Expansion of a function?

First off, just want to say that as I'm still new to this site, I've been loving it already, so many thanks go to the good community and the moderators/admins for maintaining this place.

Anyway, the feature of this forum I'd like to ask about is the 'PM notification' function. You know, the option that if you turn it on in your profile options, and someone PMs you, you get this tiny overlaid alert notification at the top-right of your screen, in real-time even, if you're PM'd while logged in and viewing a page, or shows up when you log in?

Love that. One of the most wonderfully nifty features I've ever seen on a forum, second only to the built-in chatbar. So wonderful, in fact, I got to thinking...could it be expanded?

Would it be possible to have a second notification alert, not for PMs, but for posts in threads one is subscribed to? That would be fantastic, if it's possible. I already click my User CP button all the time to see if there's any new posts in a thread I'm subscribed to, but having a realtime alert for that just like with PMs would be sweet. I think it would also help out some other people around here; I've noticed a few people say in request threads that they prefer PMs to threads because it's 'harder' to find and keep up with threads...a notification like that could help out a lot.

Just an idea I had, wanted to toss out and see if it was viable. Thanks for listening!

The idea that it's 'harder' to keep up with threads is BS, and really just an evasive way of someone saying 'I saw it(assuming we're all sharp enough to bookmark important threads), but didn't get around to it,' which could happen with any medium.

Your idea, though, is a solid one. I dig it. The real-time notification popping up without having to do a page refresh, and anywhere on the site, is easily my favorite thing about this place.

While on the topic, Vek, would it be possible to do notifications like that over on E?

Isn't there already an email notification system for when a watched thread gets a new post?

I don't see why it couldn't be re-purposed to send you a pm.

Nihilistic_Impact said:

Isn't there already an email notification system for when a watched thread gets a new post?

I don't see why it couldn't be re-purposed to send you a pm.

Click to expand...

I don't use the email notification, I rarely check my email and I don't want it cluttered up with things like that. And alerting with a PM when a subscribed thread updates...does sound simpler, but it's a little more awkward, and part of the reason I dislike roleplaying through PMs in the first place is clutter there, as well. Not to mention the roundabout indirectness would make it a little awkward and less worth the convenience it would bring...

PM alert! You've got an unread message!
"Oh, I've got a new PM!" *clicks private message link*
Not an actual PM from someone else, but a subscribed thread has updated!
"Oh. Okay. Um." *clicks subscribed threads button instead*

I dunno, it's just that the PM alert is, while nifty, only a small convenience, which would then be neutralized with the small inconvienience of your idea....that's just my take on it. I just was wondering if it would be easy to copy the alert system for PMs and repurpose it for subscribed threads instead.

Yes, people can set themselves up for an email alert for thread updates, but not everyone likes that. Just like you can bookmark threads as well, but not everyone does it nor checks them even if they do. Personally, I like the idea and think it's nifty. So, if it's possible, I think it's a neat one. Again, probably won't happen until the upgrade, but hey.... worth the wait if it can happen.

So yeah, I back it.

Oh yeah, and expanding on this idea, it would also be nice to have a slight modification to the user profile links along the top of every page. Currently, it goes:

View New Posts | View Today's Posts | Private Messages

It would be nice if it could be added to and changed to this:

View New Posts | View Today's Posts | Private Messages | Subscribed Threads

That way, I could get directly to my subscribed threads in one click instead of two (User CP -> Subscribed Threads). Just as another itty-bitty convenience, I don't -think- it would be that hard to add...but if it is, nevermind it.

I'm not the techie of BMR. Vek is. But I like it and if it's possible, I wouldn't mind something like that either.
Plus, it never hurts to speak up and suggest...... you never know.

I think its a good idea o: I support this idea!