Polls - would you like to be able to start them?

[JustineMumsnet]

It's been suggested on another thread that it would be a nice idea for mumsnetters to be able to start polls. i.e. when you start a thread you can set up a poll to go with it and specify a start time and end time. Then people can vote and see a page showing the vote balance.

Votes would be private and limited to one per nickname but results public.

So for every Am I being unreasonable? - type thread you could actually get a majority view if you wanted.

Anyway Tech says he can do without too much trouble - what do folks think - would you like it or no? (now if only we could start a poll on this...)

Not keen on polls - so no.

(a fuddy-duddy, stick-in-the-mud type emoticon might be very useful though )

Hmmmm.

Not sure.

It could be interesting. But, it could be tedious, having the results of a poll regurgitated ad nauseum for someone to prove a point....

Yea I love polls. Too many people complain about their opinion not counting but don't know how to make their voice heard.

I would say ............No.

You can not legislate for PMT/Grumpiness and a just plain ordinary old fashioned bad day attitude.

These could seriously skew the results.

I'll tell you what Justine, iiwy I would charge members of the media to be able to carry out a poll on here. (not me obviously)

Oh dear looks like I'm going to be in the minority on this one!!!

fgs... you all start poll threads all the time! this would just be a way of actully being able to see the results without reading 500 posts

sounds interesting...as long as it's not done in a tacky ticker sort of way

I think that polls may take away from the endless debates that moral dilemma/am I being unreasonable type threads inspire and they are part of the very make up of mn.

Seems to me that the media is full of non-stop bloody polling. At least on MN we can all have a nice chat instead of being constantly implored to 'push our red buttons' (wherever they are).

Agree with Carmenere, the present set up encourages debate albeit heated at times.

no
cos as Califrau says, on the other sites, they're just really banal and annoying. I think debate should be encouraged (as should making people READ every post on a thread before wading in 400 posts in with a 'haven't read the whole thread only the OP but.... - can you enforce that )

Debate is a far more interesting, intelligent and dynamic way of gathering opinion than a plain yes or no. As well as which, things aren't always so black and white that you can sum up your feelings with a yes or a no - opinions deserve to be qualified with explanations.

Plus intelligent debate has been known to change people's opinions ... maybe it doesn't happen often here, but it can happen. No poll will do that.

Plus it's one step closer to making MN just like every other parenting board out there.

I was someone who suggested this and I would like it but I can see that I'm alone in this! I don't think there's any way it would stifle debate, it would just be a different way of asking for people's quick opinions on something. Agree that media requests should be chargeable. It could be in a separate topic "polls" so if you didn't want to look at it you wouldn't have to.

I think a poll is a good idea - yes, debate is interesting but I do feel that sometimes, the debate is skewed by dominant posters and people with a view that is perhaps in the minority, therefore don't post. Therefore it can look as if the majority think one thing but it may be that isn't true. I bet people look to see what their 'friends' think and post accordingly and less confident MNetters just won't post at all if they think that their view will received negatively or if they think that it will change people's perception of them on the boards.

A poll is a good way to just put your hand up and be counted without anyone knowing who you are. If you want to back it up with a post within the debate then you could.

few things are ever black and white - particularly where human beings are concerned. When people ask for advice on here they are not neccessarily looking for a yes/no ansswer. Besides, there have been times on MN where the sheer debating skills of some people have completely changed my opinion on something - or at least shaken it up a little.
People have their own polls on here anyway, don't make it a formal thing. I'm still coming to terms with the profile thingy (don't strictly approve....) so don't give us anymore bloody gimmicks for at least a year, OK?

Anyone else with strong views on this?

I personally don't like them. Especially when they descend into polls about absolutely nothing at all.

I think they are a good thing.
They don't stop the debate they just give an overall consensus.

Message withdrawn

I don't think they're a bad idea - I think overall polls (i.e. run by mumsnet) would be good - people are always asking how often do you do things like washes, sex blah blah blah and those threads can be v tedious to read through, easier to just read poll results as they happen.

Message withdrawn

not sure if posters should be allowed to start polls though

or formula feeding

execution or stay of