I tend to use the "New Posts" page quite a lot. Having everything on a single page, rather than checking each board individually, is a really great feature. The thing is, though, you have to constantly refresh the page. So why not set it up like the "Who's Online" page, where it automatically refreshes periodically?
What do you guys think?
I think that's a good addition. I don't check the New Posts section, but you could also use Firefox refresh plugin. I think the best (and unnecessary) is an AJAX new posts section integrated in the top of the layout that auto-refreshes (obviously) - mmorpg (.com) does something similar.
I would love to see a board that doesn't automatically assume you've read everything after X minutes. Nothing is more frustrating that when you hit New Posts, do something else, come back and everything is "read".
Yeah, I've noticed that too. I'm guessing it's probably due to the overhead of having to keep track of all of the pages not read, so it just drops them after some time, or when too many total pages are being referenced, or some similar heuristic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Elysia
>> I would love to see a board that doesn't automatically assume you've read everything after X minutes.
I've always hated that.
SMF forums don't do that, and they are much nicer to use because of it. There are a few vBulletin features I like, but as long as everything is marked read after a certain number of minutes I won't be a fan.
I actually don't use the "new posts" page, so I can't comment on the functionality there. But I will say I there is no such problem with the viewed/unviewed tracking in the forums themselves. I can come back the next day and the count is still accurate -- the "unread" posts begin right where I left off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daved
ps. never fear, MKbulletin should be beta...soon...get ready to max those browers out!
SMF looks like a pretty interesting project. It appears to be quite stable, as well. Thanks for posting that, Daved.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daved
Can't you get the same functionality with an RSS reader? Those will update as often as you want them to.
>> I can come back the next day and the count is still accurate -- the "unread" posts begin right where I left off.
The problem isn't the posts, it's the threads. If you only read a handful of threads and then leave, then come back the next day even the threads you hadn't read before are marked as read (unless new posts have been added). If that's not happening to you I'd be really interested in finding out why. It has happened to me for years on every vBulletin forum I've visited.
>> SMF looks like a pretty interesting project. It appears to be quite stable, as well. Thanks for posting that, Daved.
You're welcome. Another programming forum I occasionally visit uses it as does entropysink (with some old cprogers). One of the mods here actually worked on it for a while. I'd probably use it if I ever had the need to start a forum.
I actually find the new posts indicator to be really annoying on most forums and this one is no exception. If anyone knows how to turn it off, tell me. I can read the posts just fine because they're sorted in chronological order.
How do you know what replies you have read and which not?
Furthermore, would it not be faster to let the forum show you what posts are new (in a thread, for example), then read through the replies yourself to find out?
>> How do you know what replies you have read and which not?
The forum does let me know: Like I said, the threads are sorted chronologically. If someone posts the thread is usually bumped. Sometimes the board is fast, but I keep reading the threads I post in. It's not that hard. Can you answer my question?
Memory?Quote:
Originally Posted by Elysia
For me, it's as simple as reading a sentence or two before I realize that I read it already... It's not like I'm reading posts from a month ago.
Perhaps. How about using the Mark forums read option? It is better than nothing, I suppose. I am afraid I do not know of a way to permanently disable this feature, though, since it is the last thing I would do.Quote:
Originally Posted by whiteflags
Ah, but I would not agree that that works.Quote:
Originally Posted by SlyMaelstrom
Often you can read a hundred posts or so in a day, and it accumulates for every day, so remember exactly what post you read last in what thread might sometimes not work. I will agree that it is feasible, however, going to the last read post (forum feature) is faster.
Also, I do know about the threads that are sorted, but my main question was if you can find the replies you have not read. Fast and easy.
Only if they didn't manage to break two or three forum rules on their first post. (Although I'm pretty sure I'm responding to a spambot.)Quote:
Originally Posted by ntvinh986