# Number of "new posts". **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 8, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928 "2016-10-08T13:50:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/1 "2016-10-08T13:50:56Z")
I looked earlier today at “New Posts” and there were 217. Right now (a few hours later) I’m seeing 49. Later, I’m likely to see there are 145 if today follows a typical pattern. Is there a simple explanation for this? (ideally not so simple as to make me appear a moron) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/2 "2016-10-08T14:48:50Z")
It’s probably something buried in 20yo code that worked Back Then, but doesn’t accommodate fifty more layers of features. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/3 "2016-10-08T15:00:17Z")
The count is from your last activity if you’ve logged out. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/4 "2016-10-08T15:07:12Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The count is from your last activity if you’ve logged out. I don’t know about that. I keep clicking “New Posts” like I’ve got OCD. I’ll click it, then I’ll click it five minutes later, then suddenly, a thread pops up that’s three pages long. And these aren’t old threads recently revived. I’m talking about thread that were started less than a day ago. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/5 "2016-10-08T15:12:43Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I don’t know about that. I keep clicking “New Posts” like I’ve got OCD. I’ll click it, then I’ll click it five minutes later, then suddenly, a thread pops up that’s three pages long. > > And these aren’t old threads recently revived. I’m talking about thread that were started less than a day ago. It also updates as new posts are made to existing threads. I thought **kayaker** was taking a break between sessions and logging out. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/6 "2016-10-08T15:39:49Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > It also updates as new posts are made to existing threads. Right, but it will include threads you saw before - according to some time/viewing algorithm that I’ve never been able to figure out. It doesn’t show ONLY posts that are new since the last time you asked. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/7 "2016-10-08T15:43:56Z")
This is on a computer or tablet where I never log out. So, I’m not signing in. “New Posts” now gives me 97. I assumed it was some weird glitch in the search function. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/8 "2016-10-08T15:49:22Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > This is on a computer or tablet where I never log out. > > So, I’m not signing in. “New Posts” now gives me 97. I assumed it was some weird glitch in the search function. Are you sure you’re not getting logged out automatically? At the top left there’s a line for time last visited. Keep an eye on that. The board auto-logs out after (40?) minutes of inactivity. When you come back, you get logged back in without a login screen. At least, that’s how it is on my computer. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/9 "2016-10-08T15:56:23Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Are you sure you’re not getting logged out automatically? > At the top left there’s a line for time last visited. Keep an eye on that. > The board auto-logs out after (40?) minutes of inactivity. > > When you come back, you get logged back in without a login screen. > At least, that’s how it is on my computer. Hmm, I’ll watch for that. Currently:: You last visited: Today at 08:06 AM ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/10 "2016-10-08T16:07:37Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Are you sure you’re not getting logged out automatically? > At the top left there’s a line for time last visited. Keep an eye on that. > The board auto-logs out after (40?) minutes of inactivity. > > When you come back, you get logged back in without a login screen. > At least, that’s how it is on my computer. If I’m getting logged out and back in, it’s so subtle I’ve never noticed it. I tend to leave the window open all day, as well. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/number-of-new-posts/767928/11 "2016-10-08T16:50:05Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Hmm, I’ll watch for that. > > Currently:: You last visited: Today at 08:06 AM Home now, on a different device (iPad). You last visited: Today at 11:58 AM