Describe how you use the site

Re: Describe how you use the site
My use pattern:

- I have a bookmark for "Your posts," and am prompted to login before it loads the page.
- I open the topics with new posts in a new browser tab and read/reply to them
- I click New Posts if I have time and open the topics that catch my eye in a new browser tab.

I also don't use email updates at all. I also will occasionally use search by text or search by username but this is atypical for me as well.

Re: Describe how you use the site
My use pattern:

- I have a bookmark for "Your posts," and log in automatically
- I open at first those posts which interest me most (in the same window/nrowser)
- I look through New Posts afterwards.

I don't use email updates at all.
I use the search function before creating own threads, sometimes as well for searching members/topics/threads.

New Posts first. That's usually as far as I go. Once every week or so, I will check out "Your Topics" to see if I owe someone an answer.

I do not use "Your Posts" at all. The top of the list is mostly populated with threads that I haven't had interest in for some time.

From time to time, I will use "Search", but it isn't often productive.

Re: Describe how you use the site


I'm like Walter, but I don't religiously go through new posts, but when I do I almost always have quick look at 'unanswered' too.

I will also click on two of the forum links that I'm interested in from the your posts listing to see if I've missed anything in there.

I still look at my e-mail updates and then click on "At a Glance". I login when I want to post something.

I always start with my email update notifications. Read them via "at a glance" & sometimes log in respond. Some I put on "mental hold", to be responded to later, when I have the time.

If I'm really in a rush, I'll do a quick "at a glance" check of particular threads from email updates.

When logged in for a while, my first priority is responding to threads that I'm involved/interested in.
Next, I always go to "new posts". Look through all, respond to some & bm others.

Then I'll go to "your topics" because sometimes I've missed email updates to threads I've instigated.

That process usually takes quite a bit of time. On a very quiet day I'll then look at the "unanswered" thread & try to respond to a few of those, particularly if new members/interesting subjects.

I just log in and surf between 'Your posts' and 'posts since your last visit' and reply to whatever takes my fancy.

I have the Forum Index bookmarked, so I go directly there. (I stay logged in.) I glance at the top subject, "Announcements." If it isn't highlighted (and most of the time it isn't), I scroll to the bottom and start picking highlighted subjects I'm interested in at the moment. Generally, I start with "General" :wink: and work my way up the list.

I stopped using e-mail updates a long time ago. If a thread is getting a lot of posts, they're really annoying.

I access the site from a notification (usually acronym). If I've deleted all my old notifications, I'll go to my trash folder and find one. If my trash folder's been emptied, I'll go to google and type in able2know. When I get to a2k, I'll read that response and then if I want to say something - I'll hit post reply and log in. (I have to admit this is a pain if you want to quote because then you have to go to your posts, find the thread and go back again to the post you want to quote).
If I don't want to say something, I go to "at a glance". I read until I find something that I'm interested in responding to. If I don't find anything, I log off.

Sometimes when I have time, I go to "unanswered" because I figure there might be something there that no one else was interested in, but I might find VERY interesting. That happens quite alot.

I also use "your posts" after I'm logged in- because for whatever reason- reply notifications tend to be very hit or miss for me- I probably DON'T get them more often than not - and when I go to "your posts" I can see if there's been any activity on the threads I've posted on.

I almost never use, "your topics", "new posts" "new topics" or "search"- I don't know why - I just never think of it.

I try to go to New Posts, if it happens to be working, and doesn't send me to Log In, and select from there.

When, as is frequent, it does not work, I use Your Posts to catch up on threads I have been involved in, and/or use At a Glance.

Because I'm a Moderator I do things differently. I know that not all of the Mods do things the same way (some may use updates for topics they feel should be paid attention to).

But this is how I do it.

I log into the Help Desk first and check all of the tickets. I click on the oldest of the links or on the link that's been reported the most times. If the post has already been pulled, I am prompted with a login. If not, I still log in. I check all of the reported posts and answer tickets as I have the time (if not, I'll ask another Mod to do so).

If there are no tickets (which happens sometimes), I get to the home page via the toolbar and log in.

I then scroll through Unanswered in order to see if there is any more spam to catch.

Once that is done, I go to New Posts. I go to the oldest page and work my way up from the bottom. If something requires Mod action (e. g. a matter needs to be discussed), I interrupt my trip through the topics in order to do that.

Once I am done looking through topics I check PMs and then the Help Desk again to see if anything else has come through since I last checked. Then I sign out. I always sign out because this PC is shared with RP.

PS At work, I do not sign in but instead check At a Glance, which I reach via Google.

I open, go to your posts then new posts. pretty basic.

Normally, I go first to New Posts. I skim the topics, noting favorite threads and new ones, often going through to the end before opening any to read. Then I go to Your Topics. I do not use email notifications, except for Private Messages, but Ionly receive those because I can't remember to stop receiving them. If there is more time, I often skim New Posts a second time, noting which of my favorite members posted where. I rarely check the Unanswered, Forum Index, or anything else. I used to have a2k toolbar, but, running Vista, I need the Google toolbar to have Bookmarks, so deleted it.

I'm always logged in. Clicking on A2K link in my browser tab takes me directly to New Posts page. I start at the top and go down New Posts. If I see something I want to check out I do, and then "page back" so that I don't have to start at the top of the New Post page again. If it is a bunch of the same stuff that has been there for a while, I click Your Posts to see if anything is happening there. Last I check Your Topics to see if anyone has replied.

I never use e-mail updates other than for PM's.

I would like to have a way to thin out Your Posts. I know that sometimes old threads will come to the top again (The Line) and I want to be able to see when they are updated, so maybe a way to set preferences so that you can choose the age of the last post (1 month, 3 months, 6 months or Do Not Thin/Limit.) That way if something really old is replied to or kick-started, it would pop back into Your Posts. If I no longer have any interest, I'd like to be able to delete it since it would still show in New Posts if I decide to check it out again.

The only time I "cruise" by forum or topic is if I need to see if someone else has already posted what I want to post.

1. Log in automatically to "Trivia & Word" games.

2. Answers all the queries first.

3. Go to your posts and answer the challenges.

4. Occasionally look at new posts.

ditto.

Craven, I do two things consistently. I always get updates on my threads so that I can acknowledge each response. Just as Eva and JPB, I have A2K in my favorites. One may always turn off the updates if it becomes too worrisome. Recently, I just read to learn, and I stay logged in.

I have the forum index bookmarked. (I'm logged in all of the time.)

From there I usually go to "New Posts."

I'll occasionally check "Your Posts," especially if I haven't read everything I wanted to in "New Posts" before a new session starts. (Not sure of the terminology -- what I mean is that I lose those orange page icons indicating that there are unread posts, even though I haven't read them.)

If I'm not looking for something specific, I operate almost entirely out of "New Posts."

If I'm looking for a thread I started ("Obama '08," "Hamster Dancing,"), I look in "Your Topics" to get there.

If I'm looking for a thread I didn't start that I want to add to but isn't on the "New Posts" page ("Weight Loss Club," "Sig lines,"), I go to "Your Posts" and do a "find" (in Firefox/Mac) for a keyword.

I use search fairly often, probably most often to find some cite/ info that I'd previously posted.

I never use email updates.

Re: Describe how you use the site


I use the same method with the exception of hitting "Your Topics" rather than "Your Posts". By hitting the former I can quickly navigate to responses to my insane questions. If the latter were employed, the search would be more laborious.