# How are people feeling about Discourse? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 25, 2020, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428 "2020-11-25T16:40:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/241 "2021-01-18T23:10:44Z")
I’m not @Heffalump_and_Roo; but I think they were asking not how to get to the post being quoted, but whether @codinghorror’s reply to that post was meant to imply that codinghorror thought that Heffalump\_and\_Roo had intended to allocate blame in it. FWIW, it looks to me like codinghorror had just hit ‘reply’ to the post instead of to the thread as a whole; that probably being the last post in the thread at the time when they did so. I’ve done that on occasion by accident. – another post did intervene, but judging by the timestamps may have done so while codinghorror was typing. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/242 "2021-01-21T01:39:17Z")
It’s all good – let’s have a new topic about the > [@LSLGuy](#): > > one of our hotter topics is the weird way @{autocomplete} doesn’t work. It may be a database indexing issue, or it may just be a challenge with our 99.44% long-dead inactive user list containing way too much noise and not enough signal. I can create it if you like, or perhaps someone more familiar with that aspect of the discussion would be willing to excavate the relevant bits from this topic to the new one? ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/243 "2021-01-21T02:28:41Z")
Welcome back, @codinghorror! I just wanted to say that I’ve gotten much more used to the new board software in the last few months. There’s a few nitpicks here and there, but overall it’s a very solid piece of software. Thanks for your efforts, and I hope you stick around. BTW, I hope you restore your avatar to the cool “hair-standing-on-end” one. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/244 "2021-01-21T02:32:56Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > I can create it if you like Sorry about that, should have taken a look, the topic we needed is already present > [@So, how is that @ thing supposed to work anyway?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-is-that-thing-supposed-to-work-anyway/930206): > > Whenever I try to reply or refer to another Doper in a post using the @username convention, it never seems to work the way I expect. When I type the @ character, it shows me a list of user names (which I thought was supposed to be everyone who had already posted in the thread). And as I type the user name the list shrinks to match what I’ve typed, but here’s the thing – it never shows me the name of the user I’m looking for. I wind up having to type the entire user name in. So, am I doing this … Best to follow up there with specifics rather than everything-and-the-kitchen-sinking it here. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2021, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/245 "2021-01-21T05:37:42Z")
I am disappointed that Discourse lacks a kitchen sink. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/246 "2021-02-14T21:23:14Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > > [@codinghorror](#): > > > > I can create it if you like > > Sorry about that, should have taken a look, the topic we needed is already present > > [So, how is that @ thing supposed to work anyway?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-how-is-that-thing-supposed-to-work-anyway/930206) > > Best to follow up there with specifics rather than everything-and-the-kitchen-sinking it here. Yes, someone helpfully created the topic, and @codinghorror has fixed the problem with the database. And now searching for a user works 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/247 "2021-02-14T22:24:35Z")
Yes, thank-you, @codinghorror . Auto-fill is working much better now than it did before. And I second @robby 's suggestion about your avatar. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/248 "2021-02-18T22:09:25Z")
OK you talked me into it 😉 We’re also messaging the current list of moderators about some common proposed site setting tweaks, based on the discussions in this category. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/249 "2021-02-28T21:34:48Z")
I’ll tell you one thing, there are far worse out there. More than a year since the Adobe Community forums moved from Jive to Khorous and we’re still having issues. It is far, far less functional than Discourse. For example, we _just_ (as in the last week or so) got the ability to quote text from earlier messages and it’s not what you’d call easy. And the system will randomly start kicking people off after 15 minutes so they have to re-sign in while leaving other users signed in for days at a time; in a month or so it’ll move on to a new group. Although Adobe does let you insert graphics without having them hosted on another site, but that’s because it’s a user support site and that’s sort of necessary. I’ll admit to having been a bit wary at first, but for the most part I’ve been pretty happy with how Discourse works. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/250 "2021-02-28T22:14:43Z")
That’s good to know! If we had a sales team, I’d sic them on Adobe 😉 In general I (and we, as a team) are adamant that the moment-to-moment experience of “playing” Discourse should be enjoyable and satisfying – like a fun conversation at a fun dinner party with interesting people. We might even learn something! A lot of that depends on the Shadowy Powers That Be treating moderation and moderators with respect and **empowering said moderators to keep things cool** , because there are a lot of deeply un-cool people out there. Everyone reading this is, of course, are very cool. As am I. Those are just, like, _facts_, man. 🕶 ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/251 "2021-02-28T22:21:33Z")
> [@codinghorror](#): > > That’s good to know! If we had a sales team, I’d sic them on Adobe 😉 No one in charge of the forums knows why TPTB picked Khorus, or why there are so many issues for the Adobe forums using it. Rumor has it that it is in use for other sites (such as Autodesk) with far fewer issues, but it’s been one loooooong bitchfest for us. Unfortunately, since Adobe has only been on it for about a year and a half, I doubt if there’s any interest in another migration even if I knew who to point you to (or you had sales teams to be pointed). Something else they only JUST added was a notification that a new post has been made to a thread and a way to know if you’ve already responded. Who leaves that sort of thing OUT of forum software and then makes such a production of adding it in and drags their feet in doing so? ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/252 "2021-02-28T22:28:59Z")
In my experience, this is what happens when the people who write the checks are wildly divorced from the people doing the actual work. It is a bummer 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/253 "2021-02-28T23:17:53Z")
FWIW, I really like Discourse. I’ve had no problem getting it to do what I need. It’s pretty intuitive for the basics. I have to search around for some things, but I’ve been on VBulletin for years and still have to search around with it, too. And the smileys ROCK. 🥳 💯 👍 🐈 🍷 ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/254 "2021-03-02T03:10:28Z")
> [@Helena330](#): > > And the smileys ROCK. 🥳 💯 👍 🐈 🍷 The smileys are the now-standard set of emoji that come with a modern OS, both desktop and mobile. I do appreciate the inclusion of the full set of flags, something that Windows 10 will probably never have. 🇹🇼 🇨🇳 🇰🇵 🇰🇷 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 🇺🇸 🇵🇷 🇨🇺 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/255 "2021-03-02T13:50:41Z")
Still hate it. The endless page length and the search hijacking is what makes it intolerable for me. My vastly, vasty reduced participation is largely attributed to this. But, I’m just one inconsequential person, and no one will miss my charter subscription once it lapses. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/256 "2021-03-02T15:41:16Z")
🇳🇵 Nice. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/257 "2021-03-02T15:51:55Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > … search hijacking … Which is what?? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/258 "2021-03-02T16:22:53Z")
One form of that is a consequence of infinite scroll: the normal browser “search in page” doesn’t work because there’s no page, only a variable-sized window into a variable-length thread. If you’re used to hitting ctrl-f and getting the browser’s search facility, Discourse intercepting it for its own search tool (which behaves differently) is an unpleasant difference. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/259 "2021-03-02T16:32:26Z")
It Discourse search-within-thread achieves the same result plus has more smarts about date ranges, user names, etc. And you can always still access the browser’s facility, broken though it is. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/260 "2021-03-02T16:34:48Z")
That’s certainly one opinion. [Not universally accepted.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428/255) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-people-feeling-about-discourse/926428.md?page=14)