Super long threads that are pinned- an idea

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I don't know if this is a good idea...but the first page of the lounge is some pretty long pinned threads. I think they are excellent threads, and if it is thought they should be pinned there I have no thought or opinion on that.

BUT I wondered if they can be altered somehow to not take up so much space to have to scroll thru.

My idea would be a thread that is there and THEN in that post of the new thread the link to the long thread....

I don't know if that makes sense...
But my thought is a "cut and paste" of the long thread in the body of a new "pinned" post.

For example "Avatars without a host" and then cut and paste this long thread in the body of that new thread post. Thus unpinning the "real" long thread and letting it archive, but having a cut and paste of it there pinned in the top. So if a newbie needs to activate it then they click on that post and they have the long thread....

I just think we have a lot of forums with HUGE pinned threads starting to take over the forums. I assume they are there to stay since they have been there awhile so I thought this might be a good way to make them smaller, so we frequent folks aren't having to work around them so much...
Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[papal]

Neve,
I was wondering if you had the COLLAPSE TOPICS link on the top of the page selected? If you do that then you only see the SUBJECT of the topic and not all the sub-threads.. does this make sense? So in effect, the pinned topics don't take up that much space.

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I don't but I think I should...I think I had that at one time and like that set up....but then you can't look at new posts and see what has been written or posted new I don't think.

I have to say I bet there are a 100 things I could do to set up the thing where I like it, I am just clueless!!!!!

I am very guilty of not reading threads...I read the post and then respond, and at times click on different responses, so I will check that out...

Thank you!!!!!
Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[papal]

Neve, I am not a 100% sure, but i think if there are no new messages, then the icon next to the thread will be GREY.. otherwise it will be blinking or yellow. This sometimes does not work though (for me), so i have to click INTO the post to see if there are any new responses... that can be a pain sometimes, especially when the thread is super duper long.

[hobey]

Since the avatar thread is the one that always gets unbelieveably long, what about a separate folder just for setting up avatars? The instructions can be pinned and we can just post in that folder whenever we want to update/set up our avatars.

Raquel
Nathan's Mom 12/19/03

[alandenisefields]

We will try Neve's idea to see how it goes. You are right though---collapsing threads (an option in how you view the boards) would also help solve that!

--
Alan & Denise Fields
Authors

[mharling]

Hmm, I'm not sure about this. If you're not reading the thread, I don't see why it makes a difference if it's a short thread that's pinned or a long thread that's pinned. If someone wants the 'real' thread, they need to stumble through it anyway. As I think about though, maybe that's what Rashmi is saying about possible changing your view. Does that make a difference for you?

This would also mean that we would see 2 threads whenever somebody updates the original one. That seems that more to sort through than just one that I can ignore.

I see that Alan & Denise are trying this out for now so we'll see how it goes. Not being critical, just throwing out my two cents. :)

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
[link:www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b370a2992536|Birthday Pics!!]

[amp]

Actually, Mary, I was thinking the same thing, but didn't know how to explain it so it made sense to anyone. I agree. When I look at the pinned thread, whether it's the real one or a link, I only see the topic, unless I actually open it, at which point, if I need to see only the new posts, I click "View all" and then I can pick the newest thread to click on and it will take me to it.

[papal]

Mary said exactly what I was thinking! NOW, if anyone updates the avatar thread (not the pinned one, but the real one).. it will surface to the top again... i will do this (not to annoy, but to show you what i mean by example).. so in effect, we will have TWO avatar threads.. does this make sense? So I don't think it is such a good idea.

ETA: Maybe the moderators can delete all the replies to the avatar thread, once a week? Mostly they are just replies that are testing avatar updates... so it should not matter.

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

pecking one handed as usual here:)

I have my format set up differently and really like the way it is set up as long as the pinned threads that take up 1/2 the page are "tamed" (for lack of a better word)...

So the way I have my computer set up is I see threads and I see the posts and sub post etc... I can see if someone addresses something I wrote so that I know to click etc...

For the way I read this works for me, and am glad we have options for I highly believe "different strokes for different folks"....if you don't have your set up like this and another method works for you I can see where my suggestion might not be understood...but for those who have theirs set up like I do, and like our set up that way they know what I mean.

I really only read about 20% of the original posts in the lounge I just noticed...and unless I wrote the post, or it is a thread of pictures I hardly ever read an entire thread...so this set up "works" for me, while other set ups work for others.

But considering this set up is one to pick from and some like it my suggestion dealt with keepting that set up user friendly by addressing the pinned topics that appear to be permenant. If they are pinned and long AND it just involves manuevering around them a week or so that is one thing, but as of late with the set up I have chosen (and which is offered) these have become a huge obsticle. I'm not suggesting not to pin, I have no opinion on that, my opinion is how long they are for set ups like mine.


I have no idea if my suggestion will float, is a good one or a bad one....but I do appreciate the Fields listening and trying to help matters for those of us who "read" the set up that way. Again no biggie if it is just a long pin for several days, but if here to stay permantly it is nice to not have them take up have the page, so I even think the above suggestion to have folders (how I don't know) is an excelllent one...

Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Mary,

in response to to your statement...

If you're not reading the thread, I don't see why it makes a difference if it's a short thread that's pinned or a long thread that's pinned.

....I can only assume you "don't see why it makes a difference if it's a short thread that's pinned or a long thread that's pinned" because we must have our set ups set up differently.

I can assure you that I "see why it makes a difference if it's a short thread that's pinned or a long thread that's pinned" or I never in a million years would have typed the suggestion :)....
again I suspect the difference here is the way you chose to set up your particaption in the message board vs the way I chose to set up mine....both of which are offered set ups so we can customize how we like to participate.


Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[JElaineB]

Since the problem seems to be with the avatar thread (and the birthday thread is getting long too), why not just delete all replies to the avatar thread (and the birthday thread once all the recent requests for updates have been made), leave the original message, pin the original message and LOCK the thread. That way the original message with avatar instructions, or the birthday list will still be there, yet people will have to make a new thread for updating their avatar (or send a PM to get the birthday list updated) and not cause a huge long pinned thread nor cause a huge long thread to resurface that is really not necessary. Perhaps this would make everyone happy?!?! :)

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

I responded to you in your "showing post" under the thread...there is a difference between a long thread resurfacing with new info AND a long thread pinned to the top for those set up I like I am to work around.

If one is claiming that such a thread stays active and stays on top anyway then why would it need to be pinned if that really is the case...

AGAIN I have ZERO opinion on it being pinned...my opinion is with them being long for folks who not chose to read via a collapsed board (again different strokes for different folks). But three topics pinned was taking up more than 1/2 of the page in the way I chose to participate and read.

Still enjoying you showing me that it goes back to the top if someone replies to it:)....
Until today I never even clicked on that thread before I assumed it was directions and thus pinned...I never knew it was used to "test"...
Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[mharling]

I just had a lightbulb go on, Neve! I can totally picture your setup now and see why it would be a pain.

I second Jennifer's suggestion above!

Mary & Lane 4/6/03
[link:www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b370a2992536|Birthday Pics!!]

[amp]

That seems like a good solution. That way, if the just the instructions and the list are pinned, newer folks will see it right away, but it won't allow the entire post to be replied to and thus get too lengthy for people viewing all the posts at first glance. I like having those topics pinned, but can see where the way you view the page might impact the annoyance of having a long topic pinned.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

If the replies to the Avatar thread are deleted, everyone's avatar will disappear.

I think it would be good to have a "testing" folder where people can do their avatar and test anything else they want to test.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[JElaineB]

Ok, how about reposting the instructions, pin that, lock that, and let the original thread fade away? Then users can post new avatars in any post they want to, but the ones that are in the original thread will be intact.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I like that idea.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03