Stop Posting "Subscribing..."

[splatster]

I find that all these "watching" or "subscribing" or "witnessed" posts might as well just be spam.  It seems as though people are either deliberately trying to raise their post count or are somehow oblivious to the notify button on the top right of each page of a thread.

Am I the only one who feels that such posts are useless and annoying?

[splatster]

<stupid gif>
gifs still allowed?

This is another subset of spammy posts. It adds no value to this thread nor could it add any value to any thread outside of the totally off topic thread. I would like to keep this thread serious, do please keep that shit out of here. Besides that, you have also earned yourself an ignore.

Actually you are not the only one who finds them annoying, I do too.
However I'm using this method of getting updates to threads too (always add something nice to say but probably the same as 'subscribing').

If you know a better way to get updates for a specific thread into your 'Show new replies to your posts' box, please let me hear it!

I hate the 'Notify' link, as it sends out email notes. The next morning I log into my mail account I have several dozen of emails from active threads in my inbox, this is _much_ more annoying to me than seeing the frequence "subscribing" messages in between.

But given that being a simple option to follow a thread, I prefer people writing "Subscribing" rather than making up some bullsh*t statement to sound like they actually like to contribute (but really just want to keep reading); "Subscribing" is easier to skip. I know, it puts that thread on top, although there's no new info in it, that's still annoying.

So unless you tell me about a way to get a list of the threads I'm interested in one place similar to that 'Show new replies to your posts' tab (no email updates please, my inbox is already too full), your request has no merit. If  there's no other way currently, this might be a good feature request.

BTW, very mature, Agent_Provocateur, very mature indeed.

These are all very valid points. This is almost my asking for a feature that would allow subscribing in the desired way without spamming the thread or sending you emails.

[HostFat]

I also used "subbed" sometimes.

My intentions were two:
1) subscribing to the topic
2) notify to the OP that I was interested his topic

I think that the second is the most important, because it gives a reward to the OP.
He/She will know that there are some people interested on what he/she is saying / is going to say.

I think that a good way to limit/stop all these "subbed" post is adding a counter ( or showing all their names at the bottom ) somewhere near/in the topic that show how many people are subscribed to it.

[Maged]

"witnessed", too, is important, but like "subbed", it is also due to technological reasons. You see, in SMF, not even an Administrator can view/restore the original version of a post after it has been edited unless someone quoted it or a copy was otherwise saved (i.e. backups, web caches like Google, screenshots, direct copy/pastes saved by someone, etc.)

[theymos]

I'm very annoyed by them, but I feel bad about deleting them because the people who post them are just trying to get some extra functionality out of the board. I do delete them on the most serious of threads, and you can ban them with local rules.

[splatster]

I completely understand the use for theses types of messages.  What I am saying is that these should be replaced by features in the new forum software if/when it gets done.

A quick fix to the subbed problem would be to have a specific format for such a message, but when a thread is displayed, such messages would be kept hidden in some way.  For example, if my entire message on a thread was "Subscribing." then it shouldn't be displayed, but should there be a reply to the thread, the thread should still show up on the new replies page.

[splatster]

I'm very annoyed by them, but I feel bad about deleting them because the people who post them are just trying to get some extra functionality out of the board. I do delete them on the most serious of threads, and you can ban them with local rules.

in SMF, not even an Administrator can view/restore the original version of a post after it has been edited

wow, i didn't know that. i just assume 'delete' on the internet means 'save forever'.

This just further supports that there is a certain lack of functionality on the forum.  I have offered to participate in the new forum software, and if I got the chance I would definitely take the time to implement some alternative way to do these functions without actually posting on a thread.

[RandyFolds]

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

[splatster]

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.  Why not kill two birds with one stone on this one?  We can make an alternative and also prevent the undeserving increase in post count that people who make such posts receive.

Also, when did I say I was pissed? I am trying to address an issue that I see, and clearly I am not the only one who feels there is a better way.

[NothinG]

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.

Or to bump a decent thread.
*cough*

[splatster]

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.

Or to bump a decent thread.
*cough*

The key word there is decent.  People bumping posts of them selling something completely useless need to stop bumping there threads and get over the fact that no one wants what they're selling.

[RandyFolds]

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.

Or to bump a decent thread.
*cough*

The key word there is decent.  People bumping posts of them selling something completely useless need to stop bumping there threads and get over the fact that no one wants what they're selling.

There are about a million threads discussing undue bumping. This is just contributing to the problem.

You'll realize very soon that post counts are meaningless, particularly here. Padding it isn't going to impress anyone but newbs that just showed up.

[splatster]

Postan 4 teh lawlz

spam

Neither of these two posts add anything to the thread.  I am really trying to keep this thread clean.

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.

Or to bump a decent thread.
*cough*

The key word there is decent.  People bumping posts of them selling something completely useless need to stop bumping there threads and get over the fact that no one wants what they're selling.

There are about a million threads discussing undue bumping. This is just contributing to the problem.

You'll realize very soon that post counts are meaningless, particularly here. Padding it isn't going to impress anyone but newbs that just showed up.

First off, I applaud you for actually posting something useful in the midst of every one else's crap.
I understand that, so I don't care if someone with 1000 posts does some stupid shit to increase his post count.  When someone with very few posts does that, it seems that they are trying to build up rep quickly.

[NothinG]

Postan 4 teh lawlz

spam

Neither of these two posts add anything to the thread.  I am really trying to keep this thread clean.

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.

Or to bump a decent thread.
*cough*

The key word there is decent.  People bumping posts of them selling something completely useless need to stop bumping there threads and get over the fact that no one wants what they're selling.

There are about a million threads discussing undue bumping. This is just contributing to the problem.

You'll realize very soon that post counts are meaningless, particularly here. Padding it isn't going to impress anyone but newbs that just showed up.

First off, I applaud you for actually posting something useful in the midst of every one else's crap.
I understand that, so I don't care if someone with 1000 posts does some stupid shit to increase his post count.  When someone with very few posts does that, it seems that they are trying to build up rep quickly.

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you're fairly low on that "post count" scale of yours.

[rjk]

Postan 4 teh lawlz

spam

Neither of these two posts add anything to the thread.  I am really trying to keep this thread clean.

It's something called "irony". Google it.

[NothinG]

This is turning into another useless thread, and unless someone actually invents the "unsubscribe" feature (which has been requested on many boards using SMF for years), I have to delete my posts from this thread to stop getting my "Show new replies to your posts" spammed with it. ANOTHER useful feature, btw.

So would someone here please quote this message to have it on future record before I delete it; not because I withdraw my opinion, but I refuse to get flooded with reminders.

[RandyFolds]

This is turning into another useless thread, and unless someone actually invents the "unsubscribe" feature (which has been requested on many boards using SMF for years), I have to delete my posts from this thread to stop getting my "Show new replies to your posts" spammed with it. ANOTHER useful feature, btw.

So would someone here please quote this message to have it on future record before I delete it; not because I withdraw my opinion, but I refuse to get flooded with reminders.

First world problems...


My twitter feed it too tweety, goddamnit!

[phelix]

+1



...falls in the same category imho and could be replaced by thread/post/user +1

[splatster]

Postan 4 teh lawlz

spam

Neither of these two posts add anything to the thread.  I am really trying to keep this thread clean.

Is it really that disruptive? Seriously...do you get pissed when people say hello to you, as well?

It's either due to the lack of any alternative to posting in a thread to subscribe in such a manner or it is people just trying to raise their post count.

Or to bump a decent thread.
*cough*

The key word there is decent.  People bumping posts of them selling something completely useless need to stop bumping there threads and get over the fact that no one wants what they're selling.

There are about a million threads discussing undue bumping. This is just contributing to the problem.

You'll realize very soon that post counts are meaningless, particularly here. Padding it isn't going to impress anyone but newbs that just showed up.

First off, I applaud you for actually posting something useful in the midst of every one else's crap.
I understand that, so I don't care if someone with 1000 posts does some stupid shit to increase his post count.  When someone with very few posts does that, it seems that they are trying to build up rep quickly.

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but you're fairly low on that "post count" scale of yours.

Yes, I understand that, but you'll notice that my posts have actual content to them rather than than 100 "Subcribing!" posts.

[RandyFolds]

Bitching about fixing something that is far from broken is hardly productive or full of content.