Yes I agree. Threads die a quick death if they are not visible on the home page. I don't think folks click to the individual subject areas to see which threads might have been relegated off the home page. They just interact with the visible threads.
Related request: Drew, can you put in a link to the main forum page from the home page? Right now we can link to a thread, or to a subject area (like Challenge Results). Thanks.
Originally posted by sjgleah: ...Related request: Drew, can you put in a link to the main forum page from the home page? Right now we can link to a thread, or to a subject area (like Challenge Results). Thanks.
sjgleah
There''s a tiny text-based link at the very bottom of the Home page.
Paul
* This message has been edited by the author on 7/29/2002 4:39:10 PM.
i really like the way they show threads on the dpreview.com forums. there's like 50 or something on each page and it tells you how long ago someone posted to it (like dpc's does).
for actual presentation of the messages, I prefer our all on one page format.
Or, if we decided there wasn't room on the home page -- what about at least a link to a page with the 25 most recent links.
Right now, even if you have some idea of the way the forums work, you still have to go searching for the most recent threads. (Unless I've overlooked something...)
I had an idea yesterday while chatting... What if for each topic that gets started, there be a radio button. Say I'm reading a thread, not replying to it but following it, and I want to continue to follow it, But a few days pass.. i forget about it or i just never see someone reply to it on the homepage (perhaps it gets overlapped by posts to other threads).. well, I think it would be cool if this radio button was there so that we can "mark" it. Say we can mark 5 topics.. (ok so two buttons.. mark and unmark) Then, when we mark it, it gets put into our profile next to the list of topics we just posted to.
Sometimes during a challenge, I read something and want to go back to it after the challenge is done so I can figure out "ohh that person was talking about this.. " etc..
Just an idea :)
Originally posted by drewmedia: What format of forums do you guys like? Have favorite forums around the web?
I also like the "new at the top" arrangement I find I'm relying more and more on my profile to guide me to the last forums I've posted to...so soemthing along the lines of jenquin's idea appeals to me. Both the present system and the radio button suggestion remind me of the e-bay/yahoo option of "track this auction."
I'll add my vote for new stuff being at the top. It would be would be cool if the posts that have appeared since the last time you read the thread had a different background color, so it would be easy to find the line between new and old.
The bookmarking idea would be wonderful. A lot of times I read something that I want to respond to later when I have more time. Unless someone else posts after I leave and makes the thread "unread" for me again, I usually don't remember to go back. I'd rather have significantly more than 5 - say maybe 25 or 30. Each user could have a "My Forums" page that listed all their bookmarked threads plus any threads with new content since the last time they logged in.
What I would really like to see is the ability to keep threads marked "unread" until I actually read them or mark them read. I hate the fact that I can't quick login to check my score without resetting the "read" marks.
Originally posted by drewmedia: What format of forums do you guys like? Have favorite forums around the web?
Drew
I like the current format but just think the HomePage list needs to be expanded to the last 10 or 15 threads instead of 5... On Monday, threads get started at a fever pitch and alot of good threads get buried before their time.
As far as newest first, etc... I've seen sites that allow you to specify your preferance in your profile. Not sure if what your using supports that, but...
As far as a different page with the Forums, I'm not sure I like that... I tend to sit and refresh when the score update is coming up and watch the forum activity... I really like them both (scores and forums) being on the same page...
Excuse Me? Why are you all depending on the front page to see what's been posted. I always toggle back and forth between the indexpages linked at the top of the screen. aaelith
Come to think of it, I think the most useful change would be adding a link to the main forum index page down in the little gray text area at the bottom. That way I could move to the next active thread without going to the top first. aeith
