Thanks and Groan?

[pink_cottonball]

Today is the first day I realized these buttons on the bottom of others peoples' posts. I also noticed the stats (for lack of a better word) about them by everyone's location. Because T and other mods stated in a thread about rating systems, with a negative feeling towards them, I am wondering what is the deal with these? If I understand the way the system works correctly, it doesn't seem much different form a rating system. It might be a problem with trolls,etc. Just curious. I imagine it has everything to do with the new server and the problems T is having with the forum. I really don't have a problem with them at all, I am just wondering how exactly the system works.