Feedback Needed: Should forums be auto-marked as read?

[Marc]

Agatha had asked about the forum software not marking the forums as read when coming back to the site after one's current session had expired. This is the behavior one sees at both TCF and TCR.

Here, because someone had mentioned it, the forum keeps track of your "read" status for each thread, even across different sessions.

So, which behavior do you prefer, the model where everything gets marked as read after your session is up (I believe that's after 15 minutes of inactivity) or actually to keep track of which threads you've read?

[Fleegle]

TCR did that occasionally for me, but it usually left them marked as unread if I didn't open it. I prefer to have a thread not marked as read unless I read it or mark it read myself.

I often leave the page before reading the threads I want to read because I'm browsing from work.

[Ludwig van Jaethoven]

I've found myself using the "mark all forums read" link quite frequently here.

While I do think it's nice to be able to tell what I've read as opposed to what is new since I last visited, it's a minor annoyance to have to manually tell the site "these threads do not interest me". I've also noticed that I'm notoriously bad for only clicking into the most recent thread link under the forum header. I need to stop doing that, since I'm probably missing threads because of it.

I could go either way on this. It's a minor annoyance, as I said, but not something that's beyond my being able to get used to or better utilize if the consensus is to keep it this way.

[mercurial]

Originally Posted by Fleegle

I prefer to have a thread not marked as read unless I read it or mark it read myself.

Ditto.. There are certain threads (especially at TCR) that I'd rather not read at work and, I imagine, will eventually show up here. (like the found photo threads) It's nice to be able to read the work-safe ones and then come back later and read the others without having to manually back-track from where it marked you read-to.

If you subscribe to the threads that interest you, you can just read everything from the UserCP and then hit the New Posts link once in a while to look for new threads that might interest you. I almost never got into the forum list itself unless there's a thread I want to add to that hasn't had recent activity or I want to start a new thread.

[Skittles]

Originally Posted by mercurial

Ditto.. There are certain threads (especially at TCR) that I'd rather not read at work and, I imagine, will eventually show up here. (like the found photo threads) It's nice to be able to read the work-safe ones and then come back later and read the others without having to manually back-track from where it marked you read-to.

If you subscribe to the threads that interest you, you can just read everything from the UserCP and then hit the New Posts link once in a while to look for new threads that might interest you. I almost never got into the forum list itself unless there's a thread I want to add to that hasn't had recent activity or I want to start a new thread.

Just wanted to add a +1 to this. For me, I find the fact that the forum leaves those posts marked unread as a plus.

[Otto]

I like the current system. I've been using the "New Posts" link up top a lot and find it useful.

[Faerie]

I love the current system.... Sometimes I may only be able to read for about 5 minutes before I have to run to the next thing, so I can read a couple threads without worry that everything will be marked as read.

[Makita]

Life is better here. Granted I don't really need to stay away from threads here like I do at work on TCR. However it is rather irk-some to check in @ work, only to get home and not remember (or see) the thread I was looking for.

[BrettStah]

Another vote for the current behavior!

[eddyj]

Originally Posted by Faerie

I love the current system.... Sometimes I may only be able to read for about 5 minutes before I have to run to the next thing, so I can read a couple threads without worry that everything will be marked as read.

What she said. She be smart girl!

[TimB]

Current system. I HATE the auto way.

-=Tim=-

[JETarpon]

I agree with everyone else. I want to know who the three people are who like it the other way, and why they haven't spoken up to explain their wrongheaded opinion.