Stars and Flags are there any rules

Pleazse forgive my newbie questions, but I assume we give stars to posts we like? Are there any rules about giving stars?

Is it bad to Flag a thread? I see threads with lots of flags and I'm assuming this is to let people know a thread is worth reading, but in other board flagging a thread is because it is bad.

Cheers people.

a reply to: lortl

Both are good things and you can distribute however you like. Cheers.

a reply to: lortl

Generally, stars are to let posters know you liked what they said. Flags are to draw attention to the thread. You can see how popular a thread is becoming by noting the number of flags on the top, recent, live and new pages in the tool bar at the top of the page.

I don't seem to be able to flag

a reply to: lortl
They are also popular to give to those who have the same political persuasion to slap each each other on the back.

Or to add up how they fall on either side of the issue as if they are votes and see who is winning the battle of the thread.

They are also good for helping build up and maintain the ego of those who strive to validate themselves by having a lot of them.

I think that there are also people who just skip through a thread and star everything they come across, one after another after another. So use them however you want, hand them out like candy or hold them for only the finest posts you find. Your choice.
So have a good time here lortl and see you around.

a reply to: lortl

You can't flag your own threads and you cannot star your own posts.

Star if you agree with the post, or even to how it is delivered not necessarily the agreement in the message. I try to, but don't always get around it, to star my own thread participants or even those who reply to posts. Though, being(likely minority) not too found about caring for stars for oneself personally, figures it helps the community know they are appreciated.

a reply to: lortl

I tend to just star everything whether I like it or not because I have OCD and I have to see those empty stars become filled on every page. I still do it on posts I already starred, because I have to see those empty stars gone! Some of us are just silly like that.

a reply to: AmericanRealist

lofl

a reply to: AmericanRealist

Ah ... a kindred spirit.