Beyond the ‘silent downvote → anon feedback’ substitution (good, even if ‘public comment’ is even better) substitution, there could also be a ‘public comment --> anon feedback’ one (less good).
That said, I’m in favour of an anon feedback option: I see karma mostly serving as a barometer of community sentiment (so I’m chary of disincentivizing downvotes as this probably impairs resolution). It isn’t a good way of providing feedback to the author (a vote is only a bit or two of information). Text is better—although for me, the main reasons I don’t ‘explain my downvotes’ are mostly time, but occasionally social considerations. An anon option at least removes the latter disincentive.
Beyond the ‘silent downvote → anon feedback’ substitution (good, even if ‘public comment’ is even better) substitution, there could also be a ‘public comment --> anon feedback’ one (less good).
That said, I’m in favour of an anon feedback option: I see karma mostly serving as a barometer of community sentiment (so I’m chary of disincentivizing downvotes as this probably impairs resolution). It isn’t a good way of providing feedback to the author (a vote is only a bit or two of information). Text is better—although for me, the main reasons I don’t ‘explain my downvotes’ are mostly time, but occasionally social considerations. An anon option at least removes the latter disincentive.