Not planned Thread vs Discussion vs Topic

[Grover]

(devoting a dedicated thread discussion on this)

Triggered by this remark from Floris:

THat resparks the conversation then about calling a thread a discussion and the button still being called a thread, etc.

I thought:

Thread vs Discussion or Topic

Indeed, this is a good point. Overall... I always hated the word 'thread'... on vBulletin and every other board that uses this phrase. When there was not a Dutch translation available for vBulletin at the time... my dutch members kept asking me 'what is a thread'? No clue. I mean when you translate it you get : 'draadje' (which means so much as wire/line (and thread), but people in The Netherlands never ever talk about a 'draadje' when it comes to discussions. Apparently, it is common language/knowledge for English speaking people using a web board(?). As a Dutch person I find it still a bit of a weird word to use on forums... I much prefer [New Discussion] or [New Topic].

Brogan explained:

Thread relates to threaded view, as opposed to flat or linear view.

Ah yes... thanks for pointing this out, because now I realize that this makes the word 'thread' even more non-fitting on XF, perhaps. XF does not use threaded view... you can not select this alternative view... only flat/linear view is possible (which is a good thing IMHO). So if XF doesn't even provide threaded view... why call a discussion a thread then?

Instead of http://xenforo.com/community/threads/fixed-term-for-personal-discussions-vs-conversations.2796 I would prefer:
http://xenforo.com/community/discussions/fixed-term-for-personal-discussions-vs-conversations.2796

 

[rollthebones]

My biggest gripe with 'thread' is that people who have never used a forum just won't know what a thread is.

It's easy enough to change the string (especially since it isn't hardcoded onto the buttons like vB3), but for a system designed to be "a fresh outlook to forum software", topic or discussion is just better suited.

New thread?

 

[Reeve of Shinra]

Maybe its just me but 'threads' is a little old school ... maybe we should just change all occurrences of threads to topics.

ie:
Watched Threads to Watched Topics
New Thread to New Topic

 

[Rigel Kentaurus]

Maybe its just me but 'threads' is a little old school ... maybe we should just change all occurrences of threads to topics.

ie:
Watched Threads to Watched Topics
New Thread to New Topic

I did the same in my forums, although since it was in Spanish I changed that from "discusión" to "tema"

Threads are sooooo out
Let's use topic instead

And while in that, let's use "message" instead of "post"

 

[Luke F]

Thread > Topic

Always cringe a little bit when I see people and software using 'topic' instead of thread

 

[Reeve of Shinra]

I know, my personal preference still leans towards threads but I'm thinking about the majority of the people visiting who think 'topics'.

 

[Luke F]

I think most people are ok with them being used interchangeably

 

[Forsaken]

I think most people are ok with them being used interchangeably

What exactly is threaded about them though? The use of threaded display has grown defunct except for a small minority of forum users.

Heres the previous thread where people went over this topic .
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-thread-vs-discussion-vs-topic.2838/

 

[yoghurtfarmer]

What exactly is threaded about them though? The use of threaded display has grown defunct except for a small minority of forum users.

Heres the previous thread where people went over this topic .
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-thread-vs-discussion-vs-topic.2838/

the topic of discussion in that thread is thread vs discussion vs topic.

 

[Forsaken]

the topic of the discussion in that thread is thread vs discussion vs topic.

Yet nothing is threaded, therefore naming it a thread is deemed pointless.

 

[Kier]

Threads don't have to be internally threaded, they are simply threads of discussion within the forum.

 

[Paul B]

Merged.

 

[Ray]

"Topic" has my vote.

 

[Kim]

Let's call them Freds instead!

It is as meaningless, and far more fun

 

[James]

Let's call them Freds instead!

It is as meaningless, and far more fun

Then surely we'd have another lawsuit for being politically incorrect and indirectly insulting people with speech impediments

 

[Kim]

Then surely we'd have another lawsuit for being politically incorrect and indirectly insulting people with speech impediments

Hmmm true.. you could have a point...

Bob it is then!

I'll just go and start a new bob in the test forum, see how it handles.

 

[Sami]

Yarn would be sort of a compromise.

 

[James]

I'm sure Bob wouldn't appreciate being closed, opened, moved, deleted, approved, disapproved, moderated or split...

 

[Dean]

Hmmm true.. you could have a point...

Bob it is then!

I'll just go and start a new bob in the test forum, see how it handles.

Sorry, Microsoft has the market on Bob cornered
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

 

[Kim]

Sorry, Microsoft has the market on Bob cornered
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Bob

LOL Bob Fail!

 

[Dragapult]

I'd have to go with "threads," because I prefer the term, and it seems xenforo has adopted the /threads/ structure.