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

 

[Kim]

Personally, I greatly dislike Thread too, so very 1995 - have long since changed to topic instead, but in differance to the majority here being used to thread, I have been using "thread" to save confusion.

Discussion is a bit combersome, but I could live with it.

 

[Paul B]

Topic works for me.
Not as much a mouthful as discussion.

 

[Forsaken]

Topic works for me.
Not as much a mouthful as discussion.

I was going to say the same, but I didn't want to add more choices lol.

Topic makes more sense to me. 

 

[Brandon_R]

Pretty much the same thing but threads can have the feeling that it's actually a thread whereas a discussion.

 

[Grover]

Pretty much the same thing but threads can have the feeling that it's actually a thread whereas a discussion.

What do you mean?

 

[KURTZ]

personally i think which 'Discussion(s)' could be much better than the other ... so +1 for Grover.

 

[Aimee S]

Pretty much the same thing but threads can have the feeling that it's actually a thread whereas a discussion.

Whereas a discussion what?

 

[Kim]

Add a poll Grover..

Thread
Discussion
Topic

and any other choices you want

 

[Forsaken]

OP's can't edit in a poll yet.

 

[Kim]

OP's can't edit in a poll yet.

Dang!

 

[Shelley]

I think "Topic" fits nicely. New Discussion imo sounds better but it's awfully long.

 

[Paul B]

Yay!

Everyone likes a Topic - a mouthful of hazelnuts in every bite.
Just like squirrel ****

 

[Onimua]

Topic or discussion would be fine for me.

 

[Princeton]

I prefer Topics - less characters.

 

[Paul B]

Watched Topics


Watched Discussions

 

[Dean]

How xf is marketed to and perceived in the market place, and compared to other software will depend on things like this. I would think this would be a business decision. When someone tells me 'check out this thread' and provides a link, it usually indicates that is a vb powered forum, the same goes for topic -> ipb powered. I realize there are many other software makers, but those are the forums I tend to use.


In addition, people drift from forum to forum all the time. The more terminology those people need to remember the less friendly it will be for them.

 

[erich37]

as by my common language used, I always call it like this (both in english and in german language):
- I call a Forum always a "Discussion Forum".
- I call a Thread always a "Topic".

The word "Thread" is mainly used by forum-webmasters, but is not commonly used in real-life communication.
Well, I also did not see the word "Thread" being used at FaceBook, but rather the words "Discussions" and "Topics".

Just make it so simple, that every baby and every grannie can understand it.

KISS:
Keep It Simple & Sexy

 

[dutchbb]

We use 'Topic' since the first day we started our discussion forum. 'Thread' is a typical vB word, and 'topic' is also a dutch word

 

[Luke F]

Please don't change this - I cringe when I hear people talking about 'topics'.

Threads ftw.