How many people use "View New Posts" vs. reading a few specific forums

[Jeff Hathaway]

Hi all,

I'm wondering what proportion of you use the "View New Posts" feature to keep up with things, and how many simply browse 2-3 (or more) forums routinely.

Personally, I simply browse a couple of forums daily because they are the ones relevant to my interests. When I've got some time, I read some others to see what's going on there. If I get into a discussion in one of them, then I'll check it regularly for a while until the discussion drops off.

"View New Posts" would bring up lots of stuff that I don't need to see. Also, I'm not certain how it determines "New". If anyone can explain, please do. For example, I just tried it and it came up with only 3 posts. However, when I go to the General Discussion forum, there are scads of posts there that I haven't read yet (and likely won't).

Anyway, my reason for asking is that my Pelee trip announcement post was moved to the Canadian Events forum, which I virtually never read as I don't even scroll down that far to see if there are any new posts (via the little icons on the left). I'm wondering what the odds are that users of the site would never see the announcement in that location.

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[Scales Zoo]

Hi, my name is Ryan, and I am a "view new posts" user.

Always have been.

The way it works, is it shows all new activity since you last signed in. So if you have been browsing, then check new posts, you may only see 3 because of your recent activity. I use it as soon as I sign in, so I don't lose the cache of new posts.

As a moderator, when I move posts that have had some activity, I usually leave a redirect. That way people would still see it in the general forum, but could read it and post to it on the Canadian Events, where the Pelee trip does belong.

I understand your concern, I've wondered how many people get to see our events we post on the events forum, but with a site this large - things need to go in the proper forums, otherwise there would be chaos, anarchy and destruction of a width never before seen or imagined. O.k, so it might not be that bad, but you know....

Ryan

[Invictus]

I'm also a "View New Posts" user. Even if I have 500 new posts (unlikely, since I'm on almost every day), I just go through the new posts list and pick out thread titles that catch my interest.

[Stockwell]

I use it all the time.
Jeff, maybe you're not getting your PM's either.
Did yo get my response to your fan system enquiry?? I never heard back from you

[Tim_Cranwill]

"View new posts" as given me new hope is this topsy-turvy world we call Earth. :atom:

[elevation24]

I usually just browse the forums. View New Posts give topics from every forum, and I'm really not interested in every forum or topic here, so I find myself having to wade through many thread titles that I don't care to look at. So I just browse through the forums I regularly view.

[sketchy4]

i just browse the forums.

[Swampwalker]

I usually just bounce around a few specific areas of interest. If I have more time, I will sometimes check out "view new posts". I definetly would not have found Jeff post in Canadian Events since there isn't much activity there.

[tHeGiNo]

I browse through the forums.

[latazyo]

Originally posted by Jeff Hathaway
Also, I'm not certain how it determines "New". If anyone can explain, please do. For example, I just tried it and it came up with only 3 posts.

it's cookies

the same way that you can come back to the site without having to log in every time

it knows which threads have new posts, since your last log in

so...since you're on the site now, there have only been three new posts since you "logged in" (even though you didn't have to log in)

I just browse, I look in enclosures, ball pythons, colubrids, and leos, if I view new posts, I get all kinds of stuff that I don't read anyways

[Linds]

I don't think I've ever used the "View New Posts" feature.

[Katt]

I browse as well. Sometimes I just read two forums and log off, then come back and read 6. It depends on my mood.

[ChristinaM]

I browse the forums :)
The odd time, on the main page I will see a new post link title that I click on, but 100% of the time I browse the forums as well. I don't just click the new post.

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I admit to being a "View New Posts" user. It is simple to click, and browse through any particular thread I may interested in. Plus, I know what kind of activity the site has seen. It shows any and all posts I have read that have been added to, so I can keep up on topics, and new ones I have yet to read. It makes the site more user friendly.

[Yve]

i usually just browse through the forums that interest me...once inawhile I'll go to "new posts"....it does take alot of time though if you don't check the site daily....

[Auskan]

I use "view new posts". Then I scan down the list of forums and I only look at the thread titles from the forums I have the most interest in. I find this the most efficient way to make sure I don't miss any threads that I want to pay attention to. If I haven't been on all day, I might log in to find 4-8 pages worth of reading, but by scanning down the list of forums, it doesn't take that long to catch up.

[djc3674]

I just browse through forums. I've never used the "view new posts" feature.

[rwg]

I use both. I use "view new" if it hasn't been too long since my last visit...let's say less than 24 hours. I find it easier to skim through new posts and read what I'm interested in than to browse around to all the forums I care about. If it's been longer, I browse the forums I'm interested in since there's too many new posts to go through, it helps to do it in an organized order.

rg

[drewlowe]

I use both. I'll come on and "veiw new post", then i'll go to the forums i usually frequent, It all depends on how much time i have.

[brig]

I mostly 'view new posts', but if I haven't been on for a while, there's too many, and I just have to write it off, and accept I've missed a ton of stuff.

I went on holiday for two weeks, and there were about 49 pages of new posts! Aaargh! So then I just browsed the forums of most interest.

So I voted for both.

[Jeff Hathaway]

Interesting to see the responses. It does validate my concern somewhat. More so, I just emailed someone who I thought might be interested in the trip, and despite her averaging nearly 4 posts per day for a total of over 1200 posts, she was not aware of the trip and had not seen the posts.

I fully believe in having lots of separate forums for different topics. I like the events forums. In fact, I think all of the 'what did you get at the show' threads could go there as well.

However, I think there is a problem with having the upcoming events forum, which by its nature is very time-sensitive, right at the bottom of the long list. I think many people don't even know that it is there. Perhaps the upcoming events forums (there's only two) could be moved to the top of the list so that it would be easier for people to stay informed. Any thoughts, guys?

Also, I don't see much consistency with what gets moved. Upcoming reptile expo posts get left in the general discussion, as did Jordan's 'pre-expo party night' posts. If people are used to seeing these events in the general forum, why would they think to look elsewhere for others?

Anyway, back to work...

Jeff Hathaway
Sciensational Sssnakes!!

[susan]

i swing both ways lol depending on my mood