# Why are links to threads I haven't read showing as read? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 5, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118 "2008-09-05T03:06:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/1 "2008-09-05T03:06:01Z")
This is the opposite of a problem I occasionally have here. I’m used to links I’ve clicked reverted back to blue, but now there are links all over that I’ve never clicked that are showing brown. (In my browser settings, blue is virgin links and brown is visited links) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/2 "2008-09-05T03:09:35Z")
The timeout for unread links is waaaaaaay too short. Well near the bottom of the List of Things to Fix, of course, but I hope they get around to it soonish. It’s pretty annoying. ETA: It’s worse than that. After a little experimenting, I see that as soon as you click a forum link, all the treads are marked as read when you click away again. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/3 "2008-09-05T03:16:11Z")
I usually browse by using the “New Posts” search but going into a forum then returning to the main page I’m using all the posts from that forum are showing as clicked. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/4 "2008-09-05T03:28:44Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > The timeout for unread links is waaaaaaay too short. Well near the bottom of the List of Things to Fix, of course, but I hope they get around to it soonish. It’s pretty annoying. I don’t mean read/unread in the vbulletin sense, I mean visited/unvisited in the browser sense. And it’s not every thread. They seem to be random. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/5 "2008-09-05T04:03:44Z")
I’m guessing this: Many of us posted during the Lost Weekend (or whatever it’s called – That’s a Wall Of Voodoo song, BTW). The threads received ID numbers. These numbers are greater than the ones on the threads that were migrated. Now that we’re posting again, the numbers on the Lost Weekend threads are showing up on new threads. So we’ve ‘read’ the threads, based on their ‘names’. It’s just that while the names are the same, the threads have been changed to protect the innocent. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/6 "2008-09-05T04:19:15Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’m guessing this: Many of us posted during the Lost Weekend (or whatever it’s called – That’s a Wall Of Voodoo song, BTW). The threads received ID numbers. These numbers are greater than the ones on the threads that were migrated. Now that we’re posting again, the numbers on the Lost Weekend threads are showing up on new threads. So we’ve ‘read’ the threads, based on their ‘names’. It’s just that while the names are the same, the threads have been changed to protect the innocent. Hah, brilliant! I bet you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/7 "2008-09-05T04:25:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’m guessing this: Many of us posted during the Lost Weekend (or whatever it’s called – That’s a Wall Of Voodoo song, BTW). The threads received ID numbers. These numbers are greater than the ones on the threads that were migrated. Now that we’re posting again, the numbers on the Lost Weekend threads are showing up on new threads. So we’ve ‘read’ the threads, based on their ‘names’. It’s just that while the names are the same, the threads have been changed to protect the innocent. Exactly. The link state is preserved in your browser cache, it has nothing to do with the SDMB software. If your browser thinks you’ve seen that URL based on the thread ID, you’ve seen it. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/8 "2008-09-05T04:32:21Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’m guessing this: Many of us posted during the Lost Weekend (or whatever it’s called – That’s a Wall Of Voodoo song, BTW). The threads received ID numbers. These numbers are greater than the ones on the threads that were migrated. Now that we’re posting again, the numbers on the Lost Weekend threads are showing up on new threads. So we’ve ‘read’ the threads, based on their ‘names’. It’s just that while the names are the same, the threads have been changed to protect the innocent. Wow, that makes so much sense! I just noticed that I have been having the same problem as **Cisco** and was going to ask about it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/9 "2008-09-05T09:34:10Z")
Heh. Cheers. I just accused hubby of reading the dope through my PC. Sorry babe! ---
**Author:** ![Harry1945](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Harry1945](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry1945)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/10 "2008-09-05T22:17:04Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Exactly. The link state is preserved in your browser cache, it has nothing to do with the SDMB software. If your browser thinks you’ve seen that URL based on the thread ID, you’ve seen it. So how do I fix it in IE7? ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/11 "2008-09-05T23:22:15Z")
Suddenly, I’m grateful that I didn’t follow through on the impulse of accusing my roommate of reading SDMB on my PC.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/12 "2008-09-05T23:24:22Z")
> [@Harry1945](#): > > So how do I fix it in IE7? Tools \> Internet Options \> General tab. Under Browsing History, click the Delete button, then Delete History and whatever other things you want to clear. ---
**Author:** ![Harry1945](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Harry1945](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry1945)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/13 "2008-09-06T00:49:20Z")
Thank you. It was bothersome. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/14 "2008-09-06T12:19:08Z")
I’ve noticed this as well, and the explanation about the thread numbers explains why threads I’ve never opened are showing as read. But I’ve also noticed the opposite: threads I’ve opened in the past 24 hours, since the upgrade, are now showing blue for unread. Any idea why? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/15 "2008-09-06T12:52:34Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I’m guessing this: Many of us posted during the Lost Weekend (or whatever it’s called – That’s a Wall Of Voodoo song, BTW). The threads received ID numbers. These numbers are greater than the ones on the threads that were migrated. Now that we’re posting again, the numbers on the Lost Weekend threads are showing up on new threads. So we’ve ‘read’ the threads, based on their ‘names’. It’s just that while the names are the same, the threads have been changed to protect the innocent. Not likely. This would mean that the threads would show up as read when we first log into the forum. However, what is happening for me, at least, and from reading it, to the OP, is that the threads are correctly showing as unread when first logging in, but then are switching to read after one goes and looks at a thread and comes back to the forum thread display page. For me, this appears to happen only if I click directly on the thread link, as opposed to using the “go to first unread post” button. I just did that this morning, in the ATMB forum, clicking on the direct link to the Side Conversations thread, and came back to find I had read not only that thread, but all the threads since last night. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/16 "2008-09-06T13:32:25Z")
Some people in this thread are talking about “visited link” colour changes, and some people are talking about “thread has been read” icons. I think the OP is taking about the “visited link” colours. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2008, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-links-to-threads-i-havent-read-showing-as-read/462118/17 "2008-09-06T14:03:47Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I think the OP is taking about the “visited link” colours. Yeah, I’ve been having the same thing happen, and it’s confusing. The Lost Weekend explanation makes sense though.