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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
. CSS and XSL/XML would be great for this.