General Thread Posting

[SegwayDan]

A lot of people must use the Linear display mode, which is fine of course, but by using Linear instead of Hybrid or Threaded display modes they don't realize that they're at times inadvertently attaching, heirarchically, their new posts to the wrong previous post.

Pam can correct me on this, but it looks like "Post Reply" in Linear attaches a new post to the latest previous post. So if you don't quote the message you're replying to, your new post may get attached to the wrong previous post and it may get a little confusing as to which post you're replying to.

If you change the Display Mode to Hybrid or Threaded, you'll see what I mean. I always use Hybrid (best of both Linear and Threaded, in my opinion), and I see the "tree structure" of the posts. I also don't have a "Post Reply" button as such, only "Post Quick Reply" windows at the bottom of each post I open to read. If you routinely use that button or either of the "quill on document" icons at the lower right of each post in Linear or Hybrid Mode, then your new post gets attached properly, and the whole thread is easier to read and follow.

I note this because, I'm usually interested in any replies I get to my posts, and when the reply gets attached to another sub-thread, inadvertently, I can miss them.

Check it out, please.

[Sal]

A lot of people must use the Linear display mode, which is fine of course, but by using Linear instead of Hybrid or Threaded display modes they don't realize that they're at times inadvertently attaching, heirarchically, their new posts to the wrong previous post.

Pam can correct me on this, but it looks like "Post Reply" in Linear attaches a new post to the latest previous post. So if you don't quote the message you're replying to, your new post may get attached to the wrong previous post and it may get a little confusing as to which post you're replying to.

If you change the Display Mode to Hybrid or Threaded, you'll see what I mean. I always use Hybrid (best of both Linear and Threaded, in my opinion), and I see the "tree structure" of the posts. I also don't have a "Post Reply" button as such, only "Post Quick Reply" windows at the bottom of each post I open to read. If you routinely use that button or either of the "quill on document" icons at the lower right of each post in Linear or Hybrid Mode, then your new post gets attached properly, and the whole thread is easier to read and follow.

I note this because, I'm usually interested in any replies I get to my posts, and when the reply gets attached to another sub-thread, inadvertently, I can miss them.

Check it out, please.

Dan,

You make a very good point... I use the alternative modes of display because I like to see where the thread is going... and when people don't quote intheir post replies, it does get confusing.

I would encourage people to use the other display modes, and see how "clearer" the thread postings appear, and they take up less screen real estate as well.

-Sal

[RC Mike]

Shouldn't this be in the site feeedback section?

Mike

[SegwayDan]

Shouldn't this be in the site feeedback section?

Mike
I for one rarely visit the other forums, and I just wanted to put this in the most-read one, at least at first, so that more people could read and consider.

[pam]

And people will not take the effort to move to the other forums if we continue to post everything in the HT forum. This thread belongs in Site announcements and feedback.

Pam

[bystander]

Re: considering

I for one rarely visit the other forums, and I just wanted to put this in the most-read one, at least at first, so that more people could read and consider.Please don't take this the wrong way, but when I see a poster who disregards the posting guidelines concerning where to post their thread by topic, I do consider whether that poster may be being disrespectful to the forum's users.

If the poster states (in each mis-posted thread) their intent and that the thread may be moved if deemed, I find it tolerable.

If they only do so after the fact, I consider it only one step removed from common spam.

I for one, seldom visit each of the forums and usually look at posts from the "New Posts" and "last 24 hours" links. To expect others to behave similarly just because I think it is a good idea is unrealistic.

I find it ironic for one to encourage more respectful behavior (responding directly to posts) by posting irresponsibly. What's that old adage about "the ends not justifying the means"? How can abusing the system encourage the other users of the system to avoid abusing the system?

I realize people wouldn't start threads if they didn't think what they had to type wasn't important. That's fine. I don't want to discourage thread-starting. If there were a national or international emergency, I can see why posters would choose to get attention by mis-categorizing their thread intentionally. It is my opinion that the topic of this thread does not carry enough import to classify itself as an emergency.

I'd just like to point out that if someone calls out the other posters for replying irresponsibly, they open themselves up to increased scrutiny of their own posting habits.

I read the starting thread of this post in it's original location, but did not care to reply to it, considering that it did not belong where the poster put it. Now that it is where it belongs, I am able to reply appropriately.

Again, I am fine with the original post in it's current location. If the OP had "disclaimed" the post's location in the original post, that would be OK too.

SegwayDan, I apologize in advance if you feel put-out by this response. Look at the bright side, maybe this issue will get more publicity, and get more folks to reply directly so the threaded view works better.

P.S. I tried to respond to the quoted post in a number of ways, but the vbulletin software keeps on putting this in response to post #5. The intended post I am responding to is #4.

I deleted this post (viewing in linear mode), switch to threaded mode, and replied again to try to get this post to stick to the post I thought I was replying to in the first place. But I got a vbulletin message that said my post was similar to the one just deleted, and so it got put back where the first one was deleted from.

Appearently this is due to the fact that my first response was posted while viewing in linear mode.

I doubt if most posters are aware of this, so I it's unlikely their inadvertent mis-responses are entirely their fault. Some of the fault must be assigned to the configuration of the vbulletin software, or it may be an inherent limitation of the vbulletin software itself.

Why not stay in threaded mode? In my case, being on dial-up, it is tiresome to wait for each post to appear when clicked on. I find it easier to load the thread, viewing 20 messages per page, and switch to another browser and do something else for the 30-60 seconds it takes to load the thread. When I switch back, all the messages are there for easy reading between one message and the next.

I do not expect anyone to adopt my browsing habits, I just point it out to illustrate that there are different ways of dealing with different situations.

P.P.S. It might be more appropriate if the "Display Modes" indicator up in the corner indicated that posting while viewing in linear mode forces a reply to the last post, instead if the selected post. Hard to put all that in two words, though.

[pam]

I've never worried, personally, whether the reply shows up in linear, threaded or in hybrid mode. I can usually follow the various ideas that a thread brings up, and keep them separate in my mind. Probably a left over from being in active Chat rooms, where you have multiple converstations going on at the same time.

Right now, the way I have my computer set up, what I have is Dan's post, Sal's, RCMike's Dan's, Me, and then several deleted posts from Bystander, and finally Bystander's actual post. It looks sort of wierd, given that the deleted posts from Bystander, and his most recent, all follow each other one after the other. (That's the linear mode.) I know he's replying to Dan because he's hit the reply to and it's got a quote from Dan at the top of the post. I'll probably go in and delete all his deleted posts, just to clean up the thread.

Since I have my posts arranged in reverse order, so the newest is first, and I mostly just hit "new posts" in the menu bar, which takes me to the most recent post, and then I read backwards, the style (threaded, hybrid, linear, etc) doesn't seem important to me. But I realize that others might not have the same viewpoint.

Pam

[bystander]

I've never worried, personally, whether the reply shows up in linear, threaded or in hybrid mode. I can usually follow the various ideas that a thread brings up, and keep them separate in my mind. Probably a left over from being in active Chat rooms, where you have multiple converstations going on at the same time.

Right now, the way I have my computer set up, what I have is Dan's post, Sal's, RCMike's Dan's, Me, and then several deleted posts from Bystander, and finally Bystander's actual post. It looks sort of wierd, given that the deleted posts from Bystander, and his most recent, all follow each other one after the other. (That's the linear mode.) I know he's replying to Dan because he's hit the reply to and it's got a quote from Dan at the top of the post. I'll probably go in and delete all his deleted posts, just to clean up the thread.

Since I have my posts arranged in reverse order, so the newest is first, and I mostly just hit "new posts" in the menu bar, which takes me to the most recent post, and then I read backwards, the style (threaded, hybrid, linear, etc) doesn't seem important to me. But I realize that others might not have the same viewpoint.

PamViewing as a user, not a moderator, I can only see my last post, not the deleted ones. I'll log out and see what an unregistered user can see.

Edit:I only see the one response in unregistered viewer mode. Unless of course, Pam has already deleted the other ones.

[SegwayDan]

SegwayDan, I apologize in advance if you feel put-out by this response. Look at the bright side, maybe this issue will get more publicity, and get more folks to reply directly so the threaded view works better.

Phew! Well, I can at least agree with you on this point!

[RC Mike]

I just looked at that threaded view style for the first time. Why? What possible reason would someone view this forum that way? I would much rather see all the posts. This forum does not move fast enough to not be able to follow along. My RC forums with 1000+ active members moves fast. There is just not enough activity here to be this worried in my opinion.

Mike

[pam]

One thing I notice with the threaded view is that you might miss out on what someone else has said, so when you get a great idea and expound on it, someone else might have just said that not too long before, and that would make you look like you're copying their idea - or not "in touch" with what's going on.

FWIW

Pam

[SegwayDan]

One thing I notice with the threaded view is that you might miss out on what someone else has said, so when you get a great idea and expound on it, someone else might have just said that not too long before, and that would make you look like you're copying their idea - or not "in touch" with what's going on.

FWIW

Pam

I don't agree. I prefer to read first the replies to MY posts, and then, if I'm interested in following the rest of thread, I'll do so.

I'm not trying to tell anyone which display mode to use. I was simply suggesting that people use the icons at the lower right of an individual post in order to reply which would attach the reply to the post being replied to, which would keep the tree structure of the thread more intact and easier to follow in Threaded mode.

[pam]

Well, that's your option, or course, Dan, although I'm willing to be you'll miss some of the replies to your post because others don't use the threaded option or don't reply to a specific post, but just reply after that post.

Pam

[SegwayDan]

Perhaps, which is another reason why I announced this matter in the first place. But regardless, I'm not going to spend much time worrying about possible "mis-routed" messages. Thanks anyway. :-)

[RC Mike]

At this point then, you will miss any replys from me that do not immediately follow yours, unless I quote, because when I read a thread, I read the whole thread, then post at the end if I have anything to add. Like I said, there is generally not enough movement on this forum to prevent someone reading Linear mode from following along, but if you chose to ignore comments not "directed" at you, that is of course your choice.