Suggestion Improving Efficiency: Marking Subscribed Threads for Further Attention

  • Thread starter Thread starter A. Neumaier
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the need for a feature that allows users to mark subscribed threads for further attention, even after all messages have been read. This would help users quickly identify which threads still require responses without needing to reload them. Suggestions include creating a special subscription folder labeled "needs attention" to organize these threads. While some users express skepticism about whether forum software can accurately determine which threads need more attention, the idea of a flagging system or color-coding threads is proposed as a potential solution. Overall, the conversation emphasizes the desire for improved efficiency in managing thread subscriptions.
A. Neumaier
Science Advisor
Insights Author
Messages
8,679
Reaction score
4,739
It would be nice if it were possible to mark the items in the list of subscribed threads by an indication whether a thread needs further attention though all its messages had been read already (which is indicated by losing the boldface font).

This would save the time to reload threads simply to figure out whether they are already adequately addressed or whether they still merit a response.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
One thing you could do is to subscribe to such a thread, and place it in a special subscription folder (that you create) called "needs attention" or something along those lines.

It takes a few clicks to do this, but I think it would accomplish what you are proposing.
 
Redbelly98 said:
One thing you could do is to subscribe to such a thread, and place it in a special subscription folder (that you create) called "needs attention" or something along those lines.

Great solution redbelly!
 
This would save the time to reload threads simply to figure out whether they are already adequately addressed or whether they still merit a response.

It's worth pointing out that no forum software can decide whether or not you believe a thread deserves more attention by you.
 
fss said:
It's worth pointing out that no forum software can decide whether or not you believe a thread deserves more attention by you.
Of course it can decide, based on my prior annotation. But Redbelly's solution is indeed reasonable to use with the present system.
 
fss said:
It's worth pointing out that no forum software can decide whether or not you believe a thread deserves more attention by you.

I'm not sure whether or not you can mark a thread unread, that could work, but regardless it probably wouldn't do much to help me. My subscriptions decide whether or not they feel I've read them, not my actions of actually reading them. Every now and then they'll show up as unread even though nothing new has happened (and I've had no email to confirm no new posts) or I'll be the last person to post.

That aside, I think it would be nice if there was a button that let you flag a thread - turn it red or whatever colour you want - just as a reminder.
 
I want to thank those members who interacted with me a couple of years ago in two Optics Forum threads. They were @Drakkith, @hutchphd, @Gleb1964, and @KAHR-Alpha. I had something I wanted the scientific community to know and slipped a new idea in against the rules. Thank you also to @berkeman for suggesting paths to meet with academia. Anyway, I finally got a paper on the same matter as discussed in those forum threads, the fat lens model, got it peer-reviewed, and IJRAP...
About 20 years ago, in my mid-30s (and with a BA in economics and a master's in business), I started taking night classes in physics hoping to eventually earn the science degree I'd always wanted but never pursued. I found physics forums and used it to ask questions I was unable to get answered from my textbooks or class lectures. Unfortunately, work and life got in the way and I never got further the freshman courses. Well, here it is 20 years later. I'm in my mid-50s now, and in a...
Back
Top