You may have noticed a few small changes roll onto the site today. The biggest is the return of a quality rating feature for you to show your approval — or disapproval — of posts and comments. Gone are the stars that drove me a little nuts.

In their place, welcome the thumbs. The goal of either icon set is to give you the opportunity to influence the experience on this site in yet another way. For now, we’ll be able to do simple things like feature the most highly-rated content. This kind of system sets us up to be able to do other, much bigger things like display highly rated content more prominently (and the inverse — reduce the prominence of low-rated experiences.) The difference between stars and thumbs — I’m hoping — is helping balance the 1-star impulse. It’s easy to dole out a 1-star rating — it’s the most obvious choice if you don’t think something is of high enough quality. But the range of stars for positive ratings is a fuzzier choice. Hoping that the thumbs bring a more clear, binary framework to the whole thing. And now I’ve written way more about them than the silly little things deserve.

You can also show your approval this week by joining other in supporting CHS during our one-week pledge drive. Make a pledge to CHS today. For more on why you might give to CHS, see our CHS Pledge Drive post.

Here are the updated totals through the first 2.5 days of the drive. We wrap up Monday so please consider dropping a few dollars in the hat in the next couple of days. Or now. Or just click on a thumb. Whatever makes you happy.

Day 3 totals:
Pledges: 18
Dollars raised: $875
% of Goal: 44%

Thanks so much for everybody who has given so far. And, again, even if you don’t give, you’re the key component to our success. Thanks for being part of it.