A solution to the big problem with the forums

XarXo · November 12, 2002, 13:18

What is the great problem with forums?

Answer: They start well, but at the second page (99% of the threads) became a crap that is a total 20 pages of useless litertaure.

How to solve it?

My Answer: Each user only can post one reply, and edit it adding a refference link (the old quote) to other reply.

How to present it?

My Answer: At the top of the thread, with a different color, appear the first post. Admin/Firaxis/BHG posts also have different colors. Each time that a reply is made, is added in a subthread for each user.

The idea of hide/show the content like some forums (by using script, CSS and DIVs ) is added.

-----

This could be great, please add USEFUL posts about it, I can't continue (my boss is going here!!

)

Ming · November 12, 2002, 13:50

In my opinion, there really is no problem with the forums. Different strokes for different folks I guess..

I look forward to a response from the owners of these forums

Kassiopeia · November 12, 2002, 13:56

But without that useless crap, the gems don't shine... the same way good can not exist without evil.

Besides, that sounds awfully confusing to me... and how would we go around with AC Fiction story threads? It would be impossible to have a poster A - poster B - poster C - poster X etc. rhythm since in the thread every poster has only one reply.

I think this forum's only problem has been server load, and even that is starting to ease off.

H Tower · November 12, 2002, 14:19

i'm with kass, the only problem, and not a large one anymore it seems, is the server load problem, but with all ways markos has found ways to speed up the site when loads get high has been a life saver

tniem · November 12, 2002, 15:09

Not needed. The good debates usually have a couple people posting in response to each other. It would impossibly confusing to read one of these debates if they only could post once and edit that. It would be hard to follow what was said in any form of sequence.

Yes there is a problem with people leaving the topic and just posting useless crap to raise post count. But that can and should simply be countered by banning those that abuse the privilage. Not changing what makes debate on these forums so good.

rah · November 12, 2002, 18:39

tniem, agreed.

It's good that if you go back and edit, that you get tagged for doing it. Otherwise people could go back and change their arguments when the stupidity of them is pointed out, and claim they never said such a thing.

But yes, the flow is most important.

Skanky Burns · November 12, 2002, 19:06

You definately can't just remove the sequence of conversation. It would be confusing and non-sensical to read.

On second thoughts, though, this would help cure Apolyton's biggest problem - that being server load. With all the confusion caused, the number of posters using the forum would drop...

Pavlov · November 12, 2002, 19:44

Quote:

Originally posted by Skanky Burns
On second thoughts, though, this would help cure Apolyton's biggest problem - that being server load. With all the confusion caused, the number of posters using the forum would drop...

Bah you forget the number of threads that would start in the community forum with titles like "WTF is this for an update!?" and "Mark you retard!" *

*dramatization, does not represent the opinions of this particular poster, you retard. No, wait!

(Post 500, yay!

)

Frozzy · November 12, 2002, 23:57

Kass is right

. The forums only problem is server overload.

That's wearing off though.

IMO, the server crisis is easing, and the only two we have to thank for that are Markos and Dan

If there were posting restrictions, it should be the minimum post time is elongated to, say, 2 minutes. This will stop those Spammers

30 seconds isn't enough, IMO

H Tower · November 13, 2002, 00:53

30 seconds is too much. I surf poly with around 3 or 4 windows, so when i hit post, i'm doing it after composing several posts

Frozzy · November 13, 2002, 02:20

2 minutes per forum Perhaps?

Frozzy · November 13, 2002, 02:23

Also, I'm just saying that that would be the only one which I would change, if it needed to be changed.

I agree with Kass, you, Rah and others that the forums are 80% perfect now.

Alex · November 13, 2002, 07:12

No big problem with the forums now.

How does this "hide/show content" thing works? I wonder that it would be similar to the "Collapse/Expand" feature in CivFanatics forum, but I never understood its utility.

XarXo · November 13, 2002, 11:00

Look, now for post again I have to put a reply!

-------

Well, the problem is that you have the idea of a sequencial vision, the idea that I apport is:

A page that have some amount of IFRAMES, the user can decide how many, these iframes have each one a subthread of user, at the same time one user only can see one iframe in the screen, the others must be accesed by scrolling or auto-go scroll (by scripting) pressng the name of refference in the subthread (with a come-back possibility by pressing a navigation button).

The idea is "browse" looking how the thread evolved and changed. Is more a "chat with turns" than a simple heap of text or sequence of letters.

If a user types something awful and want to delete it, he can, and automatically all the references of the reply of the subthread disappear (admin must accept that previously

).

When a new subthread must be loaded, the less used iframe (or the one with less refferences) disappear and loads the subthread that the user want.

here's a good example, but it isn't my idea:

http://www.bandaancha.st/foros.php?t...pl=41985#41985

-------

Advantages:

You can follow the thread in subthreads and subreplies, avoding tons of "I agree

" or "la la

" and similar

MarkG & DanQ can put a banner in each subthread, so they will earn "mo' money"

Disadvantages:

The crappy browsers (Netscape 4 and others) are out by the IFRAME usage (note: IFRAMES are an HTML standar, they are in Mozilla, Opera and Netscape 6)

Dauphin · November 13, 2002, 11:51

Branching threads! NO!!!!

Ming · November 13, 2002, 12:03

That is just awful... Thank God I know from past discussion that the owners would never ever consider something like this...

Randolph · November 13, 2002, 13:37

bad idea, referencing back to old points, letting people catch up with threads, etc, etc, etc, and one more etc

H Tower · November 13, 2002, 14:40

it aint broke, let's not try to fix it

FrustratedPoet · November 13, 2002, 19:11

If the admins implemented branching threads here there would be a queue of 23998 people (even the poor forgotten DL's) wanting to leave.

Caesar the Great · November 13, 2002, 22:37

so true, i've been coming to poly for years - and besides that whole OTF thing i have no complaints

DanQ · November 13, 2002, 22:55

Thank you for taking the time to relay your forum suggestions, XarXo. We have no intention, however, of switching to or otherwise incorporating branching threads.

As for load times, there have indeed been intermittent periods of heavy traffic in recent weeks that have caused a noticable slowdown in the forums. We are actively monitoring the ongoing traffic flow to ensure that the server can adequately handle the increased load at as much near all times as is possible. In the course of such monitoring, we implement/deactivate modifications as need be.

We thank you for your concern and appreciate your patience during said high-traffic periods.

---------------
Dan; Apolyton CS

Skanky Burns · November 13, 2002, 23:04

Thanks Dan

Frozzy · November 13, 2002, 23:48

Classic Dan reply

Thanks

Robert Plomp · November 14, 2002, 06:48

In the past the forum I created had such a setup as well, but it just didn't work.

The only thing IMHO that should be added is different colors to posts that you didn't read (load) yet, even INSIDE the thread.

example: http:www2.plompweb.net/forum.nsf

-Jrabbit · November 14, 2002, 11:34

Frames are evil. the fact that current Web "standards"

call for their support is meaningless. It's unwise and uncool (plus several other adjectives) to disenfranchise ppl for not using a current browser. The Web is about inclusion, not exclusion.

the fact that iFrames are nice for those whose gear supports them is rendered moot by the FACT that browser upgrades cannot be enforced.

Poly does an amazingly good job of supporting a wide array of browsers, especially considering the vast array of features MarkG has incorporated in recent months. I don't agree with all the choices he and the other admins make, but hey -- it's their site and their overall results are impressive in my book.

Summary: The forums are not broken.
But iFrames would break them for some people.

Edit: Missed DanQ's reply before I ranted.

Must have replied from page one.

Oh well...