Following Conversations - Suggestion

Official website announcements are posted in this forum.

If you have questions, suggestions, or need support or help with anything, please email [email protected].
Post Reply
User avatar
Leontiskos
Posts: 695
Joined: July 20th, 2021, 11:27 pm
Favorite Philosopher: Aristotle and Aquinas

Following Conversations - Suggestion

Post by Leontiskos »

The Problem

Following a conversation between two individuals is notoriously difficult on internet forums. The difficulty is especially acute in threads with dozens of pages. For example, suppose there is a thread with 100 pages and I am trying to follow a conversation between Bill and Ted. If I am reading a post where Bill replies to Ted there is no way to jump to the next place where Ted replies to Bill. Instead you have wade through all sorts of posts and pages before you find the next piece of the conversation.


The Ideal Solution

I think it would be great to have, within each post, a forward and a backward button. For example, if Bill is posting a reply to Ted the forward button would link to Ted's next reply to Bill, and the backward button would link to Ted's last reply to Bill. That way it would be much easier to follow conversations, and I believe the value of a philosophy forum would be greatly increased.


The Less-than-ideal Solution

Another solution, which is more clunky, is to allow users to search a single thread with keyword and user filters. For example, I could search a single thread for all the posts where Ted wrote a post that included the word, "Bill." The query would have to search the BBCode as well, where the name appears in the quote function. Many forums offer this functionality and it is useful but sub-par. The ideal solution noted above would be much better.


A Partial Solution

There is a partial solution that would not require any updates to the website. It would only require better user conventions. If you generate the BBCode for a quote with the the actual quote button found in the upper right corner of each post, it generates a quote with the user's name, a link to the user's profile, a timestamp, and a link to the user's post that you are quoting. You can follow such links by clicking the upward arrow next to their name ("↑").

If users consistently used this feature then you would always be able to follow a conversation backwards in time. For example, I could go to the last page of a thread and follow a conversation between two individuals by clicking through the upward arrows in each of their posts ("↑"). It's a bit odd because you are working backward, but you can use tricks such as opening each post in a new tab and then reading the tabs in the reverse order they were opened. Anyway, it isn't really possible on this website because lots of users don't have the proper BBCode in their quotations. They aren't using the quote button in the upper right corner of each post.

Below is an example of two quotes, the first with sub-standard BBCode and the second with proper BBCode generated from the quote button. The first quote is contextless. There is no direct way to navigate to the place where it exists on the website, or to verify that it is an accurate quotation. The second quote includes a link which takes us to its origin. (Note that interior quotes can also include or omit the proper BBCode):
Leontiskos wrote:
Scott wrote:If any of the above rules are unclear to you, do not make any posts in the forums at all except to ask for clarification by...
Thanks for your clear rules. I have two questions...
Leontiskos wrote: July 21st, 2021, 1:12 am
Scott wrote: March 1st, 2007, 10:11 amIf any of the above rules are unclear to you, do not make any posts in the forums at all except to ask for clarification by...
Thanks for your clear rules. I have two questions...
Wrestling with Philosophy since 456 BC

Socrates: He's like that, Hippias, not refined. He's garbage, he cares about nothing but the truth.
Post Reply

Return to “Forum Announcements”

2023/2024 Philosophy Books of the Month

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise

Entanglement - Quantum and Otherwise
by John K Danenbarger
January 2023

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul

Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless: Wisdom Behind the Incomparable Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Mitzi Perdue
February 2023

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness

Rediscovering the Wisdom of Human Nature: How Civilization Destroys Happiness
by Chet Shupe
March 2023

The Unfakeable Code®

The Unfakeable Code®
by Tony Jeton Selimi
April 2023

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are
by Alan Watts
May 2023

Killing Abel

Killing Abel
by Michael Tieman
June 2023

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead

Reconfigurement: Reconfiguring Your Life at Any Stage and Planning Ahead
by E. Alan Fleischauer
July 2023

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough

First Survivor: The Impossible Childhood Cancer Breakthrough
by Mark Unger
August 2023

Predictably Irrational

Predictably Irrational
by Dan Ariely
September 2023

Artwords

Artwords
by Beatriz M. Robles
November 2023

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope

Fireproof Happiness: Extinguishing Anxiety & Igniting Hope
by Dr. Randy Ross
December 2023

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes

Beyond the Golden Door: Seeing the American Dream Through an Immigrant's Eyes
by Ali Master
February 2024

2022 Philosophy Books of the Month

Emotional Intelligence At Work

Emotional Intelligence At Work
by Richard M Contino & Penelope J Holt
January 2022

Free Will, Do You Have It?

Free Will, Do You Have It?
by Albertus Kral
February 2022

My Enemy in Vietnam

My Enemy in Vietnam
by Billy Springer
March 2022

2X2 on the Ark

2X2 on the Ark
by Mary J Giuffra, PhD
April 2022

The Maestro Monologue

The Maestro Monologue
by Rob White
May 2022

What Makes America Great

What Makes America Great
by Bob Dowell
June 2022

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!

The Truth Is Beyond Belief!
by Jerry Durr
July 2022

Living in Color

Living in Color
by Mike Murphy
August 2022 (tentative)

The Not So Great American Novel

The Not So Great American Novel
by James E Doucette
September 2022

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches

Mary Jane Whiteley Coggeshall, Hicksite Quaker, Iowa/National Suffragette And Her Speeches
by John N. (Jake) Ferris
October 2022

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All

In It Together: The Beautiful Struggle Uniting Us All
by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
November 2022

The Smartest Person in the Room: The Root Cause and New Solution for Cybersecurity

The Smartest Person in the Room
by Christian Espinosa
December 2022

2021 Philosophy Books of the Month

The Biblical Clock: The Untold Secrets Linking the Universe and Humanity with God's Plan

The Biblical Clock
by Daniel Friedmann
March 2021

Wilderness Cry: A Scientific and Philosophical Approach to Understanding God and the Universe

Wilderness Cry
by Dr. Hilary L Hunt M.D.
April 2021

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute: Tools To Spark Your Dream And Ignite Your Follow-Through

Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute
by Jeff Meyer
May 2021

Surviving the Business of Healthcare: Knowledge is Power

Surviving the Business of Healthcare
by Barbara Galutia Regis M.S. PA-C
June 2021

Winning the War on Cancer: The Epic Journey Towards a Natural Cure

Winning the War on Cancer
by Sylvie Beljanski
July 2021

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
by Dr Frank L Douglas
August 2021

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts

If Life Stinks, Get Your Head Outta Your Buts
by Mark L. Wdowiak
September 2021

The Preppers Medical Handbook

The Preppers Medical Handbook
by Dr. William W Forgey M.D.
October 2021

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress: A Practical Guide

Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress
by Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, MD
November 2021

Dream For Peace: An Ambassador Memoir

Dream For Peace
by Dr. Ghoulem Berrah
December 2021