When and why do you become someone's fan?

Question

preetha · Answer

I am trying to understand whether having a lot of fans has any meaning.

hero · Answer

People usually fan others for one of two reasons: they are interested in that person or they want to send that other person a fan message.

hero · Answer

I don't know if that helps or not.

geometry_hater · Answer

Usually because they are interested in the person  either by the chat or by  working with the person who asked the question

hero · Answer

It's an interesting thing to discuss. Are you thinking about making changes to it?

geometry_hater · Answer

Interestingly enough once you fan someone you cannot un-fan them

hero · Answer

actually, you CAN un-fan them

geometry_hater · Answer

Really!? i didn't even notice.

hero · Answer

Yeah, I didn't figure it out at first either, but after being here for a while, I eventually figured it out.

geometry_hater · Answer

Oh i see it's the little black dot when ever you highlight a persons profile.

anonymous · Answer

I would say same as Hero

however I have seen that other fan each other just for experience (but I haven't noticed that it adds experience or I just don't know to which group it adds experience :D)

lilg132 · Answer

to send them a private message via fan message

lilg132 · Answer

yes i haven't noticed any xp points being added everytime you get a fan maybe thats a bug?

myininaya · Answer

lilg fan messages aren't private

myininaya · Answer

I fan people who help me 
and 
also fan people who have shown me that they really wanted to figure out how to do a problem

myininaya · Answer

or problem(s)

myininaya · Answer

I also fan people who I feel have superior smarts

myininaya · Answer

compared to my own

anonymous · Answer

i think becoming a fan of someone is like supporting his work,experience,knowledge ect.

shadowfiend · Answer

Fanning does not give you experience, no. Experience at the moment is reserved for specific groups, and fans are a global concept.

anonymous · Answer

I am pretty sure I get message saying you got 100xp when someone fan's me

anonymous · Answer

yeah just tested, it's true, screen attached

preetha · Answer

This is a great discussion.  So, to recap: 
1. When you are interested in that person (in reverse, people with a lot of fans have been found interesting x times)
2. When you want to say something in private - a kluge for private message, except not really private.
3. When someone has helped you ( yes, more fans, you have been found helpful more often)
4. When you think someone is smart (documents perception of intelligence)
5. You support them, ie. like #1 you find them interesting.
6. Someone liked your attitude to learning, wanting to learn etc.  (So tells me that you have a good attitude.)
So positive things.  So Number of Fans can globally report on Positive Attributes.
Yes?

lilg132 · Answer

yes

sasogeek · Answer

cool discussion lol :P i missed it

preetha · Answer

I want to hear what you say Saso.  Always!

preetha · Answer

Any other additions welcome.  Yes, I am wondering what this documents and how it can be useful to you, the user.

anonymous · Answer

missed one mine point :P but in general yes

preetha · Answer

7. People fan someone to gain an Xp. (Sorry Tomas, I was waiting for Shadowfiend) (so here I could not really tease out the self serving motive, I fan you to get me points.)

sasogeek · Answer

I fan people most often than not because i think they need help due to their previous questions, when they notice i fanned them, sometimes, some of them do fan me back, we establish a connection through that and they can ask me to help them personally via "testimonials"... I fan others cos I think they're smarter than me and I can get help from them anytime... at least once they notice i fanned them, i have their attention cos not everyone uses the chat actually... I also do fan others because (I'll tell the truth), simply, they are girls... that's all :D that said though, i haven't fanned all the ppl i think are smarter than me cos I can always talk to them if the need be someway somehow without necessarily being their fan

preetha · Answer

8. To connect to people (ahem, girls) (So when someone has a lot of fans, they are people that other users have wanted to connect to, to get to know, to become a friend of, so OpenStudy is not a lonely place anymore.  SO people with a lot of fans are Socially Liked)
How about that?

anonymous · Answer

Well it's no necessary for xp, it was only my assumption and, as shadowfiend said you don't get xp, but anyway  there are people who just say "fan me, I will fan you back" , I just saw it like one hour ago

preetha · Answer

But you had a gif for proof

anonymous · Answer

oh also about girls, I saw in chat someone saying "when you have a woman picture you get more fans" and then someone answered "oh cool, I will put sexy girl to get more fans" :D

preetha · Answer

That is so funny.  Serves them right.  AAAAH.

anonymous · Answer

As I understand uou don't get xp when fanned, it's just shows that you do

preetha · Answer

You are right, I just checked.

pokemon23 · Answer

that's why i fan hero my math tutor :)

karatechopper · Answer

why because they think u r nice and help em

anonymous · Answer

I become a fan if someone is really helpful and has helped me out of a tough problem or question.

karatechopper · Answer

or they r nice

earthcitizen · Answer

I fan people because of the problems

hero · Answer

I fan people when they are hot

earthcitizen · Answer

i fan ppl, to help and be helped

hero · Answer

I fan people who earn my respect