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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
DoItTooJulia · 04/08/2015 21:09

I've lost my customised colours too. I was green, but now my posts are grey. Sad

BIWI · 04/08/2015 21:01

Why the bloody hell does a thread I've posted on now have to be a thread I'm watching? That's what 'Threads I'm On' is for!

I can't quite see how this change has been thought through, MNHQ! Thank fuck my colours haven't changed, otherwise it would be seriously irritating.

DarkEvilMoon · 04/08/2015 20:38

There is a little box under the posting box that says watch this thread. When did this appear and what is its purpose? Is it this that has caused the problems with watching all the threads?

MissDemelzaCarne · 04/08/2015 20:37

I really don't like this, every bloody thread I post on goes onto my watch list and I'm just taking them all off.
Why not allow us to opt into this?

ouryve · 04/08/2015 20:35

I came on to see if it had been put right, since this afternoon, but evidently not.

Off to chat with some bus spotters. Their forums work properly.

GoooRooo · 04/08/2015 20:31

MNHQ can you send us all an email when you get the highlighting and watched threads thing fixed please? It's the only email I want.

On the bright side, I might actually got and get some housework done now.

BertieBotts · 04/08/2015 20:30

I kid you not, I am about to read a chapter of an online story entitled "Robuttsex". It is preferable to scrolling the wall of white. Grin

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2015 20:28

Well these last 3 years and 10 months have been a slice of heaven but I am off to Pie & Bovril now.......

DarkEvilMoon · 04/08/2015 20:28

I actually am having to remind myself to bother to check. I am currently happier else where too. Sad

BertieBotts · 04/08/2015 20:26

It's actually really impacting on my enjoyment of the site. I'm spending more time on other sites tonight. I hope it is sorted soon.

TheOnlyOliviaMumsnet · 04/08/2015 20:22

@cashewnutty

I turned off auto watch and all my colours have gone too. I cannot be arsed trawling through threads to see the OP's responses and my posts without them being colour coded. I am for sure leaving here if it isn't sorted.
Thanks all - not sure how many tech bods are around at this hour but keep the comments coming thanks MNHQ
cashewnutty · 04/08/2015 20:17

I turned off auto watch and all my colours have gone too. I cannot be arsed trawling through threads to see the OP's responses and my posts without them being colour coded. I am for sure leaving here if it isn't sorted.

Tiptops · 04/08/2015 19:51

My colours have gone too Sad

Please bring them back HQ! Trawling long threads for the OP is really tedious without them.

HarlotOTara · 04/08/2015 19:47

Agree with all - please bring op colours back at least

GGabcd · 04/08/2015 19:37

I have to reiterate:

Why would I want to watch a thread I've posted on?

Is it just clumsy wording and it should be 'subscribe to this thread and receive notifications'?

Is that too many letters for the servers to handle?

Why on earth would you remove colour choices?

WTABF

MrsDeVere · 04/08/2015 19:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Bakeoffcake · 04/08/2015 19:35

God I agree with Bertie- why the heck would you remove the highlighting option- it's the best blooming feature and should be automatic IMO.

And NO I don't want to watch this thread, and I don't want to opt out in customise as opting out seems to create other problems!

BertieBotts · 04/08/2015 19:24

Honestly I don't care WHAT colour the OP or my own posts are highlighted (so long as it's easy to read obv) but PLEASE bring it back.

You keep saying it shouldn't have changed/disappeared, but it HAS disappeared, for LOTS of us, and it's unfair not to allow that for new users, that and the bookmark feature are the two most useful features of the site!

And yes. Before you removed options, there was an option for how many preview replies to show in TIO. It was always useless as it never worked, it stubbornly showed you up to five replies. Consequently, nobody ever touched it. But now it's showing anything up to 18 replies, and I have no way of reducing that number. It's really pointless for it to show 18 mini-replies as they are character limited and it's all stuff like "I think that you should..." "Well in my opinion..." "WHAT, how outrageously..." etc.

I know us folk have a bit of a reputation for complaining at every little change, and I do normally do a bit of a chuckle in the corner while understanding the reasoning but I'm really astounded at this one. It sounds as though you just wanted an excuse to remove the older themes, which is fair, I mean they haven't been standard for almost seven years now. But why not be upfront about that rather than claiming to be improving a feature that most people won't want to use anyway, and then removing options almost as an afterthought? The removal of highlighting - even if only intended to affect new users - absolutely baffles me. Do you even read your own threads? This is extolled virtually weekly. It's invaluable on long, fast running threads. By all means, cut the option to customise colours but KEEP the highlighting!

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2015 19:21

Perhaps they have suspended the colours in preparation for glittery tickers and the Like button. Shock

LetThereBeCupcakes · 04/08/2015 19:19

First trending and now this? I can't cope. It's all too much. Sad

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2015 19:14

Well these 'improvements' are going well aren't they?

ConcreteElephant · 04/08/2015 19:12

Now my OP posts are a dark green, which I have deliberately never chosen before as it's hard to read the text against that background. Pah! I really prefer the lighter colours.

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2015 19:09

I will be starting a thread in Flouncers Corner at this rate.

FruSirkaOla · 04/08/2015 19:08

Exactly, usual. Hmm

As Sparkling said on the other thread in Site Stuff.

Down With This Sort Of Thing (MNHQ)

Sparklingbrook · 04/08/2015 19:08

Exactly usual. MNHQ must have been infiltrated.