I would love to be able to follow individuals. I have about a dozen in mind. If they post in threads I'm not currently following, I won't know it now except by accident. This way, I would pick up on their new posts wherever they were.
Bob.

The next thing I thought about doing is implementing a Follow User option. So for example, I could follow @bobwest and receive an update every time he writes a new post.

Is there any interest in this being a feature? Please let me know before I spend time on it.

Mike

I think this would be awesome, my only thing would be a way to make sure you don't get 20 back to back emails when some one posts or is in the middle of a conversation and responding very quickly.

-P

Good point, I tried to write out a couple example scenarios with logic on how to prevent conversational back-and-forth notifications...

The only thing I could figure out is to cache and delay the notifications on purpose.

So say build in an automatic delay of 30 minutes. The notifications will queue up.

If you read the thread where the notification originated from, that notification would be removed from your queue.

However, this gets more complicated... users wouldn't be able to see a consistent or at least something that makes "sense" if they rely solely on their notifications for determining when a followed user posts. I can foresee people complaining it's inconsistent, and missing posts...

What if all of the above... but only the email notifications are delayed? And the online notifications are still maintained in-full?

Mike

Ideas on following individuals -- at present, when someone posts to a thread I follow, I get one email that says someone posted to the thread, and it also says I won't get another notification until I go into the thread. In other words, something happened, and I should go look at it, and if there's more in the thread I won't get more notifications until I've read up to the most recent postings.

So how about something similar for following individuals. You would also have to take account of the thread they posted to.

What I mean is something like this:

Person A posts in thread 1, and he and person B go back and forth in thread 1 for an extended conversation. I may follow person A or B or both.

I could get a notice when A first posts in thread 1, maybe when B does as well, but no more of their back and forth conversational posts in thread 1 until I check in to thread 1 and catch up. Then, after I've read the last one, if either starts up again, I get another notice, because it's something I haven't read.

Meanwhile, person A also posts in thread 2. Since it's a different thread, I get a notice of the new post, and then subsequent posts by A in thread 2 are handled as above -- I don't get a notice about A in thread 2, now, until I catch up. If person B joins in at some point in thread 2, I guess the best thing would be for me to get a notice that B has shown up in thread 2, and then I don't get any more notices about B in thread 2 either until, once again, I catch up.

So I don't get bombarded by multiple notifications, because I don't get one for every post. I do get the first one by a given person in a given thread, and then no more until I go look at the thread. But I will get a new notice for a post by that person in a different thread.

So we're combining person-following logic with logic about the threads they are posting in.

This also means I don't have a long wait until I get my notification. I get the first one of a series in a given thread, and I get it fast. This lets me know that person A, for instance, is posting in thread 1, at about the time he/she makes his posts, so I can get in on any discussion as it begins, and I can also respond right away, which I may want to do.

Something like this may do what we want, anyway....

Bob.

I think that could work, if you delayed the email could you compile the last 30 minutes worth of posts in one email, you wouldn't have to list every post just the first one from the last 30 minutes and maybe have a counter or something like that.

For example.

Previous 30 minutes:
Follow: @snax ( link) first post in previous 30 minutes with 4 replies/additional posts
then make a list of every one else who posted in the same time frame with the same format.

Would also say you are going to need a unfollow section on the dashboard or "manage follows"

-P

Hey guys,

I've added (part of) another ease of use function. Like the left/right arrow keys for quick page navigation in a thread, I am working on implementing Ctrl-Up and Ctrl-Down keys to quickly move up and down posts on the screen. This will let you completely navigate a thread without a mouse/touchpad.

Right now, I only have Ctrl-Up functioning. Ctrl-Down is not working, please ignore the testing you'll see if you try it (math! I need to revisit tomorrow).

Please give me some input on these keyboard shortcuts. Ctrl-Enter to submit posts, left/right arrow to navigate thread pages, and now Ctrl-Up to move up to the post above (Ctrl-Down coming soon).

Mike

Everyone,

I've been coding a new chatbox from the ground up. I have the framework done and it works. Now, I need features on top. I plan to implement the basic features from our current chatbox today, but then diverge strongly with the new chatbox.

I want to include support for drag-n-drop or ctrl-v paste images. They will be displayed in a separate column and as thumbnails.

Other than screenshots, what other missing features would you like to see with our chatbox? I know things like Discord are popular these days, but my job as community admin is to keep people here and not direct them to other solutions. What do we need to implement in our new chatbox so that you don't need a Discord group?

Realistically please...

Thank you!