“Latest activity” view without reactions?

[Crutch]

Hi, enjoying these forums but there is a UX thing I can’t quite figure out. To browse daily updates, I would like to see a view that lists new posts only (not reactions) and includes a small preview of each.

• If I go to the “New posts” view, I see a list of new posted content only, but with no previews (first snip).
• If I go to the “Latest activity” view (second snip), I see nice little previews of each new post, but the list is scattered with new reactions to old posts, which some may enjoy but I personally find distracting since there is nothing new to read there.

Is there a way to see a list of new posts with little previews, exactly like the “latest activity” view in the second snip, but with reactions filtered out? I am sure this is possible already and I am just dumbly missing it

 

[retr01]

I wonder if there would be a button to see the "Next New Post" without going home and clicking on new posts again.

 

[JDW]

While deeply pondering this...



... I realize we humans are much too emotional.

That is perhaps why I enjoy what this gentleman teaches us...

I have emotions, but it's often good to suppress them. The upside is that if we can play the role of Spock, there would then be no need to suppress latest activity "reactions" because they would not exist.

 

[retr01]

 

[JDW]

Those 3 "Spock reactions" exist because he is half-human.

I'm not against emoji, but being a child of the 70's, I grew up when those things didn't exist and when we wrote text as text. Not even a single semi-colon winky-face to be found. Text in those days was dry and boring yet still very intellectually stimulating.

If you deeply ponder the total amount of trouble we human beings get ourselves into, much of that would fall away if we were all able to keep emotions tightly in check. Socrates, Descartes & Hume notwithstanding, it's really quite stunning when you think about it.

 

[retr01]

And emoticons, as well as text art were pretty much rudimentary using ASCII on BBSes back in the day.

A Brief History of Emojis, Emoticons and ASCII Art

Before the days where you could get a 💩 or 😿 in just a few taps, users had to make their own using any symbols they could get their hands…

medium.com

 

[Fizzbinn]

I really like the “Like” emoticon responses but agree it would be nice to have a latest activity view without them from a practical perspective of a real content activity update summary view.

 

[JDW]

I really like the “Like” emoticon responses but agree it would be nice to have a latest activity view without them from a practical perspective of a real content activity update summary view.

Then you will doubly like this ASCI art. Shrink the browser window width to see a single thumbs up, then expand the width to see that you now have two!
┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌█████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌┌████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌████████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌█████████┌┌ ███┌┌┌┌█████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌█████┌ ██┌┌┌███████┌████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌ ██┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌█████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ┌┌████████████┌┌┌████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ┌███┌██████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ┌┌████┌████┌██████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██┌ ┌┌┌████████████┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌ ┌┌┌┌██┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███████┌┌ ┌┌┌┌████┌┌┌┌┌┌████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌████████┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌████████████┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌█┌█┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌███┌┌┌┌┌┌█████┌┌█████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██████████████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌██████████████┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌ ┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌┌

Perhaps one of our two server Overlords, @eric or @fogWraith, could tell us if it is possible to "exclude reactions/emoji clicks from Latest Activity."

 

[fogWraith]

Then you will doubly like this ASCI art. Shrink the browser window width to see a single thumbs up, then expand the width to see that you now have two!
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Perhaps one of our two server Overlords, @eric or @fogWraith, could tell us if it is possible to "exclude reactions/emoji clicks from Latest Activity."

So basically, just omit reactions?

 

[JDW]

So basically, just omit reactions?

Thanks for replying. @Crutch asked for 2 things...

I would like to see a view that lists new posts only (not reactions) and includes a small preview of each.

1. If I go to the “New posts” view, I see a list of new posted content only, but with no previews (first snip).
2. If I go to the “Latest activity” view (second snip), I see nice little previews of each new post, but the list is scattered with new reactions to old posts, which some may enjoy but I personally find distracting since there is nothing new to read there.

If you and the rest of the board are unsure if making those 2 changes good thing, maybe poll forum members to determine if others feel the same, then decide whether to make changes or not?

 

[fogWraith]

Thanks for replying. @Crutch asked for 2 things...



If you and the rest of the board are unsure if making those 2 changes good thing, maybe poll forum members to determine if others feel the same, then decide whether to make changes or not?

Personally (by own opinion) I don't see the point in omitting the reactions from that particular feed, because it is exactly what it says on the tin - an activity feed.

Due to the nature of the request, as you say, a poll might be in order and perhaps a discussion around what might be the most optimal changes required to reach what the general populace can accept when it comes to the feeds.

 

[retr01]

Due to the nature of the request, as you say, a poll might be in order and perhaps a discussion around what might be the most optimal changes required to reach what the general populace can accept when it comes to the feeds.

@fogWraith, what about the New Posts button that is easily accessible rather than clicking on the TinkerDifferent logo to go back to the home page and then clicking on New Posts again?

 

[Mu0n]

I know which way I'd vote: Latest Activity without reactions would give me much more milleage on the loading of its page. Ideally, it'd be separated into two side-by-side sections, but I can live without the reactions.

 

[eric]

Isn't that what "What's New" is ? - latest posts - no activity.

 

[Crutch]

@eric no, because that view sacrifices the (very useful) message previews. If one uses “What’s New” to browse posts, you have to click into every post to see what’s actually been added. If I may quote myself …

Hi, enjoying these forums but there is a UX thing I can’t quite figure out. To browse daily updates, I would like to see a view that lists new posts only (not reactions) and includes a small preview of each.

• If I go to the “New posts” view, I see a list of new posted content only, but with no previews (first snip).
• If I go to the “Latest activity” view (second snip), I see nice little previews of each new post, but the list is scattered with new reactions to old posts, which some may enjoy but I personally find distracting since there is nothing new to read there.

Is there a way to see a list of new posts with little previews, exactly like the “latest activity” view in the second snip, but with reactions filtered out?

 

[fogWraith]

@fogWraith, what about the New Posts button that is easily accessible rather than clicking on the TinkerDifferent logo to go back to the home page and then clicking on New Posts again?

What kind of device are you on most of the time? When you are not within the "What's New" sphere, there is a dropdown available that will instantly take you to either area of what's under "What's New", and whilst within the "What's New" page, the various sections are reachable fastly via the menu before any output from either is available.

My main weapon of choice is a desktop, very rarely do I check in with mobile.

Outside What's New



Inside What's New


On another note, I do understand and feel the same, that the latest posts under New Posts could give us more in terms of only the latest threads or posts within threads, such as if it is the only post in a new thread then it should behave as it does now - just give a sneak preview of what's inside when hovering the thread... if there however is a new post inside a pre-existing thread, then a sneak preview of the last post would be preferrable.

The main issue would be if a thread has several new posts since the last visit, this is where the activity feed comes into play.. though any activity may drown out the other. Personally I think that reactions serve a purpose, and via the activity feed it can bring more attention to something that would otherwise be something one scrolls past.

And finally, for things of interest, the possibility of subscribing to threads - a fresh letter in the mail for every addition made to a thread which has been subscribed to along with contents of said post.

Oh yes, and finally, I'm not trying to avert or divert here, love the ideas and feedback - keeping track of the thread and taking it to our next meeting.
Keep 'em coming!

 

[Crutch]

Personally I think that reactions serve a purpose, and via the activity feed it can bring more attention to something that would otherwise be something one scrolls past.

Respectfully disagree here, here’s an example from this morning. A whole screenful of “Latest activity” is nothing but reactions, mostly on posts that are already recent and/or active. This is a common pattern: someone logs in and while browsing the site, reacts to a bunch of recent posts they like. The result tends to me batched chunks of reactions from individuals that just duplicate mentions of posts that are already fresh. I like reactions as a feature, but this just makes it hard to find genuine new content on the site.

Of course if “preview” text of each new post could be added to the “New Posts” view (as is already true of ”Latest activity”), which does not include reactions, that would solve the need too.

Thanks everyone for considering this!

 

[retr01]

What kind of device are you on most of the time? When you are not within the "What's New" sphere, there is a dropdown available that will instantly take you to either area of what's under "What's New", and whilst within the "What's New" page, the various sections are reachable fastly via the menu before any output from either is available.

My main weapon of choice is a desktop, very rarely do I check in with mobile.

Desktop - I use my MacBook Air M1 most of the time here on TD.

On another note, I do understand and feel the same, that the latest posts under New Posts could give us more in terms of only the latest threads or posts within threads, such as if it is the only post in a new thread then it should behave as it does now - just give a sneak preview of what's inside when hovering the thread... if there however is a new post inside a pre-existing thread, then a sneak preview of the last post would be preferrable.

The main issue would be if a thread has several new posts since the last visit, this is where the activity feed comes into play.. though any activity may drown out the other. Personally I think that reactions serve a purpose, and via the activity feed it can bring more attention to something that would otherwise be something one scrolls past.

I just realized something. After I click on New Posts and then click on one of the new posts that I have not read, it immediately jumps to the bottom of the last page where the latest posts as it should, although I may forget to scroll up to see if I missed any more new posts above that. So, when that jump happens, the "New Posts" and other buttons are covered as scrolling down. I am wondering if those buttons stay visible even when scrolling down.

 

[JDW]

I use either a MBP or iMac exclusively to post and check posts here on TD. I only resort to mobile in a serious pinch because I still have an iPhone 7 which has a screen that is a bit too tiny for my eyes.

Eliminating the reaction notifications does have an upside. It's a bit spooky to have every single reaction you put on posts to be showcased for others to see. Not that I am embarrassed by the emoticon reactions I put on posts, but it is perhaps revealing more information that most people want or need to know. Having knowledge of New Posts only is what I prefer, and that is all I see when I click "WHAT'S NEW" in the header of this forum on my Macs...

And when I click on Latest Activity, this is all I see...

So because I've not been inundated with "reaction" updates to date, I never gave much thought to it.

 

[Crutch]

I think this change is amazing! Thank you for trying it out! It is so much easier to peruse recent activity now.