> The suggested alternative is to "Subscribe" to an issue for updates, which is what I've started doing to issues that I want to show my support for. My support, however, isn't visible to anyone else.
Though following the resolution of an issue usually means I'd like for it to be resolved, the converse isn't true: I've hit thousands of issues over the years but most of the time I've been able to work around them and haven't hit it since, resolving the issue would be nice for people coming after me, but I don't really care to be spammed by its status updates.
So yes, "subscribe" could count as a +1, but no "subscribe" should not be the only way to "+1" an issue.
Though following the resolution of an issue usually means I'd like for it to be resolved, the converse isn't true: I've hit thousands of issues over the years but most of the time I've been able to work around them and haven't hit it since, resolving the issue would be nice for people coming after me, but I don't really care to be spammed by its status updates.
So yes, "subscribe" could count as a +1, but no "subscribe" should not be the only way to "+1" an issue.