Open Discussion Default Thread Subscription Mode - new account default setting

[amapola]

I was just thinking of the number of new users who ask about keeping track of where they have been posting, and having to be told about how to edit User Options to automatically subscribe to threads they post in. I think it would make sense to have the default option when new accounts are created set to "No email notification" as opposed to "do not subscribe".

Assuming this is technically possible, I can't believe there are many regular users who don't use this option, and it is easier for a few people to turn it off after they have been posting for a while and don't want to be subscribed than vice-versa. I'd imagine lots of people don't know it is even a possibility and start posting with no thought of following up, and know for a fact from questions in support some still haven't learned about it after hundreds of posts over multiple months.

I just can't see a downside to it, and believe it will cut down questions in support and lead to better responsibility and engagement in conversation of new users.

 

[fizzle]

:D I think this is an awesome idea, I hope it is considered and can be done.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Another default that has been suggested is the 'remember me' checked when people sign in rather than unchecked. A lot of posting problems that people have come from 'remember me' being unchecked.

The ideal is that people dig in and find out about the settings and decide for themselves but many members are set on asking a question or posting in a particular thread when they arrive. Messing with settings to one's preferences is usually boredom or problem solving. I think most BL defaults are the typical vBulletin defaults unless an advantage or problem becomes pretty apparent.

Thanks for bringing this up amapola

 

[amapola]

^I think remember me is slightly difference as it is a security concern on public computers if you fail to uncheck it. It is necessary they the user know it is checked when signing on and the only way I can see that that can be assured is to let them turn it on. It might also be against some internet standards policy to assign a remember me cookie without permission.

 

[TheLoveBandit]

Shoot. I had a big response worked out, hit submit, and the internet troll ate it when it crossed his bridge.


Once again, hopefully shorter and more to the point.

I'd want to verify that having a significant increase in subscribed threads will not cause problems for the server (my thinking is that it shouldn't). I had a lot of arguments on why this shouldn't be necessary:

1 - with ~70 new accounts registered daily (minus 5-6 spammers) and only one complaint-question of this nature every week or two...is this really necessary? Would this be a fix for a few that introduces a different problem for the many?

2 - would we then get a bunch of people pissed off about registering at a site that starts spamming them with email about where they posted (assuming we didn't turn of email notices...which, the more I yammered on, the more I realized you said to turn the emails off)

3 - If we auto-subscribe them, will their email inbox get full...or more to the point of a known problem, will our email server get choked with bounces. This is an odd problem to have, but if we try to send an email to someone and it is over 40k, we tend to have it get bound up in the server and start bouncing. Subscriptions to fast moving threads, or subscriptions that wait for a daily summary (or worse, a weekly one) tend to be the problem makers here.

4 - Many people may not subscribe to anything, and find the methods of Use The Friendly Search Engine (UTFSE) and the 'click username -> Find posts by ...' to be quite solid at finding what they are after. Would this be something they didn't want, need, or ask for...getting pushed upon them?

Ultimately, I came to realize there may be minimal pain (once server load is confirmed) for a possible gain, and it may be worth trying out - at least for awhile. Meaning, I'd take it up with the admin, now that I know most of my arguments don't hold a lot of water. Problems 1 and 4 are about the same, and come to a hide and watch solution. Problems 2 and 3 are resolved with your suggestion to use "Do not email"


To Enki's point about 'remember me' is not a setting I can find to easily adjust, nor is it one I think we should - just for the security issues.

 

[amapola]

I think if the vast majority of people use it, it makes sense to have it as default so less people have to take extra setting actions. I honestly think the majority of people who don't use it are those who don't know about it.

with ~70 new accounts registered daily (minus 5-6 spammers) and only one complaint-question of this nature every week or two...is this really necessary?

I think the reason you don't get as many complaints is because people just don't even know it is an option and struggle along searching for and forgetting about threads they have posted in or manual subscribing to every thread once they figure out that is an option. It's hard to word a complaint/question about "how do I keep track of threads" and it seems like a stupid question as you'd expect the answer to be "you just do" not there is a simple but awkwardly disguised as email response settings option.

I admit I could be mistaken and there could be a lot of people who don't use auto thread subscription and just manually add ones they want to subscribe to and most threads they post in they never plan on viewing again. Which would be unfortunate.

If you add a poll to this thread like below I think it'll demonstrate how often the function is used and we may be surprised by the number of people just finding out about it.

• I choose not to use automatic thread subscriptions.
• I have always used automatic thread subscriptions and set it up right when I joined.
• I do use automatic thread subscription but wish I knew about it right when I joined.
• I just learned about the option now and plan on using it.
• I just learned about the option now and do not plan on using it.

Would this be a fix for a few that introduces a different problem for the many?

Honestly even if it is a problem for some Greenlighters who don't want to he auto-subscribed and have to figure out how to turn it off, I'm all for encouraging them to be more responsible and respond to their posts when they first join the site. It forces them to become a member of the thread instead of just posting willy-nilly.

 

[amapola]

100% so far.
Thanks for the poll whomever. I've still never gotten to make one.

 

[felix]

i don't see much of a downside to this suggestion except for the server load issue, which might be significant - just how significant, we won't know till it's switched on, and even then it would probably be difficult to quantify its effect. what is for sure though, is that every time a user posts in a new thread, the server has to add an entry in a table related to that user account.

our performance isn't exactly lightning fast 24/7, so for that reason i would hesitate to implement this [if i was still an admin ]

this is a training issue, along with lots of other things that may not be obvious to new users. so i would suggest including a link to the *ahem* Bluelight Tips thread in the welcome PM/email, where the procedure is explained:

http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?p=5670511#post5670511

(if it's not in there already... i don't remember.)

 

[lostNfound]

auto subscription....... bad idea. the onus is on the user to customize their own subscriptions and not to flood all users with shit they don't want to see.

I know this is a drug based messgae board but if people can't keep track of their own posts then they shouldn't be allowed to walk out their front door evrey morning.

Never have I had trouble keeping track os posts across the site and I have never used the subscribe thread feature because it is more nuisance than anything else when utilized.

 

[felix]

huh? dunno how it could be a nuisance; the only effect to the user would be seeing a list of threads when they go to their UserCP. that's it.

 

[lostNfound]

nuisance enough for me uglying up my usercp screen

 

[Captain.Heroin]

100% so far.
Thanks for the poll whomever. I've still never gotten to make one.

Go make one in Testing Grounds! It's super easy.

I'll make one to show you how easy it is.

 

[fizzle]

nuisance enough for me uglying up my usercp screen

Do you use your UserCP much outside of looking for new posts? I cant imagine many people do.

Just ftr, you're more OCD than I am, and thats really saying something. :D

 

[felix]

Do you use your UserCP much outside of looking for new posts? I cant imagine many people do.

exactly... if you use subscriptions, your UserCP is probably your home screen for BL. if not, it's just a boring dusty portal for changing your settings, which you might do once a month at most.

i can understand people not knowing about the feature, but i'm really not getting why anyone (especially on senior staff ) actively dislikes it. if you post across several different forums regularly, keeping track of them must be a manual pain in the ass process without it.

so to clarify: i love the feature (with no email notification); but would still prefer to educate people instead and let them decide if they want to use it or not.

 

[amapola]

What better way of educating than force feeding? Seriously though it's obvious to a new user that they are subscribed to threads (when they start popping up in their userCP) and if they feel an instant hatred for keeping track of where they have posted they can quickly read the userguide (aka search through account options or complain here) until they are rid of this forced intrusion into their preferred blindly posting away ways.

The absence of subscribed threads in your userCP is quite subtle and requires a dedicated user to find that it is an option and something that they want - assuming they aren't internet savvy and know it must be there. The plethora of email options in the pull down list makes it even more difficult to tell what it is for.

Default Thread Subscription Mode:

• do not subscribe
• no email notification
• instant email notification
• daily email notification
• weekly email notification

Where da YES subscribe button? That is a quite implicit option for people looking through the settings who may like to subscribe but don't want to bother with email.

edit:
lostNfound keeps track of his computer doings with a pen and legal pad off the grid. It's true hacker style in case his box gets rooted and he can't access his logs.

 

[amapola]

I thought a new bump for the new layout would be appropriate. I'd also like to stress the fact that the term "UserCP" in this thread has been replaced with the "Settings" link in the top right corner.

 

[KrinkleKutt]

I have an idea how about a dropdown in between notifications and myprofile unless for some hardware/software problem it would make it easier to see you subscriptions . and before you torch my boo boo i'm just a dummie in web construction i work in transmission...M.

 

[felix]

^ or you could just click on the next button along, i.e. settings.