How does everyone keep up?

[Feelingpink]

In the past few months, it seems that the forum has grown exponentially (or whatever it is when it's a lot all at once - perhaps a mathematician can help out here). I used to be able to pretty much keep up with most of the dance threads, sometimes posting on the chit-chat. Now, there are so many new posts every time I log in (a number of times a day, usually), that there's no way to do that. How are others finding this? Or, is this something that's been posted about in 10 threads already and I've missed them? Is there a number of posts or perhaps active members above which our interraction with the forum changes and we can't have the same relationship we once had?

[El Salsero Gringo]

In the past few months, it seems that the forum has grown exponentially (or whatever it is when it's a lot all at once - perhaps a mathematician can help out here). I used to be able to pretty much keep up with most of the dance threads, sometimes posting on the chit-chat. Now, there are so many new posts every time I log in (a number of times a day, usually), that there's no way to do that. How are others finding this? Or, is this something that's been posted about in 10 threads already and I've missed them? Is there a number of posts or perhaps active members above which our interraction with the forum changes and we can't have the same relationship we once had?

We should all go back to the good-ol-days when everyone was nice to each other, when Andy McGregor and ChrisA used to post, and DavidJames wasn't a name known to all. Then you could read all the new posts (both of them, that is) by logging in once a day. Life was so much simpler then.

Just read the threads with the most interesting titles and forget the rest.

[fletch]

Just read the threads with the most interesting titles and forget the rest.

Glade you explained

[Cruella]

Or you could spend all day on here, so you could read the new posts as they happened.

[Beowulf]

read the interesting topics, skim the other ones then use the "Mark all forums read" button.. it's a great thing

[Feelingpink]

read the interesting topics, skim the other ones then use the "Mark all forums read" button.. it's a great thing

I do indeed use the "mark all forums read" button ... but how do you tell what is interesting (without reading it first?) I'm not DJ you know ... I can't just spend all day reading this forum - have work to do

[David Bailey]

How are others finding this?

Difficult - and it's a good point.

• The 50,000th post was in January 2004 - nearly 2 years after launch date.
• The 100,000th post was in January 2005. So volume more-or-less doubled.
• The 200,000th post was in February 2006. So volume more-or-less doubled again.
• The 250,000th post was in July 2006. So it looks like we're running at about 100,000 posts a year now - probably more.

300-400+ posts a day is extremely busy for any forum.

Is there a number of posts or perhaps active members above which our interraction with the forum changes and we can't have the same relationship we once had?

Yes, definitely. Larger communities feel different to smaller ones. You know less people, and sub-groups form, with different interests.

In terms of "how can you keep up", I used to read everything, but I can't now. So I now have the following technique:

• Click "New posts"
• Open a new tab (Firefox browser) for threads I want to read
• Click "Mark forums read" for all the others

Hope that helps

[TheTramp]

I used to read everything too. But that's impossible now. Selective reading, as other people has said, is good. And yes, you might well miss some things that are interesting/funny/helpful. But that's life...

Though, I do wish the 'mark forum read' link still worked. Would make the way I read the forum much easier....

[Lynn]

I do the skim thing, identify interesting threads, then 'mark read' button.

Which ones to look at? I tend to go by thread title for threads I haven't read before, or revisit threads I know I find interesting.

I also look at who has last posted as that can give me an idea if the thread is still on a dance related discussion (in which case I will look at the new posts) or has wandered into chit chat and become pretty much identical to several other threads.

[TheTramp]

I also look at who has last posted as that can give me an idea if the thread is still on a dance related discussion (in which case I will look at the new posts) or has wandered into chit chat and become pretty much identical to several other threads.

Now. I wonder which people you look for to carry on the posting on the discussion that was intended! Or the ones that you look for who don't! And if your list is different in any way from mine....

[Lynn]

Now. I wonder which people you look for to carry on the posting on the discussion that was intended! Or the ones that you look for who don't! And if your list is different in any way from mine....

Well I did click again on this thread after your post.

[David Bailey]

Does anyone else now get a sense of satisfaction, not disappointment, when they see the "Sorry, there are no new threads to view." dialog?

[TheTramp]

Does anyone else now get a sense of satisfaction, not disappointment, when they see the "Sorry, there are no new threads to view." dialog?

Or New Posts since your last visit: 0

[Lynn]

Does anyone else now get a sense of satisfaction, not disappointment, when they see the "Sorry, there are no new threads to view." dialog?

If you want to achieve that sense of satisfaction its easy - just click the 'mark forums read' button and ta-da! No new threads to view. As soon as there are new threads - just click the button again.

Helpful, arent't I?

[David Bailey]

If you want to achieve that sense of satisfaction its easy - just click the 'mark forums read' button and ta-da! No new threads to view. As soon as there are new threads - just click the button again.

Helpful, arent't I?

Cheat

[bigdjiver]

Cheat

I try to treat this as a group of forums. The singletons sofa as one I never read. Chit-chat I tend to try and avoid. I ocasionally make some some small effort to try and keep small-talk out of topics that actually might have some significance for the development of the dance. The exodus of serious posters and the absence of most people of influence shows how unsuccessful I and others have been.

[Tessalicious]

I think some kind (and cheeky) moderator should merge the four 'word association' threads with the 'limerick' and 'TPBM' threads without telling anyone

[Dreadful Scathe]

I also look at who has last posted as that can give me an idea if the thread is still on a dance related discussion (in which case I will look at the new posts) or has wandered into chit chat and become pretty much identical to several other threads.

Oi. Cheek.

Last post by me - bet you dont ever read this

Personally, I stick mostly to Chit Chat and venture into Social Events if there is one coming up. Having not danced for a while I have nothing to say on the subject When I start dancing more, im sure ill have semething to say

Also, I especially enjoy replying to strongly stated opinions - e.g. tiggstours, martinharper, davidjames, ESG ... wherever they may be etc...

most of the interesting people ive never met (except MH )

[stewart38]

We should all go back to the good-ol-days when everyone was nice to each other, when Andy McGregor and ChrisA used to post, and DavidJames wasn't a name known to all. Then you could read all the new posts (both of them, that is) by logging in once a day. Life was so much simpler then.

Just read the threads with the most interesting titles and forget the rest.

Agree we had one thread about smoking and some people wound MrGregor up

you knew where you stood then

[Donna]

What I tend to do to keep up is subscribe to my favourite threads, check user cp everyday and voila! Then you check the most recent threads started since the ones you subscribed to you either add them to your list or you don't. Simple.