# Is there a delay before new messages are visible to others? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 28, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105 "2008-03-28T21:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/1 "2008-03-28T21:23:28Z")
On several threads recently, I’ve replied in a thread and after posting seen my post directly beneath one post, only to come back later and see an intervening post timestamped between that post and my reply. What gives? Are posts being held in limbo for a short time? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/2 "2008-03-28T22:08:40Z")
It may be based on the actual timestamp when a the \ button is hit and not when you hit the \ button. For example, if Poster A hits the reply at exactly 14:40:21 and you initiate a reply at 14:40:32, their post will show up ahead of yours, even if you complete your post and submit it before Poster A. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/3 "2008-03-28T22:10:04Z")
Mayhap, but that doesn’t explain why the other post isn’t immediately visible. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/4 "2008-03-28T22:59:34Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] Mayhap, but that doesn’t explain why the other post isn’t immediately visible. [/QUOTE] If Poster A takes longer to write their post than you do, you will see your post posted first, only to come back later and find if after the other post. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/5 "2008-03-28T23:02:42Z")
Using vb code [via safari](http://uglyrepublicans.com/republicans/United-States/Dick-Cheney/cheney_emotional_chart.jpg) (Test unrelated to OP) ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/6 "2008-03-28T23:54:00Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] If Poster A takes longer to write their post than you do, you will see your post posted first, only to come back later and find if after the other post. [/QUOTE] Am I misunderstanding this? The time shown on the boards is when a reply page is asked for (or when I start typing into the quick reply box) and NOT when I hit submit? I could start typing this now, wait half an hour, and submit, and it would show up at the current time, rather than at time+30mins? That seems weird to me. ---
**Author:** ![pprgrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f6c823/32.png) [@pprgrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pprgrl)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/7 "2008-03-29T01:57:15Z")
And what if, like me, you frequently use the Quick Reply box at the bottom of the page instead pf hitting the Post Reply button? How does the timestamp work then? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/8 "2008-03-29T03:33:30Z")
Quick Post Test #2 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/9 "2008-03-29T03:37:18Z")
Test Post #1 ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/10 "2008-03-29T12:03:16Z")
I’m typing this in the Quick Reply box now, and the last post I can see is **Duckster** ’s “Test Post #1”. But if someone else submits a reply before I hit reply, their post will appear above mine. I don’t see it because the page doesn’t refresh until I hit reply. Simple as that. Or am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/11 "2008-03-29T16:27:04Z")
test post #4 ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/12 "2008-03-29T16:29:36Z")
test post #3 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/13 "2008-03-29T17:17:59Z")
[QUOTE=Dead Cat] I’m typing this in the Quick Reply box now, and the last post I can see is **Duckster** ’s “Test Post #1”. But if someone else submits a reply before I hit reply, their post will appear above mine. I don’t see it because the page doesn’t refresh until I hit reply. Simple as that. Or am I missing something? [/QUOTE] Once a page appears in entirety on your screen (even if you have to scroll to see parts of it) it is static – no matter who posts to that thread, you will not see a change until you initiate some kind of refresh, either manually (“preview post” works) or due to a timer setting in your browser. Posts are added to the thread in the order received by the SDMB server. Just previewing your work or moving to “advanced edit” does not send your post to the server for the purpose of posting. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/14 "2008-03-29T17:22:58Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] It may be based on the actual timestamp when a the \ button is hit and not when you hit the \ button. [/quote] No. “Reply” merely formats some text for editing purposes. I hit Reply to get your text, above, formatted as a quote and inserted in my edit box. “Submit” is necessary to add this post to the thread, in the order received by the server. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/15 "2008-03-29T23:31:28Z")
So, **Duckster** , are you figuring out anything with your test posts, or are you just messing with our feeble minds? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/16 "2008-03-30T03:28:37Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] So, **Duckster** , are you figuring out anything with your test posts, or are you just messing with our feeble minds? [/QUOTE] I’m testing the theory, but it’s not holding. So it appears my WAG is crap. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/17 "2008-03-30T09:20:00Z")
Take [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461542) as an example. When I replied, my reply was the first reply visible. Yet I came back to it later to find that **Lamar Mundane** had replied two minutes earlier. It’s wierd. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/18 "2008-03-30T12:42:02Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] Take [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=461542) as an example. When I replied, my reply was the first reply visible. Yet I came back to it later to find that **Lamar Mundane** had replied two minutes earlier. It’s wierd. [/QUOTE] It may sound like nitpicking, but I question that you “replied” as you state, if you mean you “posted” your reply, not that you hit the “reply” button. If I am right, it would explain the confusion. Often I find that someone posts a reply before I finish editing my own post. The only way to minimize that is to preview one more time just before hitting submit. If you do so, I think you’ll find everything is in order. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/19 "2008-03-30T20:04:22Z")
No. I mean that after the page refreshed after I had replied, my reply was the first one visible - **Lamar** ’s was not there at all. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105/20 "2008-03-30T20:08:14Z")
[QUOTE=Quartz] No. I mean that after the page refreshed after I had replied, my reply was the first one visible - **Lamar** ’s was not there at all. [/QUOTE] Then I can’t explain it, but I’ve never seen that first hand, either. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-delay-before-new-messages-are-visible-to-others/443105.md?page=2)