I would like to have a feature to be notified when one of my friends STARTS a new thread in the forum. Much like we have now when someone posts a comment to a thread that you start. I think it would be great to be able to follow what your friends have started.

That is certainly a possibility. I'll consider adding it.

"I think it would be great to be able to follow what your friends have started."

That's one way of stating it ...

... ...

/\ It's a joke, it's a joke.

Please replace torches and pitchforks back to their rightful places in the shed out in the yard. Thank you.

:oP

Sorry, I don't follow you...

Allow me, Paul ... since I hijacked your thread here ...


Sam, Paul's request is to be notified of any new discussion thread initiated/started by someone on their Friend's List. Much like that of the notification for any new image posted.


Personally? (Apologies here, Paul.)

If someone is going to initiate a serious discussion, having their 'friends' show up en masse will dissuade others from participating.

As I would think that the probability of a like mindset is high.

/\ Simply put.


In some instances, the private message system and new feature, that of the 'dialogue' ... might be better suited for some 'discussions'.


It comes down to this ... posting to a public forum, 'one' has to expect dissenting opinions/dislikes. Whether it be on the imagery front, or that of a 'discussion'.

First off.......I had no idea that my southern accent bled over into my typing..........guess I need typing lessons now....LOL. J/K.

I can see exactly where you are coming from Les and I understand that the possibility of "friends" jumping the bad wagon of another's Thread. But that is not my intention for the request. That thought never crossed my mind. I just thought it would be a great convenience (for lack of a better word) to be able to follow a thread started by someone on my friends list. Just because they are on my list doesn't mean I always agree with what they have to say. If the discussion is a serious one, then I would think that everybody with an opinion (friends or not) will participate.

Just my 2 cents and no apologies needed Les. That is the joy of "discussions."

It was a joke Les. I guess you weren't following me.

I did, Sam ... just needed an excuse to get me thoughts in.

:oP



And no worries, Paul. Just put some food for thought up for the 'discussion' of this feature. :o)

I have a question.....are you Les and Sam notified when a new thread is started, or do you have to go through and search the forum for new threads.

I'm just confused!...lol...If you see something new for a thread Paul just let me know. It'll be easier for me!...lol
Joanie

I likes, I likes it. And even though I would be jumping in on my friends, I would not hesitate to offer a dissenting opinion. If they disagreed with me-OUT COMES THE SHOTGUN!!! Now then, anybody want to disagree with the "Dreaded Momma" as Dunstickin so kindly refers to me (please note my avatar)? Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm?

I think it is a good idea Opie. I don't have the time to check out all the new discussion threads daily. By the time I comment, vote and upload a photo if I have a chance, I normally don't go looking around the threads. If you hadn't notified me of this one, I would still be commenting.
Good idea.
TicK

No more notification than normal. I generally only ever look through the forums, not at the galleries much nowadays, so I don't miss much.

Paul, I do think this is a great idea! Like tick said I don't usually check out the threads for the same reasons. A notification would be great and so much easier to find. I to would offer my opinion, does not mean I would back up my friend - we all have our likes, and dislikes, and some are more vocal than others! Lol!

I agree with Paul,Tick and Tigger~if it's possible to have these notifications that would be great. I think most people would remain true to their opinions or ideas,and it would add a bit to the discussions.

I find the idea a good one, Paul. However, thinking on it more... I'd much rather there be a small area on the home page, with just a link to the most recent threads started (maybe 3-5 of them). Showing the title of the thread and the person that started it.

If 'you' (speaking generally here) do not clear the site's cookie from your browser's cache ... there is already something in place to tell you if there is any new activity on the forums; individual sections and overall.

That being this:

"mark all forums as read" ... for overall

"Mark As Read" ... for the subsections.

/\ Found at the top of the respective pages. More or less.


I do like Lori's idea, towards the ends of driving some more traffic to that of the site's front page. I, myself, at times ... get out of the habit of checking to see what is new.

I imagine tgat the suggested feature would be more useful for people who don't usually check the forums. If you check it every day (like me) it probably wouldn't be used at all.

This sounds good!....

Although I never have much in my head for thought's!....

(Just what wor-lass says!!)

Oh look, the friends have turned up....

Oh look, they are all agreeing...

Les, you are clever.

Moi? Clever?

Not really. Although it would appear that my thoughts/points have been inadvertently made by some of the posts to this thread.


And of course, context aside ... content and how it is expressed could/can be misleading to an extent, as well. Interpretation being the operative word.


Add to the above ... just been here a while, you know?

I agree Les..I do believe Lori's idea is even better....as far as the "friends" showing up.....that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't notified them to come check it out..hence my point....Lori's is even better...notification of the newest THREADS would work around all of this.

It is a good idea,it could be good.

I'd like to point to the disparity of comments left on images belonging to those with burgeoning friend lists, as opposed to those belonging to artists who are outside the circle (thanks Robert DeNiro).

I see the potential for a similar imbalance in thread participation here. Just as I believe alot of members place most or all of their attention to images posted by friends, the same scenario might repeat itself here.

Wouldn't notification of newest threads just be full of "Offtopic" threads, since they are largely the most visited and frequently updated.

Paul, I have to agree with Lori, it would be great if there was something on the home page. I've never really followed the threads because I don't know where to go to find the threads & don't understand some of the them. I'm not really much on technology on camera talk.

Chris, at the present, members can receive notifications by way of "subscribing" to their favorite and frequently visited threads. I believe what Paul is referring to, is any New threads created. I too, was thinking under these lines.

I see, you meant new threads, as distinct from threads that had been newly posted. My mistake. Yes, that would work. (Get's brain in gear).

I think it is a great idea. I never check the threads....I just vote and comment. Between Paul and Lori's ideas I think it would be of help to all of us here @ Caedes:))

Yet another insidious friend turning up to chime in. He He. The forums are the part of this website I engage the least, so for me, a regular "this might interest you" kind of reminder along the lines that Paul suggested has a certain appeal.

I get a bit tired of low grade disparagement of friends being friendly to each other here. For sure a lot of friends tend to only be encouraging and give praise, but anyone with half a brain works out which of their friends does that and can take their good will to heart without assuming every image they praise is a work of artistic genius. Where is the harm?

People accrue long friends lists because over time people notice something in them or their art that they like. That does not mean people who think the same way are all on each other's friends lists and that is the only situation in which Paul's suggestion would produce monotone "we all think the same" type forums.

I'm an introvert, it does not come naturally to me to make friendships or to feed friendships in their early stages. Being clued up on what my "friends" are posting on the forums and having that trigger/invitation to go have a look, join in, participate, would be beneficial to me and probably for a fair share of other introverts on the site. We like people but we just don't take the initiative to build relationships very often. The extroverts on this site (And in life in general.) make friends as easy as breathing so this point probably seems weird to them, but it ain't weird.

Mmmm, ok rambled enough. Something along these lines would certainly enhance MY experience of this community.

Peace.

Mikel.

To anyone ...

Please point out one dissenting opinion in and amongst those that have posted to this particular discussion thread.


There is one refinement to the initial idea, that I have found ... and agree with.


Anyone else care to weigh in on this note?


If 'you' don't regularly check the discussion threads, ok ... your choice.

Now it would appear that the only reason some would (aside from those not familiar with navigating the site) start to ... would be when a friend starts a thread.


In my mind, the health of the discussion forums is also another indicator of a site's overall health.

Photography section, which ... I would think would be more utilized given the number of photographers that are members ... collects dust bunnies for the most part.


So, where are all these new threads coming from? Where does the impetus to post a new thread come from?


Most likely ... that of complaints. Divisive discussions.

Caedes polling the membership or asking for some input? Well, on this note, he usually posts a news announcement, not always ... but usually.


That ... has been the history since I have been here.


Start filling up the discussion forums with sharing new ideas, asking questions about your craft ... I would be alllll for this suggested feature.


Now it is, so clearly in this example ... been another instance of ... 'hey, I posted this ... care to share your thoughts?' ... turned into something very similar to that of comments on almost any..given..image's..page.

Repeat ... ad nauseum.

Nothing fresh being brought to the table.

I like the points you make Les. You are a very good debater and an excellent spokesperson for this sight..Very well thought out and presented in a professional manner.

The only think I don't understand is if we don't regularly check the forums, then how can we "weigh in" on any given subject. A front page notification of new threads....(credit to Lori) would open up for new thoughts from all kinds of members.

As far as the "ad nauseum"..that's my fault and I apologize......Like I first said........It was just a thought.

After chasing around shiny things for a while.....I do that sometimes....I had another thought (Rare..2 in one week). If this seems to be a good idea for the majority of the people in this thread (call them a test poll...for lack of another better word) Why not put this discussion up for a poll for all members to weigh in on. That way you get an over all view from the entire community.

The whole system is quite unnecessary. Using the current mechanism it takes a matter of seconds to check the discussion threads for new ones, if you can be bothered to look.

Paul. This is hardly a test poll, since you garnered support for it by asking people to come and contribute thereby creating a bias towards your own views.

This is, of course, exactly Les' point. Such notification would in general bias towards support of a vocal group and not necessarily be good for a general discussion.

I agree with Chris (Coram9), it only takes a few seconds to see if there is something new going on in the threads, I look every time when I am online.

Think if you are a member of a Photo/Wallpaper site you have to be interested in other things of the site and that includes some of the threads here.

Methinks it's not necessary to put it on the front page or as a message in our 'jobs'!!

I check the discussion boards regularly, as time permits, and would not find this feature of any great value personally.
However I think this idea IS a good one in that it may generate more participation in discussions by attracting more members to that area.

In the end though I think it is a case of those who wish to discuss already do so. Those who don't, won't.
I also like Lori's suggestion of a front page notification.

Les "If someone is going to initiate a serious discussion, having their 'friends' show up en masse will dissuade others from participating."
We are only aware of the members on our own friends list so how on earth would anyone know or care whose list anyone is on and be dissuaded from partcipating?
ALL discussions are open to ALL members - (Edited :portion removed as it caused offence)
BTW I was not notified of this thread - I managed to find it all by myself, so my endorsement of the idea is not simply backing up a 'friend's' idea - and I believe most of us have the intelligence to voice our opinions honestly.

There seems to be a level of derision amongst some regarding 'friends lists' - and what Mikel says on the subject in the thread above "I get a bit tired of low grade disparagement of friends being friendly to each other here' I endorse wholeheartedly.
In any community there is usually a group more vocal then the rest - anything that will encourage more people to have their say I am all in favour of. The more who participate in any given discussion the more varied ideas and opinions are given.No point in complaining about bias if you dont put in your two cents worth.

No danger of people not putting in their 2 cents worth around here I think...

"... enemies ..."

Really?

Seems to be a rather harsh choice of wording.

I agree, an unfortunate choice of word. Simply used as an opposite to friends.
But should any discussion participants have any enemies then they are still able to add their opinion, so my statement was theoretically correct. So yes, Really!

In the interests of peace and friendship I have removed the offending word.

Lyn, if you only notify a small proportion of the Caedes community of a new discussion thread it will produce a biased tread. The only fair way is to inform all members equally. Hence the suggestion of putting notices on the front page. However, as I said before, it is not necessary and I am sure there are better ways to use the front page.

Chris, I agree with what you say completely.
I think maybe you may have misunderstood what I said at the start of my post:)

I agree it is not necessary - for those that already join in discussions, but anything that may generate more interest in participation in a positive way could be good for the site.


About the front page idea . . .
Do you not think a short list of topics on the front page may entice those who do not frequent the discussion boards to have a look ? There is bias in the discussions anyway because it is only a small portion of members who participate, apart from the off topic forum. It would be good if more were to contribute, especially, as has been mentioned, in the Photography section.

To quote myself "In the end though I think it is a case of those who wish to discuss already do so. Those who don't, won't."

Firstly my apologies to Lyn, I did misunderstand her. My concern is that the front page is for visitors. It is what they see when they arrive at Caedes. It should be about the art and not really a point for shortcuts because people cannot just click on the Discussion Board link on the left. I doubt visitors are really interested in our discussions, even if we are.

Not to mention that we have enough 'spammers'on our threads, but if they were showcased on the front page, would this not encourage those trolls to spam even more? I am not sure.......:o)

Wish I had the Time for Threads Paul but I don't. Let me know when there is something to know. LOL...GREAT IDEA Lil Opie!

Given how often a new post is started on the discussion boards I don't really see this idea (in it's original format) being a big deal...