Bear Down Wildcats

I've been a long time lurker, and this will be my first post. I feel like I want to contribute more here, but something is stopping me. I've noticed that the popular thing to do here (and I haven't noticed it documented anywhere), is to have forum threads (such as "Sean Miller") and keep all discussion, ever, to that one thread. To me, it makes things very hard to read for two reasons.
1. It's harder to tell how much discussion has happened recently. I can tell when the last post was made, but not how many posts have occurred since just one post will bump it to the top.
2. It makes the more obvious choice to read a thread, which is clicking on the title, most likely the wrong action to do. You would most likely be reading posts from 1 or more years ago when the topic originated.

My experience with this forum has been different than most other forums I've ever visited for these reasons. I'm wondering if anyone has done anything with settings to make it perhaps easier to deal with the things mentioned above, or if this is just not an issue for anyone else. In either case I'll shut up and enjoy and try to start participating.

BTFD.

Once you've read a thread once, if you use the "Unread Posts" function, it will take you to the first one you haven't read.

http://www.beardownwildcats.com/search. ... nreadposts" target="_blank


Most of use prefer the way it is done here as opposed to say, Scout Premium, where they have multiple threads started on the same exact subject and the mods do not typically merge them like they do here.

Of course you have to be logged in for this to work.

thezboe wrote:I've been a long time lurker, and this will be my first post. I feel like I want to contribute more here, but something is stopping me. I've noticed that the popular thing to do here (and I haven't noticed it documented anywhere), is to have forum threads (such as "Sean Miller") and keep all discussion, ever, to that one thread. To me, it makes things very hard to read for two reasons.
1. It's harder to tell how much discussion has happened recently. I can tell when the last post was made, but not how many posts have occurred since just one post will bump it to the top.
2. It makes the more obvious choice to read a thread, which is clicking on the title, most likely the wrong action to do. You would most likely be reading posts from 1 or more years ago when the topic originated.

My experience with this forum has been different than most other forums I've ever visited for these reasons. I'm wondering if anyone has done anything with settings to make it perhaps easier to deal with the things mentioned above, or if this is just not an issue for anyone else. In either case I'll shut up and enjoy and try to start participating.

BTFD.

I feel the opposite. if you have 23 threads on the same exact subject by 23 different people...it's impossible to sort through it all and get a feel for the flow of conversation since it is so wildly disjointed and scattered across the board.

UAEebs86 wrote:Once you've read a thread once, if you use the "Unread Posts" function, it will take you to the first one you haven't read.

http://www.beardownwildcats.com/search. ... nreadposts" target="_blank


Most of use prefer the way it is done here as opposed to say, Scout Premium, where they have multiple threads started on the same exact subject and the mods do not typically merge them like they do here.

Of course you have to be logged in for this to work.

See now that's helpful. I think part of the problem is that most of the time I'm not logged in when I'm reading. So I need to do a better job of that.
Thank you!

ASUHATER! wrote:

thezboe wrote:I've been a long time lurker, and this will be my first post. I feel like I want to contribute more here, but something is stopping me. I've noticed that the popular thing to do here (and I haven't noticed it documented anywhere), is to have forum threads (such as "Sean Miller") and keep all discussion, ever, to that one thread. To me, it makes things very hard to read for two reasons.
1. It's harder to tell how much discussion has happened recently. I can tell when the last post was made, but not how many posts have occurred since just one post will bump it to the top.
2. It makes the more obvious choice to read a thread, which is clicking on the title, most likely the wrong action to do. You would most likely be reading posts from 1 or more years ago when the topic originated.

My experience with this forum has been different than most other forums I've ever visited for these reasons. I'm wondering if anyone has done anything with settings to make it perhaps easier to deal with the things mentioned above, or if this is just not an issue for anyone else. In either case I'll shut up and enjoy and try to start participating.

BTFD.

I feel the opposite. if you have 23 threads on the same exact subject by 23 different people...it's impossible to sort through it all and get a feel for the flow of conversation since it is so wildly disjointed and scattered across the board.

I agree. Having two Greg Byrne is leaving threads was really annoying. Had to keep checking both.

This is the only link I use, just shows new posts: search.php?search_id=newposts" target="_blank

ASUHATER! wrote:

thezboe wrote:I've been a long time lurker, and this will be my first post. I feel like I want to contribute more here, but something is stopping me. I've noticed that the popular thing to do here (and I haven't noticed it documented anywhere), is to have forum threads (such as "Sean Miller") and keep all discussion, ever, to that one thread. To me, it makes things very hard to read for two reasons.
1. It's harder to tell how much discussion has happened recently. I can tell when the last post was made, but not how many posts have occurred since just one post will bump it to the top.
2. It makes the more obvious choice to read a thread, which is clicking on the title, most likely the wrong action to do. You would most likely be reading posts from 1 or more years ago when the topic originated.

My experience with this forum has been different than most other forums I've ever visited for these reasons. I'm wondering if anyone has done anything with settings to make it perhaps easier to deal with the things mentioned above, or if this is just not an issue for anyone else. In either case I'll shut up and enjoy and try to start participating.

BTFD.

I feel the opposite. if you have 23 threads on the same exact subject by 23 different people...it's impossible to sort through it all and get a feel for the flow of conversation since it is so wildly disjointed and scattered across the board.

I do agree with this. But usually people do the right thing and make sure there aren't topics of the same nature before they create their own. In cases where you have a race condition, the moderators should be able to just merge them together and the problem is solved.

I can see it both ways though.

thezboe wrote:

UAEebs86 wrote:Once you've read a thread once, if you use the "Unread Posts" function, it will take you to the first one you haven't read.

http://www.beardownwildcats.com/search. ... nreadposts" target="_blank


Most of use prefer the way it is done here as opposed to say, Scout Premium, where they have multiple threads started on the same exact subject and the mods do not typically merge them like they do here.

Of course you have to be logged in for this to work.

See now that's helpful. I think part of the problem is that most of the time I'm not logged in when I'm reading. So I need to do a better job of that.
Thank you!

That's definitely a disadvantage of the mega-thread approach. Seems like most feel that the many advantages outweigh the fewer disadvantages, and I agree with most on that.

As for you, thezboe, welcome. Looking forward to your posts. Another advantage of the mega-threads, imo, is they help to fold in new posters. That's because in standard message board behavior, all the really old monkeys throw poop at the new monkey who starts a thread while unaware that the topic has already been dealt with in a thread with an idiosyncratic title from several years ago.

Merkin wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

thezboe wrote:I've been a long time lurker, and this will be my first post. I feel like I want to contribute more here, but something is stopping me. I've noticed that the popular thing to do here (and I haven't noticed it documented anywhere), is to have forum threads (such as "Sean Miller") and keep all discussion, ever, to that one thread. To me, it makes things very hard to read for two reasons.
1. It's harder to tell how much discussion has happened recently. I can tell when the last post was made, but not how many posts have occurred since just one post will bump it to the top.
2. It makes the more obvious choice to read a thread, which is clicking on the title, most likely the wrong action to do. You would most likely be reading posts from 1 or more years ago when the topic originated.

My experience with this forum has been different than most other forums I've ever visited for these reasons. I'm wondering if anyone has done anything with settings to make it perhaps easier to deal with the things mentioned above, or if this is just not an issue for anyone else. In either case I'll shut up and enjoy and try to start participating.

BTFD.

I feel the opposite. if you have 23 threads on the same exact subject by 23 different people...it's impossible to sort through it all and get a feel for the flow of conversation since it is so wildly disjointed and scattered across the board.

I agree. Having two Greg Byrne is leaving threads was really annoying. Had to keep checking both.

This is the only link I use, just shows new posts: search.php?search_id=newposts" target="_blank

That's my bread and butter link. Keeps the fresh topics on top.

It's kind of the thing that makes these boards unique. I totally get that it's weird for new folks to get used to, but after a while you will wish other message boards were like this.

The "View New Posts" is your best friend!


So stop lurking and start posting more!

thezboe wrote:I've been a long time lurker, and this will be my first post. I feel like I want to contribute more here, but something is stopping me. I've noticed that the popular thing to do here (and I haven't noticed it documented anywhere), is to have forum threads (such as "Sean Miller") and keep all discussion, ever, to that one thread. To me, it makes things very hard to read for two reasons.
1. It's harder to tell how much discussion has happened recently. I can tell when the last post was made, but not how many posts have occurred since just one post will bump it to the top.
2. It makes the more obvious choice to read a thread, which is clicking on the title, most likely the wrong action to do. You would most likely be reading posts from 1 or more years ago when the topic originated.

My experience with this forum has been different than most other forums I've ever visited for these reasons. I'm wondering if anyone has done anything with settings to make it perhaps easier to deal with the things mentioned above, or if this is just not an issue for anyone else. In either case I'll shut up and enjoy and try to start participating.

BTFD.

Welcome!

This board is into megathreads for topics. I'm not the biggest fan of it, but that is the way this board has operated.

Per some of the other recent discussions about accepting what you cannot change, that is what I accept. The advice from others is good about how to identify the newer stuff. Again, welcome.