"Forum marked as read" redirection

[Panzar75]

This is one of the better forums I've seen but there is one thing that makes little sense to me; After I've read all the threads in, let's say "Site Feedback", I'll press "Mark this Forum Read".

Now I get the "All threads in that forum have been marked as read. You will now be returned to where you were" window.

Why am I beeing sent back to "where I was"? I have already read all of the threads I want to read there, that's why I pressed "Mark this Forum Read" in the first place...

Would it not be better to be sent to the main "Civilization Fanatics' Forums" where you can chose where you want to go next? That would save me a lot of extra clicks and some time.

I assume that since it was done this way there has to be some point to it... but I just don't see it.

 

[ivory]

After I've read all the threads in, let's say "Site Feedback", I'll press "Mark this Forum Read".

You 're doing double work. If you read a thread , its icon on the index page will turn from an open folder with papers sticking out, to a closed folder. That way people keep track of which theads contain anything new for them.
If you click "mark as read" all icons will become closed folders, even if you haven't actually read them.
This assumes you have cookies enabled.

 

[Panzar75]

Well, it's not like I will read ALL messages everywhere. I only have 24 hours per day you know...

 

[Turner]

Originally posted by ivory

You 're doing double work. If you read a thread , its icon on the index page will turn from an open folder with papers sticking out, to a closed folder. That way people keep track of which theads contain anything new for them.
If you click "mark as read" all icons will become closed folders, even if you haven't actually read them.
This assumes you have cookies enabled.

That's not how it works for me. When I'm done reading a thread, it still has the 'new posts' icon next to it. The only time it goes away is if I spend too much time in one screen. Somehow this resets all the 'new posts' icon, and I lose the posts I didn't see. Really annoying if I'm taking my time to post something, to lose every other post I haven't read yet.

AFAIK, I haven't changed any setting in my CP. I should check that out.

 

[ivory]

If you mean the arrow icon in the red circle below, then the same happens over here. I was talking about the folders in the column on the far left. In the below example I have read all new posts except in the thread "what 's happening..". If I click "Mark this forum as read" it will become a closed folder and the arrow will vanish as well.
The arrow indicates new posts since the last visit, which it will still be even if you 've read it. It will keep that status until your next visit. (I 'm not sure but I think this is how it works.) If you spend a lot of time reading or writing on one page, the next communication with the server will be seen as a new visit.
A black dot on the folder indicates one has contributed to that thread.

 

[Turner]

Turner wakes up. . .

Oh, yeah. I'm with ya now.

This working overnight is killing my brain cells. I should have realized that.

 

[WillJ]

Thanks, ivory! I didn't realize that; I've always looked at the arrows (which of course aren't reliable).

Edit: I now notice that the folders aren't very reliable for me either, because it seems like when the arrow dissapears, the folder gets closed, even if I haven't read it. The only reason the folders are slightly better is that they seem to be reliable for the threads that have the arrows.