This is basically it. I upvote things I want to go up and downvote things I want to go down. Off-topic meta discussions about votes should always go down.
Sure, I know what it does, I'm just not sure why anyone would use it. I never do normally want a comment to go up or down (other than the odd egregiously abusive or aggressive item).
I may disagree with a comment, but that doesn't remotely generate in me an opinion re where it should sit in the tree. I don't think other people should or are likely to find a comment agreeable/interesting/relevant/insightful just because I do. Different strokes I guess.
Fair enough. I honestly suspect your signal there is more than lost amongst the noise of readers reflexively voting for what they happen to agree with. Anyway that's probably enough of this particular dead horse.
A comment more near the top will be seen more and therefore get more discussion, so if you want that, vote it up. If you want it to get less discussion, vote it down.
