"Watching" a thread

[tech]

If you want to monitor or watch a thread or list of threads, you can now do so. Click the "watch" link by the thread title in either active conversations, or on the thread list, or at the top of the thread itself. To look at threads you are watching, click on the "Threads I'm watching" link at the top of any page. You'll see a quick snapshot of the last message that was there when you clicked "watch" and any others that have been added since. If you want to "reset" a watch so that next time you check you only see newer messages, click "reset watch", or just click watch again in the thread list.

Sorry, badly explained, but very simple.

Love,
Tech

[charliecat]

I find it rather distracting at the end of the thread names...hows about a or something...with an explanation of what the is somewhere.

[roisin]

I agree that it makes 'Active Conversations' very messy. A small icon would be better.

But generally I wouldn't want to 'Add Watch' unless I'd actually read the thread. So a button on the thread itself should suffice IMO.

[roisin]

Oops - that was a bit negative. It is a great feature. Thanks Tech

[marthamoo]

I think it's a good idea too but agree it makes the page look too messy and busy. Sorry, tech - we're never happy are we?

[charleypops]

If you make your browser a bit wider "add watch" goes to the end rather than underneath, and brings the page back together

I like it too tech!

[Hulababy]

Add watch is on the same line as the thread title on my screen too, so isn't too bad.

[hub2dee]

Thanks for the implementation on this, Tech.

Whilst I can understand why having 'add watch' on the Active Conversations list is there, I don't think it is needed there for a few reasons:

1. It distracts from the thread title's highlighted hyperlink status (pulling the eye to the end of the line, making reading the page annoying).
   
   
2. I think most people would enter the thread to skim / read it to see if they wanted to watch it, so one 'Watch this' on the conversation's page would be enough.
   
   
3. It is not on-page / script-based - ie. you need to click it and enter the thread, so you can't actually click on 'Add Watch' say ten or so times in a long list of conversation topics which look interesting.
   
   Still, super useful. Thanks

[RTKangaMummy]

hub2dee

please read your thread with your name on

[SoupDragon]

I like the feature but find it irritating on the list of active conversations.

[Justine (mumsnet)]

Thanks for feedback/ suggestions - Tech's in Germany right now (but thankfully not for long). We'll have chat about how to improve this and report back.

[marthamoo]

Aw bless, he's run away to Germany? I'm sorry I said it made the screen look busy - it's OK - I'll get used to it. Come back tech, all is forgiven!

[HunkerMunker]

I really like 'add watch' but agree that it only really needs to be on the thread itself. Unless people use REALLY descriptive thread titles

Thanks for this Tech!

[hub2dee]

Oooh.... just thought of a place where it might actually be nice to have the 'add watch,' where it isn't presently:

The 'Threads I'm on' page.

Sometimes I do loads of posting, and have lots of things to keep track of, but when I've been quite for a little while, it dwindles down to virtually nothing.

Having the 'Watch this' there would allow me to keep that thread 'on the back burner' so to speak. It would also be much nicer if this was done with some nifty script so you could just hit it 5 times next to a bunch of conversations rather than loading 5 new pages.

[tech]

Hello. One is a-lurking from Frankfurt (oh the glamour, not). I intended the add watch on the lists to add it without taking you into the thread, but didn't get that far this am (insomnia / stopping smoking woke me at 5am) so thought would give it a go as was. I'll have another look at it at the weekend. It's a simple change.

I think if we do put it back it might be as a discreet little icon rather than a text link at the end of the line. A couple of people mentioned that it was distracting to the eye. I agree really. I think it would be better as a little icon to the left where the bullet point things are now.

Anyway for now I've taken it off active conversations but left it in the thread list on the topic pages.... just to be consistent.

Cheers,
Tech

[Joolstoo]

what bullet points? (am I being thick - its not hard!)

[tech]

When you click "active conversations" each thread has (or should have) a little black dot to the left of it like a bullet point. That's what I meant. maybe a small graphic to the left of / in place of that.

[Joolstoo]

ah - what a dimwit - I was looking for it on the actual thread

[nightowl]

eh? so sorry but can someone explain what this is? (i am slightly thick at times...most of, in fact) dont use active conversations, always use last day?

[Kayleigh]

ahhh, now that looks better. You are truely a wonderful tech, tech