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Thu 5 Jun, 2003 09:54 am
Remember how you dealt with the extended thread on Abuzz. With Dear Diary, I would add a new page every 100 postings. Otherwise, the downloading time increased; something, I dreaded. Also, flustered with the added wait, some members didn't return.
Now, we can handle thousands of postings on one thread. With this improvement in technology, there are some new challenges. Side topics, within the thread, may continue for pages. Whereas, the individuals involved are happy, some members may be waiting to contribute to the announced subject. Perhaps, we should develop new attitudes to support the new technology. One, for example, might encourage us to expect a changing focus of a thread...and live with it.
Your thoughts?
I've never seen a thread (other than the occasional 4 postings threads) here or at Abuzz that eventualy didn't go off focus.
At some point, everything has been said -- and repeated.
And someone says something that starts a divergence -- and often the divergence is even more interesting than the initial topic of the thread.
LEt it happen.
If you have more to say on point, perhaps it is better to start a new thread (announcing that it is a continutation of a thread gone berzerk) and let the divergence go on uninterrupted.
Or just ask a Moderator to split the thread when it changes direction.
Jes, at various times, I have suggested to members to take their interesting side discussion to a new thread. As with all things, not everyone sees that as a positive idea. too bad, some of the side topics would make great threads.
Side tech note:
The pagination helps but there is still a point where a thread is too big here. Mainly because the print topic view still puts it all on one page etc.
At what point, do we begin a part II companion thread?
There is no explicit need but sometimes moderators will do this (e.g. the Iraq threads).
But if you really want to pin a number on it threads with over 500 posts are cumbersome.
Then there is the getting of the folk to leave the original thread!
I tried to kill my "Auntie Lowan" at least twice, before giving in.
Well, Auntie Poo, whose fault is that? You hop out to center stage, and bat yer lapine lashes a few times before scampering off in a misty blur of white bunny tail--and then behave as though you really don't want the attention.
Sure i'm buyin' that . . . hey, ya gotta bridge in New York? Come on, i'll buy it . . . i'll buy anything from you . . .
Speaking only for myself - I see a lot of threads that look interesting but I really don't have the time to read 300 or so pages and I don't feel right just trying to jump into the conversation without knowing what has gone on already.
I'm willing to bet that there are others, especially those who have just joined, that skip the really long threads for the same reason.
It seems to me that you would get more involvment by occasionally starting new threads - not continuations - with the same theme like "Dear Diary" or "Lola's Salon" and some of the word game threads. Thousands of posts are just a bit intimidating.
Go to the preferences and set the number of posts per page to something ludicrously high like 200 or 500... doesn't cut down on the amount of content, but it sure cuts down the number of pages.
And it only takes ten of eleven posts for something to go off topic.
boomer! How you doing, Babe? How's Little Mo? Long time no read, dear...
OHMYGOD! SealPoet! I was just talking about how much I missed you today on Abuzz after someone posted some limericks.
Little Mo is great - we just had our 5 month anniversary of him living here.
I've been in a funk for mega-reasons but I'm working myself back out of it. (I fell over - as in your signiture quote above.)
How have you been, my friend?
Haven't been on aBuzz since just after jespah invited me here. Too many trolls.
Been okay, life has been good... I'll tell you more, but not here, otherwise I'll just prove that extended threads go off topic etc.
My baited breath may just be the lure needed for a SealPoet - I'll watch my mail.
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