Sticky first post on every page

[SchmitzIT]

Not sure how much work this would be, but on vB4 I installed a modification that will repeat the opening post of a thread on every consecutive page. It seems odd at first, but the idea behind it is that it will easily allow for people to not loose track of what the conversation they are replying to is about again.

A subtle indicator to keep threads from veering off-topic too much, so to speak.

The mod does offer the ability to change the appearance of the first post by means of a template, but this will also affect the actual first post. I'd like to have the ability to keep the initial post showing normally, but then when it is repeated on consecutive pages, to adapt the template to such an extent that I can add a message stating: "This is merely a repeat of the opening post" or have it use a slightly different background colour. Something that will ensure my users will recognize this is not an actual copy/paste of the original post, but merely the modification in action.

Thanks

 

[Greg M]

I also use this mod, and I absolutely love it. Would be cool if it was a core-function, but I could see why they wouldn't want to add it.

If they did, I would have to say that I would rather it be an option, tho... only some threads really need the first post on every page.

 

[Chromaniac]

i actually like this on vb.org community.

i proposed a feature that is somewhat similar...

 

[dutchbb]

I use it in review-threads in combination with the 'easy forms' mod. Not sure if it should be a default feature, but certainly a good candidate for add-on.

 

[Paul B]

I hate that feature so I would hope it's a mod only.

 

[jonsidneyb]

Mod only please

 

[Chromaniac]

of course it has to be optional. but it would be a good option to have in the backend. we can have mods for practically everything. but this is something that should be a core feature of a forum. (my opinion!).

i mean even on blogs... comment pages... appear with the original blog post at the top. forum threads are pretty much similar in nature. in most cases!

 

[James]

I can see this being a modification (and a great one at that)

 

[Chromaniac]

a thought from the seo point of view. this could result in duplicate content penalty.

 

[James]

a thought from the seo point of view. this could result in duplicate content penalty.

Unless it only displays for logged in users.

 

[Chromaniac]

yeap that would be a good workaround. i doubt there is other workarounds. google does not really have tags that you can use around a specific content to not index it!

 

[projectego]

It's not really my thing, I'd rather it not be an option as I'm a stickler for minimalism and I'd just see another option that I wouldn't use as extra "bloat" in the Admin CP. I also don't think it's a great idea from an SEO standpoint, what with the same post being displayed on each and every page of a thread; it just smacks of duplicate content. Although, I am no expert on the matter.

 

[Booth]

It's not really my thing, I'd rather it not be an option as I'm a stickler for minimalism and I'd just see another option that I wouldn't use as extra "bloat" in the Admin CP.

What, one extra tickbox?

 

[Chromaniac]

haha. vBulletin probably has 1000s of those. and it never bothered me though. i like having options.

 

[Paul B]

What, one extra tickbox?

If everyone got their one extra tickbox there would be a thousand of them.

 

[Booth]

If everyone got their one extra tickbox there would be a thousand of them.

So? If they are useful what is the problem? As long as those who don't want to use them do not need to, and it doesn't hold up development too much, it shouldn't be any skin off anyones nose.

Something like this, if you didn't require it, you wouldn't even know it was there.

 

[Chromaniac]

Something like this, if you didn't require it, you wouldn't even know it was there.

this has always been my case for features that most people do not think they like/need.

along with. you never know when you might need it on your own forum.

 

[projectego]

What, one extra tickbox?

Brogan said it better than I ever could:

If everyone got their one extra tickbox there would be a thousand of them.

The "show first post on each thread page" is a feature that would not benefit me in the slightest and I feel would only be a hindrance. If it were up to me, which it obviously isn't, then I would immediately dismiss this option as neither I, nor the majority of my communities would find it at all useful. If it gets put into the final product then I won't lose sleep over it; I'll be pleased for the people who requested it and find it useful but it'll just end up being yet another option that I'll immediately skip over whenever I'm in the admin CP.

 

[Booth]

Brogan said it better than I ever could:


The "show first post on each thread page" is a feature that would not benefit me in the slightest and I feel would only be a hindrance. If it were up to me, which it obviously isn't, then I would immediately dismiss this option as neither I, nor the majority of my communities would find it at all useful. If it gets put into the final product then I won't lose sleep over it; I'll be pleased for the people who requested it and find it useful but it'll just end up being yet another option that I'll immediately skip over whenever I'm in the admin CP.

But you wouldn't need to dismiss it, it would be off by default. It'd just be optional when setting up a forum.

I personally don't see why there is an option to allow posts to be displayed newest first, or alphabetically. These are things that aren't used in any of the forums I've ever used in all my time of being on the net but I'm not going to say they shouldn't be included, even though I will never use them, and neither will many others.

I have seen many instances where forums have had the original post viewed on every page though.

 

[Floris]

I don't agree to first post on every page, since it's not an article with comments, but a thread - and threads should at most be paginated. Sorry, just my opinion