300 New Posts a Day - How do you keep up? (Mods?)

[TomU]

With approximately 300 new posts a day to this forum, how do you keep up with them? How do you moderators do it? To properly address the plethora of questions each day could constitute a part time job! Right now I'm logging in and using the "posts since last visit" feature, but I never know how far down I need to scroll to get to the entries I haven't read on any particular topic (or even which page of a topic to start on). Is there another way? Would an RSS feed just send the new entry on each thread out? I was gone over memorial day and when I got back I had 1400 new posts. That's a lot of reading! I almost wish I could get a digest feed of specific subject topics - maybe everything in the "Deep End" for example. What about the ability to get a list of new posts in a specific topic since last login instead of the whole site? Any suggestions?

 

[jjdurrant]

Stop spending time with your family and quit your job... JK

 

[The Mermaid Queen]

can we say "eye strain"??

as far as how to determine what entries are new, I also click "posts since last visit" from the home page. However, if you click on the last column, it takes you to the last post. Then I go up from there. It still takes a bit of time to find where I left off....

Maybe this issue will be addressed in the BUU...

 

[ric]

TomU...I have asked myself that same question and all I can say is thanks to all the people here at TFP administrators, mods and all the people that have given the answers to help others with the respect that they deserve. Keep up the great work everybody I still enjoy every minute I read at TFP.
thanks to all
Ric W. :-D

 

[SeanB]

More and more, we rely on members like yourself to help pass on what you have learned to other new members - it's the whole circle of life thing - queue the Lion King theme song.

 

[JohnT]

I usually read every post, at least briefly, but the current volume makes that tough.

 

[AnnaK]

Yesterday was a particularly busy day, I thought. Because I had given myself the day off - easy to to when you're your own boss! - I spent a lot of time on the forum and have gained a huge appreciation and respect for the mods and regulars who seem to always share their knowledge. You folks work very hard!

I used to read 'new posts since last visit' and still do but I've also begun to scan 'unanswered posts' and try to jump in when I might have something worthwhile to say. On a busy forum like this one it's easy for a post to get lost or overlooked, especially if the subject line is vague.

 

[Butterfly]

can we say "eye strain"?? ...

"Eye strain"? Here are my eyeballs after yesterday: :cyclopsani: :cyclopsani:

 

[JasonLion]

I spent so much time answering questions the last two weeks :study: I actually forgot to swim

 

[MikeInTN]

I always sit down and tell myself "OK, one hour for TFP, then on to other things", and inevitably I run over every time. It's cutting seriously into my Diablo: LOD time, too! :lol:

 

[crewchief47]

but I never know how far down I need to scroll to get to the entries I haven't read on any particular topic (or even which page of a topic to start on). Is there another way?

When you click on 'view new posts' and the 300+ list comes up, you can click on the little white square in the 'Topics' to view the newest post to that particular thread. Here is the process i use when reading forums (I'm a Mod at TY4Stroke.com)

1: view new posts since last visit
2: scroll through list looking for topics of interest.
3: Right click on the corresponding white square and select 'open in new tab' or 'open in new window' if I'm on a computer with an older version of IE.
4: I can open upwards of 20 tabs before I actually start reading, and close the tab as I'm done.

This method has a couple positives, the biggest being a reduced server load from searching(using the back button). Your search result page is always there in the first tab or window. You maximize your read time instead of using the back button and trying to remember where on the list you left off at.

Hope this helps some of you.

 

[TomU]

click on the corresponding white square...

Thanks! I've been using this site for over a year and had no idea that the white square was a different link than the topic itself. That definitely speeds things up! :-D

 

[Sabot]

Sean, with the pending upgrades is there any chance of a better in forum search engine? I have spent hours searching for items that I know are here but are just buried under 100's of search returns. I get a better search return with Google but I wonder if a nice search engine might aid in slight reduction of posts by allowing users to search first. Also, what about adding more to the "stickies" on the common questions? I think that is underway but I can be mistaken.

As always, thanks for the forum!!!

 

[SeanB]

I love these questions! Among the improvements to the software is improved search capabilities. Among the extra upgrades we are also integrating a google site search into the site. And yes, the stickies page is being almost totally redone. The new articles page will be called "Pool School." It will include many of the same topics "stickies", in an even easier to follow format and in a much more logical order as well as new articles that will useful to most any pool owner.

Sean, with the pending upgrades is there any chance of a better in forum search engine? I have spent hours searching for items that I know are here but are just buried under 100's of search returns. I get a better search return with Google but I wonder if a nice search engine might aid in slight reduction of posts by allowing users to search first. Also, what about adding more to the "stickies" on the common questions? I think that is underway but I can be mistaken.

As always, thanks for the forum!!!

 

[Sabot]

Awesome!

Then a simple "Please see Pool School" reply may work for the simple issues.

 

[whoozer]

Here is a problem I have when searching. If I'm looking for info on the easy touch automation system if someone has it as a list in their criteria for their pool it comes up in my search so I could get 1000 searches but no info eeekk. Will the new search engine help with that or is there something different I should do when searching?

 

[SeanB]

Aside from the addition of the google search, the new software will include:

Search inside topics
Select multiple forums and categories to search
Search within topic titles only
Search within first post of a topic only

This should make it much easier for you to find what you are looking for.

Please understand that there is bound to be a learning curve for all of us, but once we become accustomed to the new software, the benefits should outweigh the initial learning curve.

 

[ktdave]

HELP!!!! I'm drowning in posts!!!!!!!!

My parents are here for a visit, so I'm otherwise occupied for a couple of days, and 733 posts since last visit

OH THE HUMANITY!!!!!!!!!!



Keep it up guys!!!!!!!

 

[uwimage]

I might have missed this and it might already be a feature but what about 'subscribe to thread' option?

 

[whoozer]

Already have the feature at the bottom listed as "watch this thread".