when likes are turned off I feel like I need to comment instead, which makes things even noisier in forum threads.
You can comment but make sure you are not gonna response a very common word/s it could mean a spam. This is a forum mate not a social media site where you can instant like or heart those post that you like or dislike.
In forum especially like this, moderators are strict and even users have a chance to report they think non substantial post or response. We understand that you are a newbie but you must study first the rules in order to faliliarize yourself with such query.