The problem with this board is...

[ari]

That because it is so popular, interesting threads are off the page and gone within a day or so, often displaced by stuff which might not be of more than passing interest.

On one or two other boards to which I contribute, every time someone posts a reply the thread appears back at the top.

This is beneficial in two ways.

Firstly if there is a debate taking place it stays near the top where people can see it and contribute if they wish. And other stuff like jokes, or requests for information that are answered quickly and easily by someone are read and soon move down the line.

Secondly it is easy to log on, start at the top, and read the new or since contributed to threads since you were last on. Basically you just work on down till you reach one that you've already seen the answers to and you're there.

This has to be a better way of doing things, surely? I'm sure it is just a case of Kim altering the settings and it would make the board so much more useful.

We already had the discussion about splitting the board because there was so much "traffic". I agree that it is nicer to keep it all together and I enjoy the mix of banter and more serious topics. But by doing it this way jokes and odds and sods that don't need to stay around move down quickly, and stuff which is important enough to a lot of people to encourage replies stay near the top where they can be seen.

Perhaps you might like to comment?

Make it quick though, this thread will be off the bottom of the page and out of sight/mind within a day or so! (See what I mean!?)

Ari.

PS. Appreciate that this should maybe be in the General discusion "Forum" board, or whatever it is called, but I am posting it here because it concerns this board and its contributers, and to be honest I don't think that perhaps as many people read the other board, I know I don't.

 

[andyball]

Surely, just because a thread generates a lot of replies, doesn't mean it's of great interest to you?

 

[ari]

Not at all, but a topic that creates a lot of replies clearly has a lot of general interest.

Point being, if it is just "todays joke" or something then people will read it and after a day or so it will drop off the screen. Likewise if someone posts "Does anyone have the address of such&such" someone usually answers fairly quick and that can then be left to drop off. Doesn't require 30 replies telling the poster the same thing (although of course there might be one or two responses with different sources, all well and good).

But, if it is a thread of great general interest it will stay around the top until people stop contributing, at which point it will slide down the list till it drops off.

Incidently, this isn't in any way suggesting that peole shouldn't post jokes or whatever, it is the variety that makes this board so good. I just think that because it is so good and so interesting, sometimes the more generally interesting threads drop off the bottom before they've run their course.

 

[andyball]

I have it set to "active in the last two days" and don't find it a problem, but I know what you mean about other message boards seeming more logical to use.

 

[lanason]

mmmm - actually this sounds like a good idea to me.
You gunna ask Kim then.

"Sandra"

Adrian )
"Cleopatra - yellow hull called Court Jester. Have you seen her ??"

 

[coliholic]

This seems stunning simple and IMHO a jolly good idea. We've seen many good threads which, as soon as they drop off people's front page, then get lost. I was having a trawl back through the old pages, set your default to all dates, and there was actually a couple there that I hadn't read. Of course too late now to reply, 'cos the thread was "lost" so to speak.

I wonder if this would be a major change for Kim to implement? Anyone against the idea?

 

[hlb]

Well the fact that you like it Colin tends to make me a bit warey. There must be some thing wrong with it some where.
Cant think what it might be. So I'm against it on principle

Have you sent off Your Stamped. SAE and cheque. Yet.

Haydn

 

[JohnR]

Is there an OLR?

Is there an off line reader that works with this board? We could then read and write when convenient and thus reply to "old" message.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Second that.

Yep, seems a simple good idea, all in favour.

 

[Ohdrat]

I agree .. see thread http://www.ybw.com/cgi-bin/new/forums/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=forum&Number=208053&page=0&view=

 

[Guest]

You have been reading my mind....... the Land Rover Owners forum works this way and works very well. My vote is to give it a try.

PaulB

 

[coliholic]

And I thought I was a saddo....

...spending hours reading and writing about a boats. Now I find out there's a Land Rover Owners forum.

What the f...heck can they find to chat about?

How interesting can that be? I bet that's a whole bundle of laughs.

Typical posts
I went out in my Landrover last week and it was really good
Can I run my landrover on red diesel
What antifouling should I use if I go through saltwater a lot
Can you tell the difference in ride quality between...
Is it better to mount the aux light switch high or low...
Does S******n really work
Is the LWB quicker 0-25 than the SWB
How can I make people stop taking the p**s out of my Landrover
Is the blue anorak warmer than the red one

Still sounds like they've got a "better" website than we have - they can keep all the "interesting" posts at the top of the page. Bet there's loads vying for postion..

Tee hee, tee hee

 

[Guest]

Re: And I thought I was a saddo....

In an effort to try and enlighten you to the joys of Landrover ownership, here are a few sampled replies to your questions.

I did'nt go out in my landrovers last week because the series 3 is trapped behind the boat and the V8 Disco uses more fuel than a Harrier jump jet in hover mode.(so I nick SWIMBO,s Alfa its more fun)

Landrovers can run on red diesel,(pig swill and goats urine)

It doesnt matter what antifouling as long as its bronze green(classic rover colour!)

There is no difference in ride quality even the air suspension feels like your riding on 4 balloons not tyres.

Of course s******n works, its a living, breathing miracle cure.

0-25 times for the LWB and SWB are the same- about a week.

To stop people taking the p*** out of your landrover simply run them over.

Any colour anorak as long as its got "LANDROVER" in 4 foot high letters on the back.

Of course the web site is better than this- or it would be if it worked!(what do you expect its Landrover)

All IMHO of course ;-)

 

[coliholic]

Re: And I thought I was a saddo....

LOL.

Thanks. You've converted me;-)

 

[boatone]

Re: And I thought I was a saddo....

Oh, dont worry Colin, you might have been converted but Im quite sure youre still a saddo.............

Im feeling light headed.........went out on the boat for a run yesterday and met cneighbour and had a beer together and the sun shone and I got away from this forum for a whole day...there is life out there chaps...........

TonyR
boatone@boatsontheweb.com
www.boatsonthethames.co.uk

 

[kimhollamby]

Round and round the garden...

Those with long enough memories (circa nine months or so) will remember we launched this version of the forums with exactly that system ie latest post promotes the thread to the top of the queue. Unfortunately it confused enough people to make quite a noise and so we switched it to the current format where the most recent thread appears at the top.

The flip side of what is known as the 'dateslip' facility is that, although it highlights latest posts, it can quite quickly bury more difficult or obscure enquiries that nevertheless deserve intention ... in other words it can discriminate against some of the potentially different threads and overly-promote the waffly ones.

If we change the default structure again, it will involve all forums. Perhaps the most realistic route would be to offer this as a user option but that is not possible as things stand.

So, here's the challenge. Can you persuade enough forums users on all of the boards that they want this facility to the extent that we feel it is right to turn it on again?

Meantime you can of course use latest 24h/48h buttons to view latest posts in flat mode and you can also add interesting threads to your favourites which can then be viewed much faster from within User options.

The goods news is we can make the change in all of five minutes.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by kimhollamby on Mon Mar 25 09:56:38 2002 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[ari]

Re: Round and round the garden...

Hmmm.... I'll have a go...

Ari

 

[tcm]

Re: Round and round the garden...

umm i don't remeber that at all. inthe way it's being described. But anyway, nah.

 

[kimhollamby]

Re: on second thoughts...

...sorry, that was a Monday morning brain fade suggestion, regarding getting others to buy in. A bit later on today I'll post a series of threads inviting comment and we'll take it from there.

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[ari]

Re: on second thoughts...

Oops, too late!

Ari