# Poll: Message board format **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 7, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791 "2006-09-07T15:46:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/21 "2006-09-07T19:05:22Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] Actually the SDMB has three modes available to everyone all the time. If you look above the OP you will find a blue band with four links: View First Unread (on the left), and Thread Tools, Search This Thread, and Display Modes (on the right). Clicking on the Display Modes link reveals three different modes, including a threaded mode. [/quote] Wow, quite interesting. I saw that SlashDot had the same feature, except since threaded is default reading it in flat is hard. Seems like since flat is default here, reading threaded is hard. Does anyone here use the threaded mode? I’ve been here since 1999 and I’ve never noticed it as an option. > [@](#): > > FWIW, why create another message board when there are plenty of quality open source and commercial boards already out there? We’ve got a huge established site with a huge established database of our own making which includes a large comments area that we’d want to port over to the board. Would take just as much time to de-construct a board to fit within our model as it would be to construct one from scratch. That’s why. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/22 "2006-09-07T19:12:06Z")
[QUOTE=Scarlett67] Flat, female, 39. Threaded boards suck donkey. [/QUOTE] Bingo, except I’m 37. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/23 "2006-09-07T19:44:57Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Does anyone here use the threaded mode? I’ve been here since 1999 and I’ve never noticed it as an option. [/QUOTE] I noticed that feature a while ago (must have been when they ‘prettied’ the place up with the new quote and reply icons and new blue borders), and played around with it then, but it didn’t do anything. It must have been turned off then. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/24 "2006-09-07T20:10:55Z")
Male 29 I wholeheartedly prefer flat to threaded. But why not have your cake and eat it too? Check out this site, for instance: [www.twoplustwo.com](http://www.twoplustwo.com) Their default on there is threaded, which I hate. But when you log in, you can create your own default settings and mine have it automatically converted to a flat view. ---
**Author:** ![StinkyBurrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/25 "2006-09-07T20:32:28Z")
Hi **ZipperJJ**. I believe we are fellow Cleveland ASP coders! When I considered creating a message board for one of my sites, I never even thought about threaded. It sucks to be frank. Though I never created it because I just didn’t see its value. I understand the need for a custom solution. Especially if it is a pretty simple and light on features. But to create something as robust as vBulletin (which SDMB uses) would take way to long. Just remember to keep it modular enough that you can plug it into future development projects in an hour but charge your customers a boat load for the custom coding 😉 . CSS and XSL/XML would be great for this. Oh and \< 30 M. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/26 "2006-09-07T20:55:45Z")
Flat, no question about it. And, the reason why folks put up with in in LJ is, I think, because that’s just the way it is. And, it works just fine when you’re talking about a relatively small number of posts. Anything with long sub-conversations becomes very tedious to read, and I usually end up missing things. I have a hard time following the main ‘thread’ of threaded boards. Oh, also, the chronology of them leaves a lot to be desired. I much prefer conversations that lay out chronologically, and I think that that format also lends itself to more productive, coherent discussion overall. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/27 "2006-09-08T08:21:34Z")
Some boards are better _threaded_, while others are better _flat_. Here’s my random reasoning: SDMB is better flat: The SDMB is heavily moderated and therefore the majority of threads have one single focal point of conversation (usually, the OP). Even when threads deviate from the OP, it is usually because the entire discussion has shifted to some other issue which was brought up in preceding posts. For this reason, it would be easier to follow the thread if you were to read every post in the order it was posted. A threaded format would be better suited to lightly moderated boards where topics usually have one main trunk of discussion, and several branches of conversation. In such a thread, it would be entirely possible to skip the branches and still follow the main issue in the thread. Lightly moderated boards usually have people starting totally tangential discussions within the main thread (for which a threaded format is better suited). Note that while the SDMB does support the threaded format, the way in which many people use this board would render the threaded view useless at best, and highly confusing at worst. This is because many people (as is my assumption) just click on any random “Post Quick Reply” icon (which is available under every post), and then compose their post in the “Quick Reply” box. This makes no difference to someone reading the thread in flat mode, but someone reading the thread in threaded mode would see it as a reply to the post from which the poster clicked on the “Post Quick Reply” icon, even though the intention of the poster was to reply to the thread at large. Personally, I prefer flat. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/28 "2006-09-08T08:44:34Z")
Flat. All the new posts are right at the bottom of the thread. With threaded you have to go up and rebrowse through the entire thread. A good “Quote” feature is absolutely required though. 1. Male. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/29 "2006-09-08T10:35:03Z")
[QUOTE=BiblioCat] I prefer flat. Female and 41. [/QUOTE] Ditto, ditto, and ditto… ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/30 "2006-09-08T10:42:25Z")
Flat. To me, a flat board is like a multiperson conversation; a threaded board, like having six individual conversations at the same time. The second format drives me nuts both online and rl. Female, 38. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/31 "2006-09-08T21:49:54Z")
Flat. By the time I wander down one branch in a threaded, I’ve forgotten (or confused) what was in the main line of discussion. Female, 39.91780822 (No, really. I’m not counting down to the big 4-0. Why do you ask?) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/32 "2006-09-09T03:02:28Z")
Flat. Threaded message boards are almost always a usability disaster. I hate them hate them hate them. Male, 43. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/33 "2006-09-09T03:08:09Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] Flat. Threaded message boards are almost always a usability disaster. I hate them hate them hate them. Male, 43. [/QUOTE] Yep. Male, 38. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/34 "2006-09-09T03:55:27Z")
As with most things, I try to play the Devil’s Advocate but you really can’t here. FLAT Tell your partner you asked us and we gave rational thought to both sides of the issue and then him read the thread. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/35 "2006-09-09T05:07:06Z")
Flat, for all the reasons mentioned above. 32/female ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791/36 "2006-09-09T08:41:44Z")
Flat. I only read threaded boards when I really need an answer to a problem. Who enjoys threaded boards is beyond me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-message-board-format/371791.md?page=1)