Message number enquiry

Subject: Mesage number enquiry
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 11:26 AM

Why do threads with more than 50 messages appear in blue with small case 'd' next to them?

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 11:29 AM

Try clicking the 'd'. Go on, you can do it!

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 11:29 AM

Click on the 'd' and see what happens

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 11:42 AM

Oh Yeah!!!

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: David C. Carter
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 11:55 AM

If you do it too much,you can go blind,or even blonde!




I'll get me.....

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 12:28 PM

John, did that scare you as much as me?
Seriously, I heard Mudcatters around the globe chanting "DO IT DO IT DO IT..."

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 02:34 PM

...and note that the number are the small "d" are different links, and do different things. [hint: "d" stands for "descending]

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 04:45 PM

To clarify(?):

If you click on the thread name (in blue) you get the whole thread. If the thread is more than 50 or so posts, this can choke your computer.

If you click on the blue number, you get the first 50 posts of the thread, with additional "clickies" to choose which other 50 post segments you want to see.

If you click on the little blue d you get the last 50 posts listed in descending order with the most recent post at the top (and of course with the box to enter your next post at the bottom).

The separation between the last post, which likely will be the one you might respond to, and the "new post" box makes it exceedingly difficult for those of us with a really cheap mouse to scroll all the way back and forth to check whether we've properly phrased our comment to fully reply to the previous submission; but this is considered a negligible defect since virtually none of the people who post to threads with more than 100 posts ever have a rational connection between brain and pecker-fingers, and NEVER "proof" their posts.

Rather than a "d," an "L" for "last 50" in normal order would have been slightly preferable for those who might actually be thinking - or at least trying to - when they post; but those four of us weren't considered all that important when the feature was added (or maybe they just didn't realize there were any of that kind around).

John

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Little Robyn
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:08 PM

Many of the very long threads will only have one or two messages added each day, so by clicking on the d you're right there, at the last message. If you really want to add something yourself, it's not far to the bottom, but usually I just check to see what's new.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Joe Offer
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:14 PM

I have a theory that there's a reason for hiding the links for 50-message thread display - the links aren't necessary for visitors, since visitors rarely have reason to open 250-message threads. It's the "regulars" who frequent the long threads, and I think Max had fun sneaking in these links, waiting to see how long it would take for somebody would notice them. He added the feature very quietly - and there are a number of other quietly-added features that many Mudcatters haven't discovered. Ya gotta look around.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Mesage number enquiry
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:25 PM

JohninKansas- I don't understand- why don't you click on the number of posts in the long thread, then click on the final number for the last subdivision. Then you will just get the final few posts, in 'correct' order, followed directly by the 'new message' box.

I never use the 'd' as it confuses me :)

Subject: RE: Message number enquiry
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:26 PM

John

I just open the thread in two side by side browser windows, so I can read along one and comment in t'other

Subject: RE: Message number enquiry
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:26 PM

As friends have told me for years, "You're confused, Dave!"

What's this bit about other links at the end other than d?

Looking at random, I find the thread named something like Licensing consultation required to be followed by a space and 436 d.   Nothing else there.

What's this all about?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Message number enquiry
From: Noreen
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:35 PM

Click 436, Dave, and you get the subdivision links.

Subject: RE: Message number enquiry
From: catspaw49
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:45 PM

Too much of the clicking and all, as Joe can attest, will grow hair on your palms! That's what Joe told me caused his and I don't want anything like that!

Spaw

Subject: RE: Message number enquiry
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 05:48 PM

I love the way the Mudcat has these little tricks that you can find out about, either by asking, or just by suck-it-and-see.

Subject: RE: Message number enquiry
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 09 Jul 10 - 10:27 PM

why don't you click on ...

If I click into a cluster of 50, a request is sent, reply made to verify the connection, cluster downloaded. When I click the next cluster, a request is sent, reply made to verify the connection, and the next cluster sent.

Especially with DSL or better, anything less than about 200 posts is less burden on the 'cat server, as a single download, than two (or more) separate clicks, and takes less of my time.

Rarely I'll click a thread with 300 or so posts and let the 'cat take the hit; but I just don't often, except in very exceptional cases, visit a thread with more than around 300 posts, simply because I know from past experience that there's unlikely to be anything useful or of interest after the first 100.

If the first 100 posts don't reveal which pigheaded (see Spaw for additional adjectives) ...(and noun) started and is sustaining the troll the subject would have been resolved without attempting to break the server.

It's also very rare that I don't see threads that have even remote possibility of needing my contribution within the first 50 posts, and I don't need to feed trolls.

John