What do you call this feature on Mumsnet?

[Rebeccaatmumsnet]

Hello Everyone,

We're gathering some research about the comprehension of different features at Mumsnet and need your help!

Vote here to tell us what you call this action: You're on a thread and want to write a message on the thread. What would you call this?

I think of replying when I quote an individual post and posting when I’m just adding my own comment to the thread.

People got confused by clicking on a reply button to an individual post and it didn’t reply to that post but just added their comment to the thread.

Thanks @noblegiraffe. This is very useful to know!

It would depend where it was. I agree with pp, if the link was on a post and it said Reply I would assume i was replying (and therefore quoting) just the one post rather than adding to the whole thread.

Right now the comment box has a big title of "Add your message here" maybe it should say "Comment on thread here" and take away any links on individual posts. It might make people more inclined to read the whole thread before posting if the only option was right at the bottom of the thread unless it was a quote.

The reason I've said change message to comment is that some people think message means a private text/DM and not a post for everyone to read. Just makes it more clearer.

I would call it a reply if I was on a thread that already exists, regardless of whether I was quoting someone or not.

I would only use "post" to mean starting a new thread.

Thanks @LittleGreenDragons and @OrcBytes. This is really useful feedback.

As others said, it depends what I'm doing. If I'm adding my first thoughts to the OP I'm adding a comment or posting. If I'm responding to a specific post, any post other than the OP I'm replying.

I was one of the people who started at least two threads in Site Stuff complaining about the Reply button not creating a reply so I'm very invested in this!

This post here is a post or a comment. It is absolutely not a reply because it is only in response to the OP

Agree with this. I voted posting.

All replies are posts, not all posts are replies.

I think you need to ask new posters, existing ones know that reply just means add a post and that you specifically need to select quote to do that

It's either a post or a comment.

Replying is replying to a specific post on a thread and I would expect the post I am replying to to be quoted.

The first post on a thread is "starting a thread". There are multiple posters on a thread (hence the term OP!) so the pp who said a post would only be the first post on a thread is incorrect.

Comment. All my other social media uses comment.

Also get rid of 'quote' on a post and replace it with 'reply'.

I haven't voted as the responses don't match what I would call the various actions.

I'm posting on a thread if I'm just adding my musings.

I'm replying if it's to a specific point (or series of points) and would often use the quote function, or C&P the bit I was replying (or responding to) so that it's a bit clearer what I'm banging on about.

Either or both of those could also be described as commenting, as comments can be either general or more specific.

Why do you ask?

Reply implies to a specific post.

In the browser:
Quote if I want to respond to a specific post. Add post if I want to add a post to the thread.

In the app:
Quote if I want to respond to a specific post. "Reply" is on the toolbar not attached to a specific post and therefore if you realise that (and can remember a time before 'quote' existed) it has to mean the same as 'add post'. However the word does imply you're responding to a specific post.

Why on earth not just call it Add Post the same as in the browser?

This.

And this.

Suicide?

Couldn't understand this as on the app.

Gone to browser. Voted commenting

Voting?

Hang on a moment, MNHQ, as far as I can see the 'reply' confusion which I assume is what this is about mainly afflicts app users but there's no voting on the app.

It says reply on the app but add post on the mobile site

Hey Everyone,

Thanks so much for your replies/posts/comments so far! They're all really useful in understanding how you view the features.

posting - creating a new thread

commenting - adding a post to an existing thread

replying - replying directly to a specific post (which is when it should quote the post i'm replying to.)

Replying or posting.

The ‘add post’ option in the toolbar has a confusing icon btw. It looks like it’s for creating a new thread.