What happened to the forum software?

**Aguila Blanca** · January 25, 2012, 10:56 AM

Beginning yesterday (Tuesday, January 24) I'm experiencing a glitch when navigating the forum. Usually, when I go into any forum area (such as "Semi Autos"), the threads that have been added or updated since my last visit have their titles in bold. Starting yesterday, the bolded titles go back several days and cover two to three screen pages before I get to the un-bolded titles.

When it happened last night I thought I might be imagining things, but for a test I manually logged out, then logged back in using the "Remember Me" box. Today, Wednesday the 25th, everything back through January 22 is bolded.

I don't think it is my computer because (a) I haven't made any changes, and (b) this glitch affects only TFL, it doesn't affect any of several other forums that also use vBulletin.

Have y'all changed anything?

Young.Gun.612 · January 25, 2012, 11:13 AM

I saw a notification regarding unread posts, because of the fact that inactivity would mark threads as read. But I'm also experiencing several days worth of "unread" posts

CaptainChaos · January 25, 2012, 11:23 AM

I just invoked Quick Link / Mark Forums Read to get around this. As they said, they *have* changed the way things work...

Regards,

Mark.

**Mal H** · January 25, 2012, 11:28 AM

Did either of the first two posters here actually read the notice that everyone should have seen when logging in? If not, there is a copy of in this thread: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=471059 at post #23.

**Aguila Blanca** · January 25, 2012, 11:36 AM

No, because I was not presented with anything to read. Thanks to Young Gun and Cap'n Chaos I tracked down a thread explaining that a change was made, and I have to say (as I did in that thread) that the change makes no sense, and the proposed work-around makes no sense.

There should be an option to highlight threads posted or updated since a member's last visit. That's what most vBulletin forums use, and I respectfully submit that's what most people expect. It doesn't expire due to inactivity ... ever. It changes when a member logs out or navigates away from the vBulletin site, and it updates to a new "Since last visit" time/date marker the next time the member comes back to the site.

**Aguila Blanca** · January 25, 2012, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Chaos

I just invoked Quick Link / Mark Forums Read to get around this.

Well, I just tried that. Now it shows NOTHING as being new since my last visit.

I don't see that as being any improvement at all.

**Mike Irwin** · January 25, 2012, 11:54 AM

This is the only vbulletin run board that I visit, so I don't know what others expect. I do, suspect that TFL is far larger than the average vbulletin forum.

That said, the system we're using now requires a lot more memory to pull it off. In essence, it customizes the "read/unread" list for every member individually.

To make it endlessly persistent for each member would require an exponentially expanding amount of memory, and that's simply not going to happen.

Finally, there IS a way of seeing new posts.

Look above the message window area to the blue bar. Look in the center bottom row and find "New Posts."

**Aguila Blanca** · January 25, 2012, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Irwin

Finally, there IS a way of seeing new posts.

Look above the message window area to the blue bar. Look in the center bottom row and find "New Posts."

I use that on sites where I'm a moderator or administrator, because I need to keep tabs on all active discussion areas. On this site, I typically visit only five areas -- the three handgun areas, general discussion, and legal & politics. It doesn't helpme at all to see a list of ALL new posts and then have to sort through them to see which are in the areas I care about.

I'm sorry, but I just don't see this change as a benefit.

**Mal H** · January 25, 2012, 05:02 PM

Noted.

**Mike Irwin** · January 25, 2012, 07:59 PM

"It doesn't helpme at all to see a list of ALL new posts and then have to sort through them to see which are in the areas I care about."

Well, as the great Buddha said, the first noble truth is that existence is suffering.

January 25, 2012, 10:56 AM	#1
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,458	What happened to the forum software? Beginning yesterday (Tuesday, January 24) I'm experiencing a glitch when navigating the forum. Usually, when I go into any forum area (such as "Semi Autos"), the threads that have been added or updated since my last visit have their titles in bold. Starting yesterday, the bolded titles go back several days and cover two to three screen pages before I get to the un-bolded titles. When it happened last night I thought I might be imagining things, but for a test I manually logged out, then logged back in using the "Remember Me" box. Today, Wednesday the 25th, everything back through January 22 is bolded. I don't think it is my computer because (a) I haven't made any changes, and (b) this glitch affects only TFL, it doesn't affect any of several other forums that also use vBulletin. Have y'all changed anything?

January 25, 2012, 11:54 AM	#7
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	This is the only vbulletin run board that I visit, so I don't know what others expect. I do, suspect that TFL is far larger than the average vbulletin forum. That said, the system we're using now requires a lot more memory to pull it off. In essence, it customizes the "read/unread" list for every member individually. To make it endlessly persistent for each member would require an exponentially expanding amount of memory, and that's simply not going to happen. Finally, there IS a way of seeing new posts. Look above the message window area to the blue bar. Look in the center bottom row and find "New Posts." __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

January 25, 2012, 07:59 PM	#10
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,380	"It doesn't helpme at all to see a list of ALL new posts and then have to sort through them to see which are in the areas I care about." Well, as the great Buddha said, the first noble truth is that existence is suffering. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

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January 25, 2012, 11:13 AM	#2
Young.Gun.612 Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 400	I saw a notification regarding unread posts, because of the fact that inactivity would mark threads as read. But I'm also experiencing several days worth of "unread" posts

January 25, 2012, 11:23 AM	#3
CaptainChaos Member Join Date: November 8, 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 49	I just invoked Quick Link / Mark Forums Read to get around this. As they said, they have changed the way things work... Regards, Mark.

January 25, 2012, 11:28 AM	#4
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Did either of the first two posters here actually read the notice that everyone should have seen when logging in? If not, there is a copy of in this thread: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=471059 at post #23.

January 25, 2012, 11:36 AM	#5
Aguila Blanca Staff Join Date: September 25, 2008 Location: CONUS Posts: 18,458	No, because I was not presented with anything to read. Thanks to Young Gun and Cap'n Chaos I tracked down a thread explaining that a change was made, and I have to say (as I did in that thread) that the change makes no sense, and the proposed work-around makes no sense. There should be an option to highlight threads posted or updated since a member's last visit. That's what most vBulletin forums use, and I respectfully submit that's what most people expect. It doesn't expire due to inactivity ... ever. It changes when a member logs out or navigates away from the vBulletin site, and it updates to a new "Since last visit" time/date marker the next time the member comes back to the site.

January 25, 2012, 05:02 PM	#9
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 16,947	Noted.