Boosts are sort of like likes. I can like a YouTube video just because I appreciate the creator’s overall work. This is the same concept.
So boosts without prints are okay. There are a lot of people who do not print larger parts to save material, and that will funnel all the boosts for small parts like vases and similar parts. That is already a reality, as is. So…
IIRC the whole point of boosts was to be able to reward a creator if you couldn’t/wouldn’t print their design
It let designers keep making really complex projects, and not just ditch them for small and short prints because it was worth points.
Boost what you want
I boost models that I think deserve it. they might be innovative, or elegant, or maybe I’ve just downloaded the file for future use but haven’t printed it yet.
Also, it seems like failed prints cannot be rated five star. However, it happened to me to get downrated when indeed the reason for failure was a technical issue with the AMS. So this rating and boosting is kind of random anyway.
If you download something without being logged in it won’t show that you’ve downloaded it. Unless you just login and then redownload so it records that you did.
Boosts also expire, for those of us that are not printing 24/7 we cannot print every model we download immediatly or like but can save the file for later and still use up an expiring boost rather than waste it.
So please don’t rock the boat or they will put a stop to it 
This. And especially when I think the author deserves something for their work and I’m not going to print it because I’m missing parts or I don’t need it, but I really like the idea of the author giving it for everyone else.
I’m boosting a model without printing it, when I see a lot of work made by creator and think it’s a really cool model and I want to see more, like this in future, but current model not needed(required) at this moment.
Boosting literally costs you nothing. The Boosts expire if you dont use them. I encourage you to boost anything that catches your eye. I think you may be over thinking things.
I think I get a few extra boosts because if one doesn’t leave a comment after boosting and click cancel, you don’t know if the model was boosted. When i was a noob not that long ago, I accidentally used up all my boosts that way. “Cancel”, cancels the comment, but not the “boost” after you press Boost. It’s not obvious until you learn the hard way.
I think in those instances, it’s good practice to rate the design with 3 stars and give an explanation with some constructive feedback. The boost is more valuable than then a poor star rating. The feedback helps the community too. Something like 10 prints with an average of more than 4 stars is equivalent to one boost in points.
I do not so much have a problem with boosted models - it could just be the user likes a model?
What really bothers me is users that have not designed/uploaded any model (and hence don’t understand how much effort this is) and who then write super critical negative comments. Some of my models that get 4-5 stars from everyone have been rated 2 stars by such users. When asked what they’d like to improve they normally don’t even bother to reply. I wonder if it’s possible to restrict the rating system for new users, somehow…
I get your sentiment and understand why you might think it’s a bad idea. I’ll offer you my perspective though.
I sometimes, but not often, boost a model simply because I like the concept and think that the designer really “thought out of the box” with their design. I’ll also click the like button even without printing it. In some cases, I have liked or boosted and saved to a “to print” collection so that I can come back to it later when I have the time to print it.
Hope my perspective helps to understand why some might not print but still boost.
Very good point. It’s pretty much what I do as well. If it think it’s a cool concept and I have several boosts then I’m going to give them a boost to keep up the good work and come up with more cool stuff. I’m glad to see that others feel the same way.
Bambu Lab doesn’t know if I printed the models or not, as many times I just download them and sometimes print on other brand’s printers. That’s something I refuse to give to BL, my BL printers are most of the time OFF network. So, I have boosted models that do not show as printed.
I’ve boosted loads of things i’ve not printed, somethings you see that look cool but you don’t need or want to print… but appreciate someone bothered to make it
I usually boost stuff I see that I think is a good idea but has no or very few downloads
This, this right here… This is why I’ve boosted models without printing them, and who’s to say they won’t be printed later?
I don’t always post that I print a model but I will boost it with no comments. Since the new legal stuff I haven’t boosted anything.
Starting tomorrow a lot about boosting will change: