Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

To wish Mumsnet would improve the way threads work

140 replies

Guis23 · 09/03/2023 19:04

So often threads end up repeating themselves or others complain at posters who have not read page upon page of comments that they haven't done so.
It sometimes really stifles contributions and help for the OP.
I don't know what might make it better but a 'like' option might reduce the amount of comments a bit and show those which are most popular. What do people think ? What would you suggest could improve threads ?

OP posts:
Purplepinkfairy · 09/03/2023 19:07

I think if you could have a option just to read the organial posters reply only.

Maternityleavelady · 09/03/2023 19:08

Absolutely time to bring in thumbs up and thumbs down to posts. And threads could go off on tangents - if you are interested in the side chat you can read that, if not you stick to the main original thread (sort of like replies to an Instagram post).

BIWI · 09/03/2023 19:11

I have no idea how you think that a like button would improve this? People are determined not to bother reading anything other than the OP, no matter what features MN introduce. It's lazy and hugely arrogant.

And there is already an option to read the OPs posts only!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
MrsMikeHeck · 09/03/2023 19:11

Purplepinkfairy · 09/03/2023 19:07

I think if you could have a option just to read the organial posters reply only.

You already can. If you go to any post written by the OP of a thread, there’s a see all option in the bottom right hand corner.

GoodChat · 09/03/2023 19:11

Purplepinkfairy · 09/03/2023 19:07

I think if you could have a option just to read the organial posters reply only.

There is an option to do that.

TeaandHobnobs · 09/03/2023 19:12

@Purplepinkfairy you can do this already, can’t you? At the bottom of the OP, there is an link that says “OP posts: view all”

BertieBotts · 09/03/2023 19:12

No not a like button or threading.

If the thread is too long to read all of it before responding then just look at another one. Or at the very least read the last page, it's just polite.

Original poster
Guis23 · 09/03/2023 19:12

Maternityleavelady · 09/03/2023 19:08

Absolutely time to bring in thumbs up and thumbs down to posts. And threads could go off on tangents - if you are interested in the side chat you can read that, if not you stick to the main original thread (sort of like replies to an Instagram post).

Agree with this.

OP posts:
CrkdLttrCrkdLttr · 09/03/2023 19:13

a 'like' option might reduce the amount of comments a bit and show those which are most popular.

No. An MN thread is not a popularity contest - it is a discussion.

(And perhaps you don’t realise this question is asked repeatedly - and always gets the same answer: No.)

housemaus · 09/03/2023 19:13

Agreed. Honestly, Reddit is the best forum I've used for this.

  • It's clear which replies are to the main post vs to a comment ON that post
  • If a disagreement/discussion/side chat happens under one of those comments it can easily be hidden so it doesn't derail the main thread
  • People can up/downvote so relevant responses are seen/people can express agreement without pages of "Yes OP I agree" "Absolutely OP" which are pointless

The collapsible nested comments are the main thing for me though. Mumsnet is SO user unfriendly and really poorly suited for what a lot of people use it for, which is canvassing opinion - the Reddit style is much better for that. I could see the Mumsnet style maybe being more useful for ongoing conversations (like the support threads) but even then, too many usernames at once and you lose the train of who's talking/replying unless everyone quote replies which is ugly and confusing to follow backwards.

IsItMeOrEveryoneElse · 09/03/2023 19:30

I was literally going to write a post saying that it would be good to have a like button and a laughing emoji... sometimes i want to agree with advice or i find what a poster says funny etc

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 19:32

God not this again ffs. If you're unwanted thumbs or likes go to Reddit/Facebook.

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 19:32

*you want

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 19:33

I'd like an edit button like Grin

Original poster
Guis23 · 09/03/2023 19:35

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 19:32

God not this again ffs. If you're unwanted thumbs or likes go to Reddit/Facebook.

Not necessarily that and no I didn't know that this conversation has happened before. But if it has it is indicative that people on here want it to work a little better than it does. I find it very convoluted. And threads go all over the place. Just asking for any ideas that might be good really.

OP posts:
MidlifeWhatNow · 09/03/2023 19:43

Absolutely NO to threaded responses. Hate them.

I wouldn't care either way about a thumbs up option (thumbs down probably 'not in the spirit'?)

Wish people would read all the OPs posts first though. Also would mean less chance of goady OPs where you get 150 posts before anyone realises the OP isn't coming back!

rampagingrobot · 09/03/2023 19:45

It might be good to have different types of opening post. Then someone could post a "question" type, looking for a specific answer. The best answers could get upvoted and then "float" to the top. This is how other Q&A sites work, they specifically try to avoid long discussions. It is quite a specific thing though, whereas the vast majority of MN posts are just people moaning!

OriginalUsername2 · 09/03/2023 19:47

I like the way Reddit does it. You can have conversations within the thread and it filters all the irrelevant posts down to the bottom. That would be amazing.

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 19:54

Guis23 · 09/03/2023 19:35

Not necessarily that and no I didn't know that this conversation has happened before. But if it has it is indicative that people on here want it to work a little better than it does. I find it very convoluted. And threads go all over the place. Just asking for any ideas that might be good really.

Show quote history

We don't want a like button not do we want it to look like sodden reddit. Can't make head nor tail of the place personally. This has been done to death OP.

CrkdLttrCrkdLttr · 09/03/2023 20:00

and a laughing emoji...

Grin Hmm
EarringsandLipstick · 09/03/2023 20:01

I'm usually on the app; recently on the desktop version I noticed the 'save post' option - which is heart-shaped 🤔

It's not clear to me what the purpose of 'saving' posts is - why would you?

I can't help but feel this is a surreptitious way of bringing in a 'like' option (eyes MNHQ 👀)

RattlewhenIwalk · 09/03/2023 20:04

gamerchick · 09/03/2023 19:33

I'd like an edit button like Grin

Absolutely!

JunkinDonuts · 09/03/2023 20:08

I'd like them to lock threads that haven't been posted on for say 3 months to put a stop to zombies being brought back up.

JunkinDonuts · 09/03/2023 20:09

RattlewhenIwalk · 09/03/2023 20:04

Absolutely!

Show quote history

There kind of is one, just preview your post before posting it.

SerendipityJane · 09/03/2023 20:13

Absolutely NO to threaded responses. Hate them.

Optional threaded views were possible in web forums in 2003. Children have been born, grown up and had their own children since then.

Swipe left for the next trending thread