) - you can't do that with a straightforward yes or no. You can't do a subject or a thread justice by reducing it to Yes, No or Maybe. And if you can, then it's probably not a very interesting subject in the first place!

Polls are a very sterile, characterless way of looking at things, and don't allow the interaction between posters which is such an intrinsic part of the MN boards.