ibe98765 Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 As it stands now, you only get an email notification of new posts in threads you are participating in or have manually subscribed to.Wondering if this makes sense?- A subscription service that emails a daily forum summary to subscribers showing all new posts added that day and all existing posts that had a reply.I believe this new service would encourage more forum participation. People reading the email might get their interest piqued by seeing something that they are interested in. This service would also remind those people who visit infrequently what was going on at the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havnblast Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 It's just not an option with IPB - it goes by the thread you subscribe too - what you see in your options is what you get. Can always head over the IPB site and post a suggestion to the programmers and see if they will implement it in a future version.The purpose of a forum is to keep people coming back and if I got an email from every thread I posted in my email box would be overloaded - I don't want email telling me there was a reply or new posts or anything - I want to come here and see everyone and than pick and choose where I want to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 4, 2004 Author Share Posted July 4, 2004 It's just not an option with IPB - it goes by the thread you subscribe too - what you see in your options is what you get. Can always head over the IPB site and post a suggestion to the programmers and see if they will implement it in a future version.The purpose of a forum is to keep people coming back and if I got an email from every thread I posted in my email box would be overloaded - I don't want email telling me there was a reply or new posts or anything - I want to come here and see everyone and than pick and choose where I want to go.I know IPB doesn't offer this (though I think they should). I was thinking that it wouldn't be hard ot write a script to do this.I'm not sure what you are saying in your 2nd paragraph. I have email notification turned on. This works to inform me that there is a new post in a thread I am subscribed to and I sometimes wander back here to check it out. Now you personally may want to regularly wander throughout the forum but there are many others that don't have the time nor interest to do so. However, by providing the OPTION for a DAILY SUMMARY (all in ONE email), the board might generate more participation by reminding them of what is going on. Capice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James M. Fisher Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 You can subscibe to a forum and be alerted to new posts in that forum, or is this a feature for mods only? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 During the Summer, when there are fewer daily posts, that might seem a reasonable idea, but when the forum gets busy again and there are 50 or more new posts a day...I wouldn't want to get that email.Scot is considering, and only considering at this point, adding RSS capabilities to the forum, either by individual forum or for the forum as a whole. If he decides to do that, it would accomplish what you suggest. You could read the new posts in an RSS reader, then "read more" by logging into the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlinecomputers Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 It sounds like you are asking for a digest function? Many mail newsgroups have that function that allows you to get as a single email a copy of all the postings for the day/week/month. The closest you are going to get is the subscribe to forum function that is at the bottom of every forum page. You will then be notified of new topics as they are created. But you have to subscribe to the new topic if you wish to follow it further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 You can subscibe to a forum and be alerted to new posts in that forum, or is this a feature for mods only?Users can also do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James M. Fisher Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 I thought so, but I wasn't 100% sure. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NRD Posted July 4, 2004 Share Posted July 4, 2004 I was thinking that it wouldn't be hard ot write a script to do this.I think what you are suggesting would be pretty complex. Especially if you are talking about modifying the IPB code.If you're talking about a separate script, it would be just as complex. You would need a routine to check the DB for new posts, and posts which have been replied to daily then send the results to a list of recipients.You would need a routine to handle the sign-ups which would have to be double opt-in to stop spam/abuse, and possibly a routine to handle the bounced email messages.If you're proficient at php, perhaps you could create the script and post the code needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 ibe98765 rather than going into each forum I find using the Today's Active Topics link at the bottom of the Main page helpful and the View New Posts link at the top. They show just what's new and I can select viewing those posts that interest me and can skip posts or even forums that don't.hth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacher Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 There is no feature that turns all the daily notifications into one message for each forum. Stop and think about it: That would require waiting until the end of the day to send you a notification. Would you really want to wiat htat long and then be notified of threads you had already viewed during your looks at the forum throughout the day?Julia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_P Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 You must teach math. You're very logical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nlinecomputers Posted July 6, 2004 Share Posted July 6, 2004 There is no feature that turns all the daily notifications into one message for each forum. Stop and think about it: That would require waiting until the end of the day to send you a notification. Would you really want to wiat htat long and then be notified of threads you had already viewed during your looks at the forum throughout the day?JuliaNot everyone is here all day long. I suspect MANY only get online after the workday is done so a single "recap of all postings" might be of use. I think Jeber is got the right idea. Enabling an RSS feed would do that very thing and make the new posts easily navigatable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 6, 2004 Author Share Posted July 6, 2004 There is no feature that turns all the daily notifications into one message for each forum. Stop and think about it: That would require waiting until the end of the day to send you a notification. Would you really want to wiat htat long and then be notified of threads you had already viewed during your looks at the forum throughout the day?JuliaAll the regulars need to step outside of their personal experiences and try to view this suggestion from the point of view of someone who DOESN'T come here on an hourly or daily basis.From this viewpoint, a digest summary at days's end (which would be in your mailbox when you woke up), would be helpful and as I posit - might increase interest and participation in the forum by reminding those that WANT to be reminded (and don't visit often). what is going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havnblast Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 As Arena already mentioned in a few other suggestions that no underlying code would be changed.Good idea - Yes, I think it is a good idea and maybe forum developers would love to hear about the suggestion and make it a feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 As Kelly has pointed out... I'm not going to change any of the underlying code to the forum.What you are asking should be directed to Invision Power Services, as a suggestion for future revisions of their IPB software.The closest thing to what you want will be RSS implementation, IF we ever get that set up (thats a big "IF", Scot is only considering it), we dont know which version of the board we will start with. Version 2 may break the RSS feeds, so there would be no point... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 7, 2004 Author Share Posted July 7, 2004 I'm not a fan of RSS. Too much stuff, just adds to info overload.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeber Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 I'm getting confused here, ibe98765. On the one hand, you want a digest of all the posts from the day before in your inbox in the morning, yet you don't like RSS because it leads to "info overload".My RSS reader only lists headlines or the first sentences from an entry, then I click on the "more info" link if I want to read the entire entry/article. No overload problem with me. Granted, I only keep up with about 20 feeds. Others monitor 50 or more. I can't speak to their situation. But I do keep up with another forum via RSS, and I find it very convenient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 RSS can work but it requires someone to download and setup a separate reader. They may also have to download other things like .net. Some good readers are free, others charge $$.My point, the same as I have posted on in the past, is that the forum has limited participation. Out of the 2400 registered members, the same 25-50 odd people regularly post. The purpose of the proposed digest would be to provide an EASY way for those who don't regularly visit the forum to keep up with what is going on and perhaps jump in and participate more. They wouldn't have to do anything special, other than opt-in to the digest which would not require them to install or learn about anything new. They wouldn't need to deal with or know anything about subscribing to or setting-up RSS feeds. KISS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfProRM Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 While the digest would be nice... the bandwidth it would take to send a "daily digest" to 2400 people EVERY DAY, would cost a fortune. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 While the digest would be nice... the bandwidth it would take to send a "daily digest" to 2400 people EVERY DAY, would cost a fortune.First, it would only go to those that wanted it, so it probably wouldn't be all 2400.Second, is this bandwidth usage less than what is consumed by people wandering in and out of the forum daily?How did you make the estimation of bandwidth usage? What size of data were using that would be sent to each subscriber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linuxdude32 Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 I like your suggestion, Ibe. It makes perfect sense to me. I've stopped subscribing to even the Linux forum because I hate getting an email for every new topic. I'd rather have a list of the new topics. If you want to affix my name to the suggestion box for the IPB people, feel free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibe98765 Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 I like your suggestion, Ibe. It makes perfect sense to me. I've stopped subscribing to even the Linux forum because I hate getting an email for every new topic. I'd rather have a list of the new topics. If you want to affix my name to the suggestion box for the IPB people, feel free.I don't have an account setup over there. If you do, could you please add this suggestion?One of the annoying things about forums is having to register to post, even if it is just one post. I have so many registrations now, I hate to add any more if I don't have to. Someone should build a registration system that works across all sites! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GolfProRM Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 One of the annoying things about forums is having to register to post, even if it is just one post. I have so many registrations now, I hate to add any more if I don't have to. Someone should build a registration system that works across all sites!I believe MS is trying that, and many people are complaining about the "passport" system. (only because it's MS that's doing it), so the only way to get that to work is to associate with MS (which would upset quite a few people). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scot Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Fwiw, somewhat after the fact, I think IBE has a point here that I'm not sure everyone quite got.What if a third-party search program could index any forum and provide you with a brief synopsis of what's new on the forums today or this week or something? A smart program could do search retrieval and provide a synopsis or brief summary of what's new. I think it would have to be forum/subforum based, not thread based. And I do think it's very complex and a tough nut. But the idea has serious merit. This thing could provide links to threads that are hot-button topics to that user (perhaps by some sort of keyword and/or heurstics programming). It's kind of like POPFile meets forums, with a healthy dose of Google's technology mixed in.The idea is a good one.Whether it's really possible or not is another story. But if someone came out with this product, I think it would do very, very well.I also really like LinuxDude's registration idea. There are, of course, password programs that do something like this, but they're pretty lame. Basically just flat file databases. You might as well password-protect a Word document or something. It would be cool if there were something that could keep track of your registrations with intelligence that guided you to the answer, that only you could get.-- Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 RSS can work but it requires someone to download and setup a separate reader. They may also have to download other things like .net. Some good readers are free, others charge $$.RSS readers aren't really that difficult to configure. If you are Firefox or Mozilla user, Sage is probably the best extension. It adds RSS side panel to the browser and you subscribe to the feed by bookmarking the XML file in your bookmarks under a sub folder of your choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linuxdude32 Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 I believe MS is trying that, and many people are complaining about the "passport" system. (only because it's MS that's doing it), so the only way to get that to work is to associate with MS (which would upset quite a few people).I don't think that's the only reason people are complaining about Passport. From what I've read it's inherently insecure. Rather than have all that information saved on a server somewhere out there, it's safer having those registrations stored locally like with the Linux Kwallet or Mozilla/Firefox's password saving system. Obviously not good if you have to use multiple computers across different sites, but I've seen Microsoft's Hotmail hacked way too many times to use Passport to trust it with my other accounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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