Personally, whenever I log on, I cycle through the forums GQ, CS, IMHO, MPSIMS, the Pit, checking for new threads or responses to threads I have read or taken part in. I don’t subscribe to any, because I like a clean mailbox. GD is only a sometimes thing for me…I’ll check it maybe once a week.
After six to eight hours staring at a computer at work, I like to come home and relax by starting at the Dope for a while. I check CS and GD first, look in on threads I’ve replied to and any others that are interesting, then go to the Pit to see if there’s anything amusing, and then IMHO and MPSIMS. GQ doesn’t need to be checked as often. Sometimes I’ll go a while without actually participating in any GD threads if my political stress level is high, but I’m trying to be more detached.
I don’t subscribe to any threads either. I get enough automatic e-mail as it is, I prefer for the human-sent mail to stay in my in box as long as possible.
I use my Firefox tabs. Open each forum I feel like visiting each day in tabs, then new tab for each thread I feel like opening, close each forum tab, and go from left to right reading. Occasionally I’ll keep the index open and refresh if I feel like it.
Most of the time, if it’s been less than 24 hours since I was on last, I click on “New Posts” and work through the list, checking out any thread whose title looks interesting, or whose OP username I’m fond of.
The rest of the time I click on “Search” and “Advanced Search” and use the option on the right for my username and look to see if there’s anything new in threads I already replied to.
Once in a while I will look through the thread titles in Cafe Society, MPSIMS, IMHO, GQ, and, if I’m in the mood, the other forums.
I usually check any threads that have been closed to see why.
Maybe once a week I’ll do a real vanity search with the “keyword” option of advanced search and use my username to see if there’s anything I missed where I was referred to in somebody’s post in a thread I haven’t posted to. This rarely produces anything positive, but I figure it doesn’t hurt to check. When it does happen, it’s usually fun to see.
You can subscribe without e-mail notification, then check your CP for new replies.
I read and comment on things that interest me. Whether that interest is something humourous, based on things I’m knowledgable in, or just some personal irritation. Since those criteria cover a HUGE amount of territory, I find myself in quite a few threads in the different forums. Sometimes trying to be humorous, sometimes attempting to impart knowledge, sometimes venting different levels of annoyance.
I start with my CP, go to New Posts, then sometimes just scroll thru the forums. Depends on whether I’m Doping as entertainment or if it’s just another window open in the background as to just how much I’ll be involved in threads at any given time. Doping as entertainment means I’m on the Dope to be Doping, and giving it attention like one would a favorite TV show.
Open GQ, then open new windows for each interesting thread on the first page. Read each in turn & reply as the mood strikes, closing the windows as I go. Do the same in IMHO & MPSIMS in turn.
If it turns into a marathon session I may go back to GQ & see if anything’s changed since I started.
I normally do this every 24-36 hours, so rarely is there a need to go to the 2nd page of a forum to see new posts.
Once in a blue moon I’ll look at the comments on columns/reports fourms.
I’f I’m really bored/addicted, I’ll search on threads I’ve posted to in the last 2 weeks and see if anybody has said anything interesting since I posted. As I’m a pretty good thread-killer, that isn’t too often.
I visit this board several times a day, and I always start by clicking “User CP.” I use it in the way NoClueBoy mentioned: whenever I post to a thread I subscribe to it (without e-mail notification), and I check for new replies in them first.
When I’m done with the subscribed threads I browse IMHO, MSPIMS, and the Pit (in that order). I keep the main page for the forum open, and when I see a thread that interests me I right-click and open it in a new tab.
Approximately every other visit I check out Cafe Society, and somewhat less frequently I look at ATMB and GQ.
I look at GD every now and then, but it’s pretty rare and not part of my “routine” at all. I never post there, but when I’m at my most bored I check out the current topics of discussion. I usually don’t wind up clicking on any threads. I’m really, really bad at remaining calm/mature/patient in forums like that, and I really like it here at the SDMB, so I avoid GD in self-defense.
When I’m done browsing all of the new threads, I click “User CP” one more time.
(I get the weekly Straight Dope e-mail, but I never browse the column/staff report forums.)
Usually just the Pit and IMHO, I don’t have time for much more. When I used to have a lot more time it was pit, IMHO, MPSIMS and occasionally GD (I have only taken part in a few of those, I’m just not disciplined enough for actual debate, but do read a lot of them).
Sometimes CS, but not a whole lot (those folks are way to edumacated on “film” and so on for the likes of me :D).