Forum Topics of Interest: Tracking User Engagement

[john101]

I would like it if I could see easily what the topics of interest are on the forum.

eg a hot button next to topics. ?Once the read, post numbers is analysed a button/banner next to the topic is lit.

When the topic fades out of sight the read number provides a cut off point where the hot button is switched off.

number of guests, anonymous and visible are listed at the bottom of every page.

a page(s) that lists all topics currently being viewed, and by whom. Say a 5 min snapshot. This way you can follow people knowing they might lead you to something you didn't know.*

I find that when I spend more time on the forum this is the info I need in order to visit previously unknown trains of thought.

edit add : that* sounds a bit odd. I obviously mean that in a pure way. I guess people that deserve to be taken seriously can choose to log on as visible. I think listening to a particular person generally and in particular topics is a good thing. I don't see how that can be misused.

add 2 : there's an interesting analogy here. There's a principle in running a shop. The more customers are seen to be in a shop the more customers end up being in the shop. The more people in the shop the more opinions can guide the format but importantly the more people the more likely people of caliber will read it and possibly teach.

 

[jedishrfu]

PF is based on XenForo software so its unlikely that your suggested changes will be implemented unless they become aware of them.

Sometimes these topic features are implemented as tag clouds where the font size determines the relative number of posts or threads used that topic/keyword.

 

[mfb]

Do you know all the features the forum has already?

We have a list of all threads with recent posts - hot topics tend to be on top, naturally.
We have featured threads - manually selected threads with good discussions or important news.
You can https://www.physicsforums.com/watched/threads and https://www.physicsforums.com/watched/forums you are interested in.
You can https://www.physicsforums.com/unanswered/threads.

This way you can follow people

We decided to not have that. Some users don't want to be followed like that. There is a "follow this user" function, but it doesn't show you which threads the user is looking at.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

The "hot" label has been phased out of modern software because it didn't really tell much. It just appeared when a number of replies was reached.

Have you looked at "Who's Online"?
https://www.physicsforums.com/online/

The active members and guests per topic is interesting, but it requires a lot of resources and in the end we have hundreds of thousands of topics so people are quite spread out.

btw, also have you used the "Top Content" tab at the top of the thread list in each forum?

 

[berkeman]

btw, also have you used the "Top Content" tab at the top of the thread list in each forum?

I'd missed that. I'm off to check it out...

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

I'd missed that. I'm off to check it out...

It filters the results to show only threads that meet several quality or activity requirements.

 

[john101]

Thank you. I find I can see most of what I want to see in the various links provided. Quite neatly too.

I see number of views is not there but in top content I can sort in various ways.

In the current visitors list: can the pic/avatar/thumbnail be dispensed with and the type of visitor be inline with the 'viewing thread ...' so that each page can have many more listings.

OK, I am content.