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Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming

868 replies

BeccaMumsnet · 04/08/2015 12:52

Hullo everyone,

Just a heads-up: we wanted to let you know we've been working on some changes to improve the way our 'watched threads' option works, and we’re going to be releasing them today.

As you know, at the minute, if you want to receive an email notification when someone posts on a thread you yourself have posted on, you have to check the ‘watch this thread’ box when you post your message. From today, the box will be automatically checked.

Our thinking was that because, in the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, , it can be easy to miss replies to threads you’ve posted on, so it’d be useful to keep you updated as a matter of course.

Some crucial points:

  • Fear not: we absolutely won’t email every time someone posts after you have - and if you’re still looking at the thread, we won’t mail you at all.
  • You’ll only get ONE email after you’ve left the thread, to say it’s been updated.
  • If the idea of receiving any such emails makes you want to weep/tear out your hair/throw a toddler-style tantrum on the kitchen floor, DON’T PANIC: you can do a one-time-only opt out, by clicking on customise at the top of any thread, and unchecking ‘Auto-watch threads I start’ and/or ‘Auto-watch threads I post on’.
  • If you’d like to adopt a mix-and-match policy and be alerted to replies on some threads but not others, simply uncheck the auto-watch options in customise, and check the ‘watch this thread’ box underneath the message box on the thread you’re interested in.

Hope all of this makes sense, and sounds useful. Do shout if you've any questions (we know we can rely on you Wink)

Thank you all Flowers
MNHQ

OP posts:
Thread gallery
31
DarkEvilMoon · 05/08/2015 00:05

LittleBear Under the post box there is a box that says watch this thread, unchecking that stops it being added to watch list and so far I still have colours, i have no edited my options in customerise - which seems to be the problem

nickelbabe · 05/08/2015 00:01

bit of a warning though Fine - the OP isn't highlighted, which is a bit strange.... Confused

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:56

ooh, i'm still nickel in mobile mode (that's what I call the grey colour because it's not silver)
(see, that's personalisation Grin )

LittleBearPad · 04/08/2015 23:48

So I can't switch off the ludicrous automatic opt-in to TIW without buggering up all my settings. Excellent.

Why would anyone want to add a thread to TIW when gets posted on it?

Please can someone at mnhq explain this thinking?

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 04/08/2015 23:42

Nickel what happens if you switch to mobile site? ( scroll right down to bottom of page)

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:42

the OP's posts are not highlight throughout the thread anymore.

I might as well log off and go to nethuns

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:38

and my others
these are with the TIW boxes ticked

still no colour options and I'm not highlighted either.
Which means that unticking the box gets rid of colours but ticking them doesn't return colours.
gone forever.

Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming
Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming
Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming
nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:36

Here are my screenshots.

you can see what my customisation options are.
and there's no option for my colours here either (TIW unchecked)

Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming
Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming
Heads up - Improvements to watched threads coming
ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 04/08/2015 23:36

Is there a difference between mobile/desktop sites, or is it a staggered rollout?

CanadianJohn · 04/08/2015 23:35

I can't see any difference, which is good. As a general policy, no new is good new.

However, now that I've posted on a thread, is everything going to be buggered up?

Oh dear.

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:35

Soupy did you not notice the "i'm going through stages for assessment for autism and can't handle this right now" comment I put?

It's not just "overreaction" or "rudeness" - changes are actually really hard to deal with for some people, and unexpected and unwanted changes that make no sense and make things worse are even harder to deal with.

cozietoesie · 04/08/2015 23:32

I don't think people are being 'rude', SoupDragon. They're making their points firmly - which is a whole different thing.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 04/08/2015 23:30

Just seen new posts, I use "watch thread" all the time to keep track of interesting threads that I have nothing useful to say on. Saves writing everywhere....

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 04/08/2015 23:28

Random question/comment:

All my colours are exactly as they were (Me,OP, and MNHQ separately highlighted)
Threads I post in aren't getting added to"Watching" just TIO.
I have no checkboxes to tick/untick before I post (have never seen such a thing)
Haven't dared to look at customise.

Am using mobile site.

SoupDragon · 04/08/2015 23:24

Um... I think some people need to calm down a bit and not be rude to the people who didn't make the changes and can't fix them.

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:24

Okay,
after having read the thread and having a think

TIW is useless and no one uses it
everyone usees the colour options (and if they don't, it's possibly because they don't know about it)
no one wants to be emailed about anything
no one wants to have TIW automatically because it's annoying
Your idea of "improvements" is way off.
and when I post, I get put to a screen that is 100 ospts long, whereas before today, i got put back to a screen that was every post (and also when i clicked in from TIO), which i prefer because it's easier to scroll up and down.

This is not a good change, it's a useless and annoying change.
It doesn't even make any sense

cozietoesie · 04/08/2015 23:19

Olivia

This whole transition is a mess. Your best bet is probably to reverse all the changes overnight and actually get the 'bright sparks' who thought up all of this at the water cooler to think through what they're proposing. Some consultation beforehand would be a good idea.

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:16

In fact, if you want to be helpful, then please put it back how it was.

I have watched 3 threads in my entire time on MN - one of which was funny and i still ahven't looked at it, one of which I needed to know updates on and I noticed that the last time it was updated was 2nd JAnuary 2014 and the other I can't even remember watching.

But in the last 3 hours, I've had to remove several threads from TIW because I don't want them there.

I do not want TIW to be automatic but i do want to see my OP and me in highlighted colours

Can I also just point out that I'm being referred for Autism right now, so any unncessary changes are very bad for me right now (all the time, but right now especially because I have a lot on my plate)

nickelbabe · 04/08/2015 23:13

Wait wait wait wait wait wait wait

You're telling me that the one thing I want i can't have if i also don't have the one thing I don't want ????

That's insane!!
That's like saying "you can't have ice cream unless you eat your peas"

I can't stand peas!
and I don't want to "watch" every friffing thread that I post on or start - because it's already in my TIO list

how is that so hard to understand?

OP is GREEN
Nickel is NICKEL
TIO has all the threads I'm looking at , I don't need TIW

GoooRooo · 04/08/2015 22:42

Strangely on the mobile site (not app) my posts are still highlighted as are MNHQs but OPs subsequent posts aren't. Lost all highlighting on laptop browser (it's a Mac and I use Chrome in case that makes any difference)

DoItTooJulia · 04/08/2015 22:30

Correction, OPs first post is grey (not my chosen pink), even if I am OP. and then OPs posts aren't highlighted pink and mine aren't highlighted green.

Boo hiss.

thornrose · 04/08/2015 22:19

Never has a thread title been SO misleading!

GGabcd · 04/08/2015 22:04

Do you not beta test this changes? Or, you know, ask people if they want them?

Yes, I am aware we don't pay for the site. Except we do. You'd get no ad revenue if you had no hits, now would you?

What a farce.

fermentedvaper · 04/08/2015 22:00

Ok, I've had a really shit day (highlights included been stuck in traffic for 4 hours while desperately needing a wee, followed by a very angry young man throwing a table at me) and to top it off my colours have disappeared on mn Angry

DrHarleenFrancesQuinzel · 04/08/2015 21:51

As you know, at the minute, if you want to receive an email notification when someone posts on a thread you yourself have posted on, you have to check the ‘watch this thread’ box when you post your message.

No I didnt know that. I just go straight to threads Im on followed by active when Im MNing. I dont need an email. I come on everyday.

I wondered why everytime I posted on a thread today a box popped up. I did see this thread earlier, but as I never 'watch' threads I didn't bother to click into this one. Wish I had now.