all the forum features i want for christmas

color coded search results by year of thread creation.

if a thread was posted prior to a year ago.. make it a darker shade of pale, or some such.


nothing worse than spending too much thought entropy trying to solve a problem that existed 12 years ago, only to find a solution by a spammer.

Oh, this is the Complaints Department, is it? I wish to speak with the Manager!

Actually, I too have a couple wishes:

1) On the Home Page, for "Recent Forum Threads":

A) An option to increase the number of recent threads shown. Perhaps chose from 20, 30, 50, or similar.

B) For each thread shown, a "button" or other indicator as to whether there's new comments on that thread since you last read it. So if I come back to Home fairly soon after a recent visit I could tell quickly if there's new posts to a thread of interest, and go directly to the new comments.

2) A more effective "Search" capacity. Currently I get better results searching through Google than through any of the Forum tools.

Bitching aside, this is still an amazing place to visit, and all who keep it going do a great job indeed. My thanks to them!

Milland said:

Oh, this is the Complaints Department, is it? I wish to speak with the Manager!

Actually, I too have a couple wishes:

1) On the Home Page, for "Recent Forum Threads"

B) For each thread shown, a "button" or other indicator as to whether there's new comments on that thread since you last read it. So if I come back to Home fairly soon after a recent visit I could tell quickly if there's new posts to a thread of interest.

Click to expand...

Hello Milland
Did you try using the "Forum" page & clicking on "New Posts"?

Ciszewski said:

Hello Milland
Did you try using the "Forum" page & clicking on "New Posts"?

Click to expand...

No, 'cause I'm lazy and like to start with the Home page. Since that's my preferred portal I'd like to see more capability there.

Make qty (1) more sub-forum, called the "off topic rumpus room"

All the off topic, Harry Homeshop, "tool Gloat", hurt feelings, Politcal
Fighting, Body part surgery/injury, BS post's would be simply moved into said "OTRR".

How does this help ?

No more tedious "Locking" and the resulting time wasting posting
of WHY it was locked.

No more leaving it in the other sub-forums for short sighted idjits
to see (and think that kind of posting is acceptable), and posting
even more drivel.

It's only 3-5 pages long, and after that, they fall off the end.

Limited data storage usage (a finite cost), and no messing up the search function.

Like a self cleaning cat litter box, or sewer line.

Ciszewski said:

Hello Milland
Did you try using the "Forum" page & clicking on "New Posts"?

Click to expand...

Yes, please. It already works as-asked.

Titles are in normal text if the database knows there is nothing new since you last read it. They are in bold text if there is anything at all newer than the logged-in member's last known read.

digger doug said:

Make qty (1) more sub-forum, called the "off topic rumpus room"

All the off topic, Harry Homeshop, "tool Gloat", hurt feelings, Politcal
Fighting, Body part surgery/injury, BS post's would be simply moved into said "OTRR".

How does this help ?

No more tedious "Locking" and the resulting time wasting posting
of WHY it was locked.

No more leaving it in the other sub-forums for short sighted idjits
to see (and think that kind of posting is acceptable), and posting
even more drivel.

It's only 3-5 pages long, and after that, they fall off the end.

Limited data storage usage (a finite cost), and no messing up the search function.

Like a self cleaning cat litter box, or sewer line.

Click to expand...

+1 Done right, those drivel-threads can be shielded from even Google's search-engines.
That could reduce DB maintenance loads, lower the number of detectable examples that attract MORE drivel, "lean" the load to be carried, and raise the perceived professionalism of the overall site.

Monarchist said:

+1 Done right, those drivel-threads can be shielded from even Google's search-engines.
That could reduce DB maintenance loads, lower the number of detectable examples that attract MORE drivel, "lean" the load to be carried, and raise the perceived professionalism of the overall site.

Click to expand...

Yup, and if a thread in the OTRR ends up being "A Keeper", A mod can simply
move it into their forum, thereby archiving it.