First, I want to say this is a good thing and something I've wanted to do a while b/c I think it will improve the user's overall enjoyment of the site. I know some hate change, but I liken it to a universal remote. First, it can be frustrating to use, but then once you get used to it it's so much better. On Wednesday, March 5th, the The Razor’s Edge message board will officially change the default board view from “Thread” view to “Topic” view. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to keep thread view if you prefer that option. Instructions are below. However, we feel that, in time, you will come to appreciate all the advantages of Topic view and that this move is in the best interest of the The Razor’s Edge as well as HawgSports.com.
Topic view offers a host of advantages over Thread view and I’d like to share a few of them with you.
In Topic view, the most popular threads get pushed back to the top of the message board. In the past, a popular topic would have multiple responses, but it would be pushed back towards the back pages, possibly very quickly, due to new posts. In Topic view, these popular threads will continue to be pushed back to the top of the message board when a subscriber replies to it, which encourages more conversation and responses.
Pinned posts at the top of the board can remain there and can remain unlocked. No matter how many responses they receive, the look of the message board will not be unchanged. A post with 1 response takes up the same amount of space as a thread with 100 responses. This makes it even easier for subscribers to post responses to stories, yet still see the most popular posts and hot topics all on the front page.
Unlike Thread view, where the pages were limited by individual responses, Topic view limits the pages to number of threads. You may have been in a meeting all Monday morning, but when you come back to your desk at lunch, all the new posts are still located on the front page. You will not have to filter through 2-3 pages to find every topic.
With the new message board layouts, Topic view offers some new features, including showing the number of replies and views. Also, you’ll be able to rate posts between one star and five stars. If you think the post is great, rate it 5 stars.
When considering the change, please keep in mind that this was a tough decision to make, but we believe it is what is best for the The Razor’s Edge. With so many dedicated and loyal subscribers, we feel that the change to Topic view will make the The Razor’s Edge an even more enjoyable and engaging place for you to visit.
To keep Thread view
If you would like your view to remain in the Thread view, you have the option to change your own default setting to show the message board in Thread view. We encourage you to make this move right now if you have no interest in trying Topic view.
On the left hand side of the page, just above the message board, you’ll find a box that says “User Options.” Here is an image to make sure you can locate it.
Click on “User Options” and after you enter your password, click on message board options and it will take you to a screen where you can change your sig file, turn off avatars, and update your profile. Here there is a drop down menu for “Display” for the message board. Change this to “Thread view” and then click “Save” at the bottom of the page. Here is another image to assist you.
Hybrid View
There is a third view that we have created, a “hybrid” between Thread and Topic. This will allow you to keep the views in Topic, but will have a window that shows the progression of posts. Here is an image to show you. The left circle is the “hybrid” window which shows the progression of posts. The right circle shows where you can change your view from Topic/Thread to Hybrid.
If you have any difficulty at all, we will be more than willing to assist you and make this transition as easy as possible.
In addition, those who have problems with the message board switching over after you post. This is an internal problem with your specific computer, but this may fix the issue (don't believe it is an issue in topic view). Those who don't have this issue, please ignore the following:
Users may have the old look of the board cached on their computer so it may go back to the old way because the new look isn’t cached in your system. The easiest way to fight this is to clear your cache. For example, if I’m on one IP address when the change goes through and then later I log onto another IP address, the second IP address may have thread view cached on my computer so it may revert back initially, but then stay with topic.
When we switch over, some may have the view revert back to the previous setting initially because of the cache, but it’s not something that will happen all of the time and can be fixed on your end.
This post was edited on 2/27 4:36 PM by Trey Biddy
Topic view offers a host of advantages over Thread view and I’d like to share a few of them with you.
In Topic view, the most popular threads get pushed back to the top of the message board. In the past, a popular topic would have multiple responses, but it would be pushed back towards the back pages, possibly very quickly, due to new posts. In Topic view, these popular threads will continue to be pushed back to the top of the message board when a subscriber replies to it, which encourages more conversation and responses.
Pinned posts at the top of the board can remain there and can remain unlocked. No matter how many responses they receive, the look of the message board will not be unchanged. A post with 1 response takes up the same amount of space as a thread with 100 responses. This makes it even easier for subscribers to post responses to stories, yet still see the most popular posts and hot topics all on the front page.
Unlike Thread view, where the pages were limited by individual responses, Topic view limits the pages to number of threads. You may have been in a meeting all Monday morning, but when you come back to your desk at lunch, all the new posts are still located on the front page. You will not have to filter through 2-3 pages to find every topic.
With the new message board layouts, Topic view offers some new features, including showing the number of replies and views. Also, you’ll be able to rate posts between one star and five stars. If you think the post is great, rate it 5 stars.
When considering the change, please keep in mind that this was a tough decision to make, but we believe it is what is best for the The Razor’s Edge. With so many dedicated and loyal subscribers, we feel that the change to Topic view will make the The Razor’s Edge an even more enjoyable and engaging place for you to visit.
To keep Thread view
If you would like your view to remain in the Thread view, you have the option to change your own default setting to show the message board in Thread view. We encourage you to make this move right now if you have no interest in trying Topic view.
On the left hand side of the page, just above the message board, you’ll find a box that says “User Options.” Here is an image to make sure you can locate it.
Click on “User Options” and after you enter your password, click on message board options and it will take you to a screen where you can change your sig file, turn off avatars, and update your profile. Here there is a drop down menu for “Display” for the message board. Change this to “Thread view” and then click “Save” at the bottom of the page. Here is another image to assist you.
Hybrid View
There is a third view that we have created, a “hybrid” between Thread and Topic. This will allow you to keep the views in Topic, but will have a window that shows the progression of posts. Here is an image to show you. The left circle is the “hybrid” window which shows the progression of posts. The right circle shows where you can change your view from Topic/Thread to Hybrid.
If you have any difficulty at all, we will be more than willing to assist you and make this transition as easy as possible.
In addition, those who have problems with the message board switching over after you post. This is an internal problem with your specific computer, but this may fix the issue (don't believe it is an issue in topic view). Those who don't have this issue, please ignore the following:
Users may have the old look of the board cached on their computer so it may go back to the old way because the new look isn’t cached in your system. The easiest way to fight this is to clear your cache. For example, if I’m on one IP address when the change goes through and then later I log onto another IP address, the second IP address may have thread view cached on my computer so it may revert back initially, but then stay with topic.
When we switch over, some may have the view revert back to the previous setting initially because of the cache, but it’s not something that will happen all of the time and can be fixed on your end.
This post was edited on 2/27 4:36 PM by Trey Biddy