# Is there a limit to thread subscriptions? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 4, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771 "2008-08-04T02:33:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771/1 "2008-08-04T02:33:17Z")
Is there a limit on how many threads I can subscribe to? Right now, I happen to have 187 threads I’m subscribed to. Some are in part to me posting to 'em, some because I liked 'em and wanted to. Could I take it to 1,870, or 18,700 [sub]assuming the SDMB is around that long, and I’m able to post that much[/sub]? Tripler Just curious. I’m not out to break the Dope or 'nuthin. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771/2 "2008-08-04T02:41:33Z")
I have 1,370, but I’m curious, too. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771/3 "2008-08-04T18:09:37Z")
If there is a limit, it must be pretty high. I have my User CP options set so that i automatically subscribe to any thread where i make a post. My current number of subscribed threads is 5,360. ETA: I do wonder, though, whether subscribing to al threads likes this makes things any harder for the SDMB database. ---
**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:** [August 4, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771/4 "2008-08-04T18:16:11Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] If there is a limit, it must be pretty high…I do wonder, though, whether subscribing to al threads likes this makes things any harder for the SDMB database. [/QUOTE] My WAG is only if the subscribed threads are active. Think about what happens every time a thread is modified – all subscribers’ settings have to be accessed, some require emails or flags for batch emails (like once a day). A lot of subscribers to an active thread = a lot of server work needed for each new post. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771/5 "2008-08-04T18:49:31Z")
I have often wondered this myself, but I clean out my old subscribed threads every so often, removing subscriptions three months old or older, unless the thread is very good and I want to be able to look at it again. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-limit-to-thread-subscriptions/458771/6 "2008-08-04T21:00:15Z")
I really don’t know. Since we have some people with immense numbers of subscribed posts it would seem that the default level is quite high. I don’t remember if this is a setting that can be adjusted or not but I don’t recall seeing it offhand, so maybe not. Might be one of the few things the system does well all by itself. I’m so glad.