Ignore Thread Feature, A Modest Suggestion

[Jingthing]

Not for everyone, not for many threads, but in my view a potentially useful feature for the forum.

The idea is to provide the facility to be able to ignore specific threads just for yourself, in a similar way that you can ignore specific users.

That way if a thread is annoying you for any reason, but you still have a temptation to either keep reading it or keep posting to it, you can ignore the thread which reinforces the resolve to stay away from the potentially incendiary thread.

Good for the users, good for the board, perhaps bad for mods if they earn bonus points or free lattes for issuing warnings, etc.

[473geo]

If you don't have the resolve to ignore such a thread, does it not follow that you also will not have the resolve to hit the ignore button.......or are we assuming in a bout of sudden inner strength of charecter...... you.........er...... er.....er....... hit the ignore thread button?

[craigt3365]

Who told you about the bonus points? They are not redeemable for lattes...just beer....

[Jingthing]

If you don't have the resolve to ignore such a thread, does it not follow that you also will not have the resolve to hit the ignore button.......or are we assuming in a bout of sudden inner strength of charecter...... you.........er...... er.....er....... hit the ignore thread button?

I really don't follow you. I am just talking about the addition of a new capability that any user would have to option to use or not use at will. Similar to the ignore user function. There is no way to enforce that users will use that when they should, and one can always unignore users or their individual posts on the fly anyway. Software functions can only go so far, but what's the harm of having a bigger toolbox?

[jazzbo]

My 50 satang is that there is no direct way to tell if another Member has put you on ignore.

[smokie36]

My 50 satang is that there is no direct way to tell if another Member has put you on ignore.

Why would you care?

[Jingthing]

My 50 satang is that there is no direct way to tell if another Member has put you on ignore.

There is not, but this thread is actually about an ignore thread feature idea which doesn't exist rather than an ignore user feature which does exist.

Edited December 17, 2010 by Jingthing

[ozsamurai]

I agree that this would be a useful feature, not for the temptation, but I use the forum by 'view new threads' as perhaps a lot do, if I wasn't interested in reading it the first 50 times I refreshed, then I'm not likely to on the 51st either. Something of interest may now have been pushed back to the 4th or 5th page, I don't always get there as every page is cluttered with 'for me' OLD NEWS, or posts that have degenerated beyond silly.

Oz

[473geo]

I agree that this would be a useful feature, not for the temptation, but I use the forum by 'view new threads' as perhaps a lot do, if I wasn't interested in reading it the first 50 times I refreshed, then I'm not likely to on the 51st either. Something of interest may now have been pushed back to the 4th or 5th page, I don't always get there as every page is cluttered with 'for me' OLD NEWS, or posts that have degenerated beyond silly.

Oz

Then a 'hide' button next to the thread title might serve that purpose, giving the opportunity to bring a hidden thread back if required, but on that basis your hidden threads would have to be stored somewhere to recall. An alternative maybe a sort function when you pull up 'new content' the content could be sorted by subforum preference.

[Jingthing]

Great, so that's another use for this proposed option. I also use the view new content method and can see using it way might be useful. However, that would be a lot of labor touching each thread of no interest, as there are so many. I wonder how many people would bother. In any case, this isn't exactly a high priority kind of issue, more of a theoretical bells and whistles option.

[473geo]

Perhaps another alternative, when you select 'new content' have a drop down that provides the option to 'show only' and you could tag the subforums you wished to view containing threads with new content. But you are correct Jing more of a wish rather than a real necessity.

[rixalex]

but what's the harm of having a bigger toolbox?

Now there's a teasingly teed up question.

[Ulysses G.]

My 50 satang is that there is no direct way to tell if another Member has put you on ignore.

If they send you a nasty PM and then put you on ignore, you find out when you try to answer.

[Jingthing]

My 50 satang is that there is no direct way to tell if another Member has put you on ignore.

If they send you a nasty PM and then put you on ignore, you find out when you try to answer.

That's PM ignore. Not the same as post ignore which you can't ever tell unless you're told.

[Jingthing]

but what's the harm of having a bigger toolbox?

Now there's a teasingly teed up question.

Totally unintentional penile pun there. Maybe it's in the gay "jeans"; can't help it.

[Jingthing]

Just had an idea for any even MORE USEFUL and efficient feature!

How about an IGNORE FORUM option?

With this you could see a master list of all the forums and select the ones you don't ever want to either DISPLAY on the board index OR show any posts at all when clicking View New Content?

To me this would be extremely welcome.

For examples, I never have any interest in the Thailand motor forum, the Bikes forum, the pets forum, etc., and if there is going to be a new Christian forum, I would rather not view evidence of that at all. So currently, viewing these "never interested" forums and posts from those forums is a waste of my screen real estate space and mental space having the scan out those items by eye.

Of course, if you changed your mind about viewing a forum, you could always switch it back on.

No idea whether this is possible/feasible to implement, but there it is, the idea is proposed.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[phaethon]

How about an IGNORE FORUM option?

I came to this thread to add precisely that request - right down to the View New Content detail

I could really use not having to filter through all the classifieds/PatOne/distant local forums and those forums where I am not allowed - women/buddhists/bikes/thai lang. when I use View New Content.

I ESPECIALLY would need it if an Xian Forum is going to appear.

Edited December 21, 2010 by phaethon