Impossible to start reading unread thread from first post

[Ahmed]

I just did (still had the browser open) and for a thread marked July 31st, I still went to the very first post in a thread that was three pages long.

If you are a guest, clicking a thread title does always takes you to the first post in a thread regardless whether that thread is older than 28 days or not.

Q: Why doesn't the clicking on the thread title take me to the first post in a thread?

A: If you are a guest, it does.

If you are a registered member however, it makes use of the read-marking system that keeps track of threads you have read and will take you to the first unread post within that thread. It works identically to the 'Go to first unread' button in both vBulletin and IPB.

If you want to access the first post in a thread, regardless of its read state, simply click on the start date.

The thinking behind this behaviour is that for the majority of people, it makes sense to jump to your first unread post. Given that this is the most commonly-intended action, it follows that this should be the primary link in the thread list, rather than a small button that is more difficult to click.

Edit: Aug 24, 2010
Note:
If the system considers that an entire thread has been read, clicking the thread title will open the thread from the beginning.

http://xenforo.com/community/threads/random-questions-answered.114/#post-38320

 

[Paul M]

If you are a registered member however, it makes use of the read-marking system that keeps track of threads you have read and will take you to the first unread post within that thread. It works identically to the 'Go to first unread' button in both vBulletin and IPB.

The thinking behind this behaviour is that for the majority of people, it makes sense to jump to your first unread post. Given that this is the most commonly-intended action, it follows that this should be the primary link in the thread list, rather than a small button that is more difficult to click.

Unfortunately, while the thinking is sound enough, its the combination of the two things thats making it behave in an unfriendly manner. Its great on threads you have actually read, but very irritating on threads you have not really read.

 

[HydraulicJack]

...I'd rather see the thread title always go to the first post and below it a smaller link 'go to your first unread post'. That's just much simpler and thus easier for everyone to understand IMO.

Yes, PLEASE!

 

[HydraulicJack]

...that's what XF is all about, intuitive and easy to use which in this case is not.

I agree. Spell it out as default, then admin- (and imho better: ) by-USER Spelled-out DE-Selectable option.

 

[Brent W]

Is there something I am missing? I am clicking on threads that I have never opened and am being sent to the middle of the page. Is this a bug? It's very annoying.

 

[Dean]

http://xenforo.com/community/threads/random-questions-answered.114/#post-38320

http://xenforo.com/community/threads/random-questions-answered.114/#post-38998

 

[Brent W]

Alright except I have NEVER opened the thread. There is no reason it should take me anywhere but the first post if I have never opened the thread.

 

[Dean]

Absolutely no need to shout.

Read the 2nd link. After 28 days (current setting) a post is marked as read, even if it has not been read.

 

[Brent W]

So I have to wait 28 days to go to the first thread in a thread I have never ever (not ever) opened.

I don't think you understand this and I am not sure how to explain in any simpler terms.

Why would this be desired? It makes no sense. If I have never opened a thread it should take me to the first post. Period. Why would I want to be taken half way down the page when I haven't even read the first post?

 

[RastaLulz]

So I have to wait 28 days to go to the first thread in a thread I have never ever (not ever) opened.

I don't think you understand this and I am not sure how to explain in any simpler terms.

Why would this be desired? It makes no sense. If I have never opened a thread it should take me to the first post. Period. Why would I want to be taken half way down the page when I haven't even read the first post?

I couldn't agree more with you. It's rather annoying being sent to the last post when you are looking for the main content (original post) of the thread.

 

[Brent W]

I couldn't agree more with you. It's rather annoying being sent to the last post when you are looking for the main content (original post) of the thread.

Are you talking about threads that you have never opened or the way it works by design on threads you have opened before?

 

[Mark3121]

You click on the time under the thread title to go to first post, be nice to have an option to swap this though.

 

[Brent W]

You click on the time under the thread title to go to first post, be nice to have an option to swap this though.

I think you are all missing my point. Either that or this is the weirdest way to handle opening a new thread you have never read.

I like the behavior when you have read a thread previously and then there are new replies. I would rather it take me straight to the new posts instead of to the first post when clicking on the title.

However, the way it is working for me right now is this:

User A creates a thread and it has 4 posts by the time I see it in new posts
I click new posts but don't open that thread at the time.
A few hours go by and I come back and decide to click on that thread.
Now there are 8 new posts in that thread
When I finally decide to click the thread to read it I am not taken to the first post, I am taken to the 5th reply because those are newer, even though I have never read the first posts

 

[RastaLulz]

Are you talking about threads that you have never opened or the way it works by design on threads you have opened before?

I'm talking about when you are browsing a specific forum and you click a thread that you have never viewed before to only be taken to a post that is not the original post. It defeats the purpose of a thread, as one is to comment on the original post and not some random post in the thread. I understand that you can click the date below the thread title to view the original post, but I feel that the original post is more important than the last post when you are looking through threads that you have never viewed before.

 

[Dean]

I think you are all missing my point.

I understand you point 100%.

Question: what forum software are you using for your forum? (so I can possibly explain it better).

 

[Brent W]

I'm talking about when you are browsing a specific forum and you click a thread that you have never viewed before to only be taken to a post that is not the original post. It defeats the purpose of a thread, as one is to comment on the original post and not some random post in the thread. I understand that you can click the date below the thread title to view the original post, but I feel that the original post is more important than the last post when you are looking through threads that you have never viewed before.

This is my problem too. If I have never opened a thread, it should never taken me past the first post when I open it for the first time.

 

[Brent W]

I understand you point 100%.

Question: what forum software are you using for your forum? (so I can possibly explain it better).

vBulletin 3.8.

I'm not sure how you can explain this as reasonable behavior. Why, if I have never read a thread, would I want to skip posts I have never read?

 

[Dean]

vBulletin 3.8.

Me too.

Which thread marking system do you use? (there are 3 to choose from)

 

[Brent W]

Database Thread Marking

 

[Dean]

Nice. That is also what I use. I really like it.

When you use your forums, how do you normally navigate your site? Click on the little symbol in front of the new threads to go to the first unread posts in the threads, then go away and come back many hours later?