Do we NEED "who has read a thread" option?

[Dan]

I've had a couple of messages about this who has read a thread option.

And I'm starting to think it could cut back on the amount of people feeling comfortable posting in a thread, if they think somebody with more skill or knowledge has read the thread, but not replied.



So this is the feature, for those that don't know how it works, it basically keeps a record of who's read or viewed a thread (they might not have read it all).

So if Member A reads it and replies, and Member B only reads it, but has much more knowledge on the thread topic than Member A, is Member A going to feel less comfortable replying thinking Member B is reading what they're writing?

So I thought we'd take a vote.

Should we remove it, or should we keep it?

For the sake of people feeling comfortable about voting, I'm going to not allow member names who have voted to be public. I'll run the poll for a week. You'll be able to change your vote if after thinking about this, and seeing it in action, it has swayed your vote one way or the other.

 

[Alan.P]

It worked in the old forum and that worked well, very well, why change it ?

 

[Dan]

The time we had it in the old forum, the forum was getting quieter, not down to this I'm sure, but I can't say it made it busier or actually helped anybody in any way at all.

I don't mind it in some sense. But I can see more cons than pros perhaps.

I can also disable it per usergroup. So perhaps we enable it for TF Arms and Trusted (and staff) and leave it off for regular members.

But I'll let the poll run. It'll close in 7 days automatically.

 

[Old Mod]

Do you not think it may also add pressure for some members to post when they may not want to?
Let's say dear uncle Bob is either having a bad day or busy or on a weekend break, he see a relevant post go up, he wants to read it out of interest but is not in the frame of mind to reply cos he's answered the same question a hundred times, but today he says sod it!
But now feels he HAS to answer cos everyone knows he's seen it!
and may give a snappy answer! (I know U wouldn't Bob haha)
And if he don't then the op is gonna be niggled cos Bob ignored his problem!
Sorry Bob!😀

As we're looking at it from one side, we should look at it from the other too!

 

[Sean Kelly]

I know the facility is there, but I do not use it. So by that logic I will say keep it. I will check back later to see if Bob has read this post!!!

 

[Dan]

I'm struggling to think of the benefit of having it now I'm thinking about it.

Pro: So if I post a thread and it's an informative thing to do with the forum. I like seeing who's read it. Makes me know when to move forward with the said topic of the thread maybe.

Con: If I was posting asking for advice, it'd pee me off thinking 20 people have viewed it and I'm still waiting for a single response (not that that usually happens).

Con: If I'm replying to a thread that's not my own, and it was about sealers, and Bob had read it (sorry to use bob again in my example pmsl), I would feel a bit iffy replying and winging it.

Pro: Perhaps it'd make me research a little and reply with more accurate information if bob had read a thread but not replied and I was trying to give advice in it.

 

[Dan]

I know the facility is there, but I do not use it. So by that logic I will say keep it. I will check back later to see if Bob has read this post!!!

Contradiction right there lol
Not using it, but coming back later to use it? hehe
I'm messing Sean.

 

[Dan]

ps made you Trusted again @Sean Kelly - Let me know if you're rather not have the badge.

 

[Alan.P]

Con: If I was posting asking for advice, it'd pee me off thinking 20 people have viewed it and I'm still waiting for a single response (not that that usually happens).

So as well as in thread, would this also apply to the forum search index thing ( tech speak ) you know what I mean ?

 

[Dan]

So as well as in thread, would this also apply to the forum search index thing ( tech speak ) you know what I mean ?

Perhaps not so much.

They might have visited the forum to check for a message or just replied to a thread they've created and are too busy. It doesn't spring to mind so much if they've just been online. I'd like everybody to read everything when they log on. But it just isn't the case. It's a mammoth of a forum now.

But if you've created a thread and had no replies and you've seen 10 read it. Or if you're in a thread and want to reply, but have seen 5 more skilled people read it, you do perhaps start to think hmmmmmm - do I dare to reply now?

To be honest, when I see people have read a thread I've created and not clicked like to confirm they've read it, I start to think, well that was a waste of time setting that forum category up or whatever the thread is about.

But when they've visited the forum in general, I don't know if they've read it, so doesn't bother me too much.