New posts appending to last post

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XTimeRemains
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New posts appending to last post

Post by XTimeRemains »

There's a feature on this forum where if one has made the last post and then makes another post, the next post is simply appended onto the last post with a "updated [date]" message.

This feature has some pros, but I see some cons with it as well. Here's the problem I just ran into:

I just posted a new reply to a topic that I had the last post on, but the last post I made was six days ago. The content I had in this new post was completely different and was in no way additional information to the last post. However, this next post was appended onto the last post I made six days ago. As a result, the post was not counted as a new post, and thus the topic was not bumped to the top of the board. This topic will now not be seen as recently posted to from the board perspective.

I can see the pros of this feature, how if someone wants to add a little extra information to their last post, rather than creating a brand-new post, the forum will automatically integrate the new information with the last post (as if the post had been edited). However, the draw backs are in my opinion much greater than the benefits.

Maybe this feature (of appending posts) can have a limit, of say an hour, or a few hours (the edit feature has a limit as well). If a post is posted within lets say 2 hours, it is appended, otherwise it is created in a brand new post so the topic gets bumped to the top of the board again.
MalkuthSamanera1
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Joined: June 26th, 2012, 2:29 pm

Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by MalkuthSamanera1 »

I concur with SexyBachelor above. Moreover, if I want to respond to two different people who have responded to the same initial post, it is easier for them to trace my replies if they are seperated rather than lumped together according to the time they were written.
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Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes »

I believe responding to multiple people is more not less confusing when separating a post into multiple consecutive posts. For an example of a series of shorter replies to multiple people contained in one post, see this post. For a series of longer replies separated by asterisks, see this post. Even if there was something to be gained by making each part of those posts look like a different consecutive post by the same user, then I could achieve this with some kind of BBcode rather than by actually making the posts separated. But what is it exactly between two consecutive posts by the same user that makes it preferable or clearer than the linked posts? The re-display of the user's avatar, post count, and so forth? The re-display of the user's signature? The re-display of the post-buttons like the report button?

I could make it so editing the last post updates the post time and causes the topic to appear first in the list, when user's are using the default sort order. (Incidentally, the default sort order can be overridden on a per user basis in one's own control panel and any page can be re-sorted using the controls on that page.) I could also simply enable bumping, in which case the last person to post in a topic can bump it up to the top without even needing to add a new post. However, I've never been a fan of bumping, even when bumping entails new content added by the last person to post in the topic. The best solution seems clear to me but will take some time to bring into action: I need to make it so the topics can be sorted by last post's original time or last post's edit time, and each user can decide in their own control panel how they want it sorted, if they want sorted by either of those things at all as opposed to any of the other sorting options.
My entire political philosophy summed up in one tweet.

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I believe spiritual freedom (a.k.a. self-discipline) manifests as bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.
MalkuthSamanera1
Posts: 97
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by MalkuthSamanera1 »

Ok fair points, Scott, I just wasn't being creative enough.
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XTimeRemains
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by XTimeRemains »

Scott wrote:I could make it so editing the last post updates the post time and causes the topic to appear first in the list, when user's are using the default sort order. (Incidentally, the default sort order can be overridden on a per user basis in one's own control panel and any page can be re-sorted using the controls on that page.) I could also simply enable bumping, in which case the last person to post in a topic can bump it up to the top without even needing to add a new post. However, I've never been a fan of bumping, even when bumping entails new content added by the last person to post in the topic. The best solution seems clear to me but will take some time to bring into action: I need to make it so the topics can be sorted by last post's original time or last post's edit time, and each user can decide in their own control panel how they want it sorted, if they want sorted by either of those things at all as opposed to any of the other sorting options.
I don't like the idea of bumping either. That's pretty annoying to have a post constantly be sent to the top. And I don't think that recently edited posts should be the default sort order either, because this will have the same effect as bumping.

I brought up this topic because a post I made six days later wasn't bumped. Bumping a topic is useful to when new information has been added. I'm not talking about little fixes as in "*edit* I meant to say truth rather than reality", I'm talking about bran new content. I think it should be the default behavior of a forum to have the topics with the new content at the top.

With the present settings, if I create a new post on a topic I was the last person to post to a year ago, the topic will not be bumped to the top of the board. I think it should be.

As I suggested, maybe there should be a limit. Lets say if you're new post is within twenty-four hours of the old post, it is appended, otherwise a new post is created and the topic is thus bumped. This way at minimum a topic can only be bumped every 24 hours and it fixes the problem I mentioned above.
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Exz
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Exz »

Hello,

I've only been on here for a while, but the last couple of posts that I've made on my epistemology topic of 'Consciousness Test' haven't appeared...

I was about to start another thread on information science, but a) I don't know where to put it, and b) whether it will appear!

What gives?
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Ormond
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Ormond »

When a series of posts are lumped in to one big post, the resulting post is so long no one will read it. My best contributions on the forum were killed this way, now an empty thread with no replies I have thus abandoned.

Not complaining, just casting my one little vote.
If the things we want to hear could take us where we want to go, we'd already be there.
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Scribbler60
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Scribbler60 »

Exz wrote:Hello,

I've only been on here for a while, but the last couple of posts that I've made on my epistemology topic of 'Consciousness Test' haven't appeared...

I was about to start another thread on information science, but a) I don't know where to put it, and b) whether it will appear!

What gives?
Everyone who opens an account here has a short trial and the first 10 or so posts need to be vetted by an admin before they are published. How long that takes depends on the admins and how busy they are. Usually it's within 24-48 hours.
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Exz
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Exz »

I have added a couple of important points to my previous last post on topology and the four colour theorem (in 'Philosopher's Lounge', because I wasn't sure where topology goes). How can I get these posts viewed? I didn't realise that they wouldn't show up as 'new'...
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Alec Smart
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Alec Smart »

SexyBachelor wrote:
I just posted a new reply to a topic that I had the last post on, but the last post I made was six days ago. The content I had in this new post was completely different and was in no way additional information to the last post. However, this next post was appended onto the last post I made six days ago. As a result, the post was not counted as a new post, and thus the topic was not bumped to the top of the board. This topic will now not be seen as recently posted to from the board perspective.

I can see the pros of this feature, how if someone wants to add a little extra information to their last post, rather than creating a brand-new post, the forum will automatically integrate the new information with the last post (as if the post had been edited). However, the draw backs are in my opinion much greater than the benefits.

Maybe this feature (of appending posts) can have a limit, of say an hour, or a few hours (the edit feature has a limit as well). If a post is posted within lets say 2 hours, it is appended, otherwise it is created in a brand new post so the topic gets bumped to the top of the board again.
If, in the six days between you making your two posts, nobody else made a post, it would seem that you were probably the only person who was aware of the occurrence. This being the case, I can't really see why it matters.
Smart by name and Alec by nature.
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Exz
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Exz »

Hello Again,
I have thought of a new cunning idea which belongs on my epistemology - 'Are we in a VR?' thread. I was the last person to post on that thread. I could start a whole new topic, but that would just irritate people...
How *should* I post again on my own thread and get it flagged as a new post, such that others would notice it??
Confused by the technicalities of this site...
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Eckhart Aurelius Hughes
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Re: New posts appending to last post

Post by Eckhart Aurelius Hughes »

@Exz At this time you are not able to bump your posts in that way.
My entire political philosophy summed up in one tweet.

"The mind is a wonderful servant but a terrible master."

I believe spiritual freedom (a.k.a. self-discipline) manifests as bravery, confidence, grace, honesty, love, and inner peace.
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