Most people don’t ask questions, users will jump at the chance to GA pals only, hence the discrepancy.

I give GQs sometimes when I don’t even answer the question. If others answer it so well I feel little about my own potential reply. I GQ when it makes me feel like someone can be really helped by seeing the question and answers. I alo give GQ if the question allows several to be entertained fairly well, like lots of very silly answers to keep us all laughing.
I don’t GQ something which is very poorly written unless it seems to be serving a strong purpose. I don’t Gq a question which is like, “Do you think it is bad that it rained on these people’s picnic? See link.”
I GQd this question, because I feel there are lots of questions which should get GQd, and maybe one or two besides me do. Maybe the hint/reminder will help. Hearkat told me that only some of those count for points, but it is still nice to see that other people like what you have to say. I have answers where people refer to my answer, say they agree, but there is a zero under my answer. That too strikes me as odd.

Maybe it’s because there are a lot less people here now than there used to be.

I can’t say I’ve noticed much of a drop-off in GQs compared to the past. As far back as I can remember, people have remarked that the GQ button gets neglected (example).

I’ve not been around a lot recently to notice, but now that I have returned, I shall monitor the situation and report back :) GQ by the way ;)

I’m great about GA, poor at GQ. If the button was at the bottom I would have a tendency to GQ any question I took the time to answer in a meaningful way. Most of the time I just don’t think to do that. Usually my GQs are to a question I return to that I answered and is generating positive traffic.

It’s obvious that lurve in its entirety is down, but I have noticed GQs are rarer than GAs. My thought is that it has to do with people being quick to answer and join in the discussion. They jump in so fast that they forget to hit the GQ button. I find myself guilty of this at times.

@ibstubro I used to be the same way. Now I am in the habit of clicking on the GQ after reading it and before moving on to reading the answers.

It is unfortunate that there is no obvious notation that the GQ has already been clicked on, like the GA function has.

I take the time to give new users GQs. I hope it encourages them to stay and ask more questions. It’s not something I really think about if the question is asked by an old timer. I think it would help if the button was on the bottom of the page, but we all know that won’t happen any time soon, if ever.

2009 seems to have been a frustrating time for points.
http://www.fluther.com/38976/fluther-newcomers-have-you-been-bitten-by-the-lurve-bug/

I’ve noticed that too. I also forget to award GQ at times, but now make a point of it. Perhaps one forgets how encouraging it can be for both older and newer people.

A lot of questions back in the day inspired discussion. I think that type of question is more likely to get a GQ than a jelly asking a question with a direct answer.

We still have discussion questions, but not as often. We used to discuss politics a lot, maybe that will heat up as the Presidential race in America heats up. Not that politics is the only good question, far from it. I felt like we were all very interested in each other’s opinions, rather than critiquing each other.

I think we also had some more freedom answering. When a question generated a great discussion I sometimes went back and clicked the GQ even if I hadn’t already. Possibly the separation of social and general affected this and also more modding.

I’m guessing it’s because there are a lot less users round deez ‘eer parts. Lurve itself has decreased a lot.

Agreed, @Symbeline.

I find just the opposite at this stage, @JLeslie. Social questions are most likely to garner a lot of GAs. Serious discussion questions? Not so much.

Hell sometimes there isn’t even 15 questions in a 24 hour period. :/

I remember waking up to find questions with over 100 responses that were asked while I was sleeping and thinking I missed out on the party. I can’t remember the last time that happened. This place is a ghost town now.

I’m really happy you returned @Symbeline :)

@ibstubro I use social for almost everything. Some of the discussions years ago were incredible. We still have those sometimes, but the knowledge level and argumentative style was different. There was more fighting, more challenging each other on ideas, but it was great. IMO. The topics discussed were more controversial.

I use Social more, too, because I like the conversations that ensue and how they often take a meandering path. I don’t like missing out on what may be vital parts of a conversation because they don’t rigidly follow a topic, like what happens in General.

Social was not Fluther’s function?