Some context: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/separate-like-and-bookmark-buttons/418
0 voters
Other: I had not intentionally marked any observation as āfavoriteā in part because if I want to follow an observation that capability is separately available, just as I can also follow friends (or students) and assist with IDs. Thus in my own use and work flow in iNaturalist I had not found a reason to use this feature. I guess I needed the option āI do not use this feature.ā Thanks for this poll, the poll will help me better understand how this feature is being used by the community and may help me to start using the feature in an appropriate manner!
Other: The species or taxa is interesting, not necessarily an iNat first, and/or the organism itself is interesting for that species, which may or may not equate to good photos.
I admit, I am pretty generous with my faves and use them for diverse reasons. Iām going to check out that link above, since I could use separate buttons for āI like this thing! :Dā and āI want to look at this later for X reasonā
I find it a pity that so many ppl are using fav for bookingmarking. It impacts on other pplās experience of the site. Use your browser bookmarks instead and leave favs for the good stuff.
So, having read that thread ā separate categories of faves are not likely to be added and I actually agree with peopleās reasoning there.
BUT I wish I could sort my faves into categories (visible only to me) for an easy way to find things later. That way it can function as a bookmark OR a more generic fave button.
And what is the āgood stuff?ā Is it the same for you and me and averyone else?
Serious question: how does it impact your use of the site if someone else faves an observation as a way of bookmarking it?
Other than getting a notification and a short dopamine rush, it doesnāt affect me when I get a fave.
I find myself faving an observation first due to its beauty. If there is a really pretty Buprestid, Iāll fave it. (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35289083)
Iāll also fave if the observation is rare, new, or significant to the iNat or general community. (See iNatās only Acmaeodera robigo https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/11265477)
Third, if I myself particularily enjoy the observation for whatever reason, Iāll fave. (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/35511517 The picture is not great, nor is it the first time this species has been posted. However, it happens to be my 2nd favourite insect, and I canāt help by fave every time I see one.)
Fourth, if the observation is significant and I want to come back to it, Iāll fave it. Most every time, this has to do with time or knowledge, in which I know Iāll figure it out, but I canāt at the moment. (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7136891 where I found the ID 6 months later, but would have killed myself searching through all the observations manually.)
Finally Gerald (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5890862)
All in all, I fave quite a bit, but donāt find a use for separating different categories of faves. It is not particularly difficult to scroll through the faves, and it can also be fun to do so :). There is no set in stone definition of faving, so no one is breaking any rules by faving an observation āincorrectly.ā The most I would want to be changed is possibly a way to easily sort through faves by taxon or location or RG/Needs ID similar to the personal observation page.
Faving will often help me to know someone is enjoying my observations in some way or another.
I also fav observations with somewhat funny or interesting stories behind, most of the times due to a funny-charismatic person behind the observation, like this one for example:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9152365
My other: It shows interesting behavior or interactions
Some folks use iNat and Flickr to find photos they might use in a publication and will fave the pic (bookmark it) for possible later use. I and Iām sure others have received such requests occasionally to use a photo.
Other - I have no idea what it is, and want to follow the discussion as it reaches ID.
You can just follow the observation instead of faving it. I do this a lot. The option is here:
Why do you think the stuff is not a good thing if it is marked for the reason āto be researched furherā? Generally it means that photo is of good quality (at least good enough) and the organism is interesting - not (let us say) something like Xanthoria parietina in Europe. I fave mainly such as the former. Or the records that might be interesting for some further use.
Actually for that specific purpose I manually follow, since Iāll not be returning on my own initiative, rather when there is an update by someone else.
Oh ā
Other:
When there is a previous record I will need to make a future ID, eg an observation of an individual fruiting plant, which I want to record again later when itās bare. That way I can easily find the old observation and link back to it.
Other - I actually donāt use the favorites section very much. When I do, it is for an interesting conversation, rather than just a photo.
