(Reasonable) Features you'd like to see implemented on RailUK Forums

[Farigiraf]

What are some things/options you would like to see implemented to the forum website? Keep it reasonable (so no Money Printer or Coffee Machine)

One of my thoughts: Reactions to messages - maybe you agree with what someone said, or found it amusing, but it doesn't warrant a new post? Add a reaction!
This would be like Likes/Hearts on any social media

Examples:

HappyPacer


SadSprinter ( @Sad Sprinter !!!)


LiveHSTReaction

Any other ideas?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Clarification as to how long there needs to be, between posting two posts on the same thread, for them not to be auto-merged.

 

[Gaelan]

Automatically provide a Wikipedia link when a class number (ie 43 or 801) is mentioned - I can never keep them straight!

 

[Techniquest]

Clarification as to how long there needs to be, between posting two posts on the same thread, for them not to be auto-merged.

Yes! This would be most appreciated Less spamming of people's notifications that way, no more 20 notifications to find that half of them are people editing their posts 5 times with mergings, when they've quoted people individually. A slight exaggeration on the numbers there, but not by much!

 

[Ediswan]

A sub forum dedicated to 'Forum Technical Issues', for raising and discussing topics such as those raised by @Mcr Warrior and @Techniquest above.

 

[bspahh]

I'd like to be able to ignore a thread so it doesn't get listed for me at

New posts

 

[owidoe]

• Click to expand station codes
• Automatic translation between "Dxxxx"/"Exxxx"/"4SUB"/"3LAV"/"9IDK" and similar nonsense industry terms of a fine vintage, and TOPS

 

[david1212]

Clarification as to how long there needs to be, between posting two posts on the same thread, for them not to be auto-merged.

Maybe wrong but I did not think there was a time limit, simply if nobody else posted the posts would be merged even if months later.

One of my thoughts: Reactions to messages - maybe you agree with what someone said, or found it amusing, but it doesn't warrant a new post? Add a reaction!
This would be like Likes/Hearts on any social media

I have always thought this given it is a feature of most forums - like/agree, excellent, thanks, amusing ....

 

[Royston Vasey]

I'd like to be able to ignore a thread so it doesn't get listed for me at

New posts

I got fed up with being overwhelmed with Quiz Forum notifications in New Posts years ago, and solved this by asking a mod to ban me from that subforum! Problem solved!

 

[Purple Train]

I'd like a reaction button so that I know whether I'm reasonably right in the head or I'm spouting nonsense and it's time to go to sleep.

There's not much else I can think of that hasn't been mentioned upthread really, which I suppose tells its own story of what a good site this is!

 

[Puffing Devil]

Likes, please.

 

[SteveM70]

Likes, please.

*like*

 

[Puffing Devil]

*like*

 

[edwin_m]

Clarification as to how long there needs to be, between posting two posts on the same thread, for them not to be auto-merged.

Or ask the poster when they post a second consecutive post whether they'd like it automerged. Or just get rid of automerge entirely? I can't see how it serves much purpose.

When someone hasn't visited a thread for a certain period, about a month I think, then the forum "forgets" which post they last read. So when I see an interesting dormant thread has revived, I get dumped back to the very start and have to work through to find the new post (which has usually become several new posts by then). When the form doesn't have a record of the last post read, could it go instead to the first post that's younger than the expiration period, which in this situation will normally be the first new post?

 

[bspahh]

*like*

Likes change the culture of message boards. Sometimes this is positive. If you have limited time, you can just browse the posts with the most likes, and you will see some well-regarded posts. Other times it leads to grand standing, pile ons, and discussions about the process, rather than the actual topic of the debate.

 

[MotCO]

I don't know if it is my browser or whatever, but sometimes I want to quote a second second quote in a post, and it won't let me. I have to post two separate posts which then automerge.

Spellchecker? Some posts, for whatever reason, are incomprehnsible. Can a spellchecker be incorporated?

 

[D6130]

I'd like to see the search function work. It may be my browser, but I've never managed to get it to work....either on my laptop or on my smartphone.

 

[yorkie]

Spellchecker? Some posts, for whatever reason, are incomprehnsible. Can a spellchecker be incorporated?

That's down to your web browser; it should generally be possible to install an extension (unless you are using a work-provided device which is locked down).

I'd like to see the search function work. It may be my browser, but I've never managed to get it to work....either on my laptop or on my smartphone.

Works fine for me! Perhaps we can take a look at the next forum meal.

Clarification as to how long there needs to be, between posting two posts on the same thread, for them not to be auto-merged.

Is there a reason why you'd not want a post to be auto-merged? People who are subscribed to the thread get notified either way.

What are some things/options you would like to see implemented to the forum website? Keep it reasonable (so no Money Printer or Coffee Machine)

One of my thoughts: Reactions to messages - maybe you agree with what someone said, or found it amusing, but it doesn't warrant a new post? Add a reaction!
This would be like Likes/Hearts on any social media

Examples:

View attachment 144218HappyPacer


View attachment 144220 SadSprinter ( @Sad Sprinter !!!)


View attachment 144221 LiveHSTReaction

Any other ideas?

I remember an argument on, I think it was Money Saving Expert (MSE), regarding horses on roads at peak times, which was dominated by extreme views on both sides. The posts which were the most extreme seemed to have the most 'likes', with people posting ever more angry posts and getting their army of supporters on 'their' side to 'like' their posts.

Likes do not add anything to the debate and in my experience of other forums, tend to get used more by people with strong views (in particular extreme and/or political views) to 'like' the posts of people who align with their views.

For example on MSE there were times when I would reply to a fares dispute with actual practical advice, and get hardly any likes, wheras someone else would offer no practical advice but would say something extreme e.g. "the guard was a jobsworth to charge you!" and would generate loads of likes. Where is the benefit in that?!

 

[adc82140]

I agree, no "likes" please. This place is a haven away from the social media world of "reactions".

What I would like to see, and I'm not sure how this would work, is some way of edited posts being more prominent. For example in the rolling stock forum, the SWR repaints thread can be down on page 3 or 4, showing as read, but may have been very recently updated with an edit.

 

[Russel]

Regarding 'likes', I'm a member of a photography forum, since the like feature has been introduced, the number of posts has dropped off a cliff, everyone just responds with posts and threads by liking the few posts that are there, rather than adding anything themselves.

 

[Techniquest]

It's similar on Strava, the 'kudos' feature (much more akin to a 'like' feature) takes over. Commenting rarely seems to happen, so there's no discussion or whatever which is a shame. I'm not helping the situation much by using the kudos thing myself, if it wasn't there I would be much more likely to dive in and comment on other people's activity.

I'd really dislike seeing a 'like' feature on this forum, as someone else said it's a rare haven away from social media and its 'like' culture. Changing that would, as in @Russel 's example, see discussion drop off massively and potentially drive away a lot of contributing members!

 

[Merle Haggard]

I don't know if it is my browser or whatever, but sometimes I want to quote a second second quote in a post, and it won't let me. I have to post two separate posts which then automerge.

Spellchecker? Some posts, for whatever reason, are incomprehnsible. Can a spellchecker be incorporated?

I used to wonder, too, why people did this - until I had a new laptop which had an auto-correct; as soon as I pressed the space bar at the end of a word. Technical terms and names, in particular, are changed to totally irrelevant words unless I check every word. Some slip though. So I now understand why this happens - it's because of spell-check, not because one's wanted.

Perhaps a thread on the most amusing spell - check 'correction' could be opened - following Private Eye's 'Grauniad' column

 

[Trackman]

I agree, no "likes" please. This place is a haven away from the social media world of "reactions".

I'm with you on that.
For example I post something about scrapping all the class 150's and stating reasons why and someone reacted with like or especially dislike I would want to know why rather than just disagreeing.

 

[jfollows]

Is there a reason why you'd not want a post to be auto-merged? People who are subscribed to the thread get notified either way.

Frequently.

It's a totally irritating feature.

If I add a post to a thread, to which I happen to be the most recent contributor, sometimes it's appropriate to merge the posts and sometimes it's not.

It's not when it's something relevant to the thread topic, but a totally different issue to the one I've previously posted above.

My work-around is that I now remember to preface my new post with something like

=======================================

to ensure that the difference is made clear.

But it's irritating that "the computer" decides for me rather than allowing me to make my own determination in what makes sense and what doesn't.

However I can live with it even though I don't like it.

 

[Herefordian]

One thing I've noticed is posts with "edited by moderator", but no explanation.

Personally, I think it'd be helpful to know why a post has been edited.

 

[35B]

Is there a reason why you'd not want a post to be auto-merged? People who are subscribed to the thread get notified either way.

For me it's not about the notification, but the post I've made. Auto-merge can be helpful, but there are times when points get lost by being bundled together.

 

[Starmill]

If you really want to 'like' something you can always make a reply that is just a single line, such as "good idea" or "very good" or "agreed" or whatever form takes your fancy. It takes barely any effort, but that way people will only do that if they actually mean it. It can be tempting to click a like without even really thinking.

 

[yorkie]

For me it's not about the notification, but the post I've made. Auto-merge can be helpful, but there are times when points get lost by being bundled together.

I'm not sure what you mean by getting lost; do you have an example?

 

[jfollows]

One thing I've noticed is posts with "edited by moderator", but no explanation.

Personally, I think it'd be helpful to know why a post has been edited.

Usually the author of the post is notified and can update the post if the author feels it’s necessary; it’s happened to me and I’m normally happy to let things stand but I have the option of adding some clarification if I think it necessary.

 

[Narrowgauge725]

Likes

I come here for purely rail related so to be able to illuminate non rail threads from New Posts would be great.