Suggestion: Post XX of YYY counter

[ERD50]

Currently, the poster's post count shows under their name and join date. This obviously gets pulled from a database, because when you look at an old post, it has their current post count, not the count at the time that they made that older post.

It would be helpful to see that what the count was when they made the post. For example, if I see that a newbie posted a couple days ago, and their post count is "22", I have no idea if this was one of their first posts of the 22, or if this is their most recent post. I might be curious if they have posted since that item, sometimes people go off and start a new thread, or take up the conversation in a similar thread.

If I'm curious about the subject, I might go through and click on their profile to see if they have posted since that time. But, if I saw that this was "Post 22 of 22", I immediately know that this was their last contribution/question, I have less chance of adding something that was covered somewhere else. Or if it is their most recent post, and it's a few weeks old, maybe they've just gone away (seems to happen pretty regularly when people don't get the answer they wanted)?

It just seems it would give some useful info w/o needing to go through and make several clicks on their profile (which I won't bother to do most of the time anyhow). I have no idea of this is easy or difficult, just making the suggestion if it isn't a lot of work.

-ERD50

[heeyy_joe]

Sending through post 577 of 577 to say I agree.

[braumeister]

And if it's not too much extra trouble, it would also be nice to have the post numbers assigned in blocks to indicate the subject matter.

For example, PFBS247/512//3285 would indicate this person's 247th post (out of 512 total) on the topic of Personal Finance Budgeting Software, and he or she had made a grand total of 3,285 posts on all topics at that time.

No need to get too involved, just a simple tracking cookie should do it.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister And if it's not too much extra trouble, it would also be nice to have the post numbers assigned in blocks to indicate the subject matter. For example, PFBS247/512//3285 would indicate this person's 247th post (out of 512 total) on the topic of Personal Finance Budgeting Software, and he or she had made a grand total of 3,285 posts on all topics at that time. No need to get too involved, just a simple tracking cookie should do it.

+1, 'gift horse in the mouth?' Mods/admins do more than enough for us already IMO, unless we grant them a pay increase. The tally now stands at 2 yays, 2 nays...

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack +1, 'gift horse in the mouth?' Mods/admins do more than enough for us already IMO, unless we grant them a pay increase. The tally now stands at 2 yays, 2 nays...

You seem to forget this site is being run as a for-profit business by Andy, he has some paid staff (I think?).

The better experience people have here, the more they use the site, the more eyes he captures. And even if it was non-profit, people want a better experience if it can be done easily. I only suggest these things in an attempt to improve the experience, and I don't even charge Human Interface Design consulting fees

Obviously, they can and will do with the suggestion as they see fit, but I figured I'd mention it. Would the post count enhancement somehow diminish your experience here - is there a downside that I missed?


-ERD50

[MBAustin]

I like the OP's suggestion, not sure that Braumeister's enhancement would be useful to me though.

[obgyn65]

+1. Suggestion is ok with me too as long as it is not too much work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MBAustin I like the OP's suggestion.

[Janet H]

Thanks for the suggestions. They are always welcome and always considered.

The forum runs on software that has some limitations. We have sometimes altered code to make improvements but only when the hassle | benefit ratio seems sufficiently awesome to justify the effort and risk associated with the change. Basically anytime the software code is changed we expose ourselves to potential conflicts, security holes and other undesirable backwash. Custom changes also don't play well with the mobile app and so we go slowly for this reason when making changes; considering how important they are, how much load may be added to the server, how much risk, work, etc.

[heeyy_joe]

A very diplomatic answer.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERD50 You seem to forget this site is being run as a for-profit business by Andy, he has some paid staff (I think?). The better experience people have here, the more they use the site, the more eyes he captures. And even if it was non-profit, people want a better experience if it can be done easily. I only suggest these things in an attempt to improve the experience, and I don't even charge Human Interface Design consulting fees Obviously, they can and will do with the suggestion as they see fit, but I figured I'd mention it. Would the post count enhancement somehow diminish your experience here - is there a downside that I missed? -ERD50

I didn't miss anything at all. You have your opinion, I have mine. This is already one of the most user friendly forums of many I have participated in over many years...

We all know "the better experience people have here, the more they use the site, the more eyes he captures" - not news. Is there a more active retirement forum?

And I don't recall ever wondering if it was W2R or REW's post 17,467 of 22,951 or a newbies post 5 of 7. YMMV

FWIW, though I was not an "IT guy", I do have about 35 years of experience with users wanting to endlessly customize various software packages (some on a whim). And I understand the effort that's often required for little return, or a change for one user that irritates another inadvertently AND the headaches customization coding can cause when a software update comes along. Makes updates that much harder/more expensive. Maybe you "forgot?"