I've seen that many people post new threads for their comments or question even before they use the Search button. I think we can avoid this by "forcing" them to write the thread's title at first and as we are typing, the forum makes a search for any related threads (by words matching)... if that search throws some results and we figure out there's already a thread for what I was going to post, then we don't post a new thread.
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Forum design tip: avoiding double threads
- Thread starter Rubo Draco
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Your mechanism presumes that the person entering a thread topic enters the precise words used the last time a topic was discussed. For instance, a thread topic with the words "double threads" did not exist before today. However two threads (first, second) already existed with the words "duplicate threads" in their titles. In the second of those threads, Dr. Q referenced the similar thread thread. I didn't bother to see how deep the rabbit-hole went.
I knew I wasn't going to resolve the double threads trouble... But it could be an idea to avoid some of them. "some" is better than "none" right?
You did not resolve the trouble, but you did create a double thread.
How about a daemon that would fix "it's" in thread titles?
As has already been pointed out, this has been discussed many times over the years, as you can see by reading the several existing threads on the topic... and now we have another.
I think only members who have been registered for longer than 1 month should be allowed to post in Site and Forum Feedback about how to improve the forums. :/
Yes, but that would filter out the newbies who are having troubles with the site, and actually have a legitimate problem.
Out of the 50 threads on the first page of SFF there is one legitimate technical issue that a new member (joined < 1 month ago) brought up. The other issues brought up by new members are all answered in the FAQ. The greater good should prevail.
I was just joking anyways.
In this case, the OP made the OP in the iPad forum. It was moved here.
Irony is best served subtly.
Last week, I took pains to conserve the thread-space by reviving an old thread with fresh information. We should all work to conserve threads, because we may someday run out.
A suggestion on how to encourage existing thread use
How about if the Post New Thread form had a button to the right of the thread title: "Search Existing Thread Titles". If that button were pushed, the words entered in the title would be used as a keyword search against all existing threads in that forum.
That would at least give newbies a clue that searching existing the existing thread titles would be a good idea before starting a new one.
Search before creating is the bulletin-board analog to he carpenter's measure twice cut once.
How about if the Post New Thread form had a button to the right of the thread title: "Search Existing Thread Titles". If that button were pushed, the words entered in the title would be used as a keyword search against all existing threads in that forum.
That would at least give newbies a clue that searching existing the existing thread titles would be a good idea before starting a new one.
Search before creating is the bulletin-board analog to he carpenter's measure twice cut once.
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