Over the next day or two I'll be testing a new way to track updated threads.

Not sure if this will mean anything to any of you but we're currently using the 1st option, we will be testing out the 3rd option.

1. Inactivity/Cookie Based - once a user has been inactive for a certain amount of time (the value of the cookie timeout option) all threads and forums are considered read. Individual threads are marked as read within a session via cookies.

This option is how all versions of vBulletin before 3.5 functioned.

2. Database (no automatic forum marking) - this option uses the database to store thread and forum read times. This allows accurate read markers to be kept indefinitely. However, in order for a forum to be marked read when all threads are read, the user must view the list of threads for that forum.

This option is more space and processor intensive than inactivity-based marking.

3. Database (automatic forum marking) - this option is the same as a previous option, but forums are automatically marked as read when the last new thread is read.

This is the most usable option for end users, but most processor intensive.

Feel free to post comments.

So far, I'm not liking it. When I click New Posts, I don't seem to be seeing the ones that have been active in let's say the last 2 hours.

Also, where there used to be 2 to 4 pages that would come up for "new Posts" depending on which ones were active... now there are about 15 because it is listing inactive ones or ones that have not updated since my last visit - whatever that means.

Anyway I didn't see the thread I was looking for and I wasn't sure which forum it was in. I tried search and that gave me threads from Sept, when the thread I was looking for had comments in it in the last 8 hours at least.

I was happy with the old sorting.

I liked the old option, too. I don't like seeing that I have 20 pages of unread threads to read when I click "new posts" and it turns out that these threads only have unread posts and aren't new. I also liked seeing the thread I had just posted in so I could keep track of it.

I liked the old option, too. I don't like seeing that I have 20 pages of unread threads to read when I click "new posts" and it turns out that these threads only have unread posts and aren't new. I also liked seeing the thread I had just posted in so I could keep track of it.

Ditto.

I don't like this way either. Posts that haven't been updated in a week or more are now showing up as unread (even though I visit every day and have, in fact, read some of these posts).

I didn't like the old way much. It was annoying when you'd go to make lunch or something, and come back and everything was marked as read.

Try to post in a thread that is empty besides you ... you know no one else posting at the moment.

The old way: even though you were the only one posting it was still a New comment and would appear on the new posts link

Now: it doesn't show up. It's like there has to be a certain quota of people all posting at the same time for the thread to show up in "new Posts".

Not Good.

I really don't like the new way, I don't like posts disappearing after I've read them and I also don't like getting teased w/ 458 threads and really only haveing 5.

I haven't experienced any problems with the new way but it seems people prefer the old way so I'll switch it back in a few hours.

Thanks! :)
I was confused for a bit.

Ooh, I wish we used #2. I love that option on other boards. Makes it so much easier to know what threads I have and haven't read.

Well, we can try that until tomorrow night. It sounded very similar to #3 so I wasn't sure there'd be any difference. I'll set it to #2 now and leave it that way until tomorrow night to see what people think.

I liked the old option, too. I don't like seeing that I have 20 pages of unread threads to read when I click "new posts" and it turns out that these threads only have unread posts and aren't new. I also liked seeing the thread I had just posted in so I could keep track of it.
That's why there's a "Mark Forums Read" option. That way if you don't care about old posts, you can clear them out, but you don't end up losing track of posts that you haven't read just because you went to take a bathroom break.

Anything new sucks for people like me who take forever to get used to something, and then when you finally do, it changes! So, of course, I am having much trouble. :( Will there be instructions on what to do if we don't go back to the old way? But then, I'm not too savvy with instructions either. :( :(

If we're going back to the old way, can you change it so that the cookies take longer to time out?

...and pleeeze put back the date and time stamp for each post? :cry:

Well, we can try that until tomorrow night. It sounded very similar to #3 so I wasn't sure there'd be any difference. I'll set it to #2 now and leave it that way until tomorrow night to see what people think.
Thanks... :) Well I don't know about everyone else but I really like it better this way because I can know exactly what threads I have and haven't read.
Though thinking about it, option 3 might make more sense than 2. They work the same as far as all the individual threads are concerned, it just doesn't make the front page always look like every forum has new posts.

I like the black dots that show you the threads you have posted in, I say lets keep it! But can we make them a prettier color? How about pink? :)

I like the black dots that show you the threads you have posted in, I say lets keep it! But can we make them a prettier color? How about pink? :)
DelicGrape
I say have the dot if you must, sure its useful, but I'd replace that with one of these ":hamster:" as the icon instead! ;)
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btw everyone, how many of you have not seen yet the divider which tells you that tells you the latter posts have not been updated in new posts?
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Michael and whoever-ever!
As for either way or other stuff or method, I merely request to have as long a cookie time as possible, I think would be senisble, but hardly the end of the world if we end up with short cookie timeouts. :) I guess all in all I like the way the "new posts" operates as they are now I suppose, but then I'm none too bothered, except when occasionally refering to the old way now, you can sometimes get "new posts" drawing a short straw on you and I guess that is caused by some freakishly short time out, although I've not witnessed that for a while I must say which is good. :)

Verdict: Whatever! :D

lol, well whatever it is, that black dot is ugly though! :D
]
DelicGrape
I say have the dot if you must, sure its useful, but I'd replace that with one of these ":hamster:" as the icon instead! ;)
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btw everyone, how many of you have not seen yet the divider which tells you that tells you the latter posts have not been updated in new posts?
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Michael and whoever-ever!
As for either way or other stuff or method, I merely request to have as long a cookie time as possible, I think would be senisble, but hardly the end of the world if we end up with short cookie timeouts. :) I guess all in all I like the way the "new posts" operates as they are now I suppose, but then I'm none too bothered, except when occasionally refering to the old way now, you can sometimes get "new posts" drawing a short straw on you and I guess that is caused by some freakishly short time out, although I've not witnessed that for a while I must say which is good. :)

Verdict: Whatever! :D

I think we'll leave it the way it's been the last day or two. Basically it means you can log in for a few minutes and not feel like you have to read everything or lose it.

I find it strange. If I hit new posts, then post in one, that thread disappears next time I hit New Posts.

I find it strange. If I hit new posts, then post in one, that thread disappears next time I hit New Posts.
Yeah. I think that's weird too. :dizzy:

I think we'll leave it the way it's been the last day or two. Basically it means you can log in for a few minutes and not feel like you have to read everything or lose it.


Yay! Thank you thank you! :bobo:

Yeah. I think that's weird too. :dizzy:
ditto.