Has My Topic Been Posted?

[Errdoth]

If anyone has used yahoo answers, this is what I'm basing this off of.

 

 

 

So, basically, when you're posting a new topic, this would appear underneath the subject box onblur. It would run a quick search through topic titles (or possibly post texts, but that would be a bit intensive), and if it found a match, it would display the match, with a link, in a floating div. By far, this wouldn't catch everything, but it might help.

 

 

 

The only bad thing that pops up would be that people would use this "watered down" search in place of the regular search function, and claim that "well, it wasn't listed in that..." (But I guess there could be a big link at the bottom of the floating div with a link that says something like "Don't forget to search!" or something :-k )

 

 

 

(Anyway, I'm pretty sure that this is possible, I have written code in the past to do just this, and I'm sure it can be spruced up pretty easily)

 

 

 

Thoughts?

[Dragontotem]

which is why we do have the search system.

 

although people don't seem to use it... Though they should, really

[Errdoth]

which is why we do have the search system.

 

although people don't seem to use it... Though they should, really

 

 

 

Well, yeah, but it'd be more of a heads up for people who "forget" to search.

[Guest]

Exactly. This is going to be to a great benefit to the people who are new and post topics and haven't learnt the valuable lesson to search first. Having this new feature won't stop them from searching (since they wouldn't of done it in the first place) but rather the feature would be visible to those people about to create a new topic and can see that that feature is available to use. As long as its clearly visible and it has a message next to it saying something like "search here before creating a new topic - to see if its been posted already in the past." Or something like that.

 

 

 

All in all, I'm definitely a supporter of this new feature. :thumbsup:

[InkofDeath]

Exactly. This is going to be to a great benefit to the people who are new and post topics and haven't learnt the valuable lesson to search first.

 

Yes, so let's confuse the heck out of them more. Unless you forget when you first came to Tip.It, Tip.It Forums is a large scary place, and to get the nerve to post a topic in General, or OT requires a little extra oomph.

 

 

 

I agree to this, but I disagree. This is a good suggestion, and would stop the duplicate annoying topics by a lot, but it would also be annoying to appear every single time. Unless I read it wrong, where there is no extra page loading with this? If it's on the same page as the create a Topic/Reply area, then it wouldn't be too bad. But then again, since Admins didn't want to increase the amount of signatures, how can they do this when it'll appear every time someone makes a post? Is it fair to the dial-up users?

 

 

 

*I'm not sounding mean, and I'm probably out of context here on the last few sentences, but think this over, as it will probably be used against Tip.It to raise the signatures whenever they are discussed about again, nor reply or quote me on the last bit as well, I won't respond to it*

[Errdoth]

Exactly. This is going to be to a great benefit to the people who are new and post topics and haven't learnt the valuable lesson to search first.

 

Yes, so let's confuse the heck out of them more. Unless you forget when you first came to Tip.It, Tip.It Forums is a large scary place, and to get the nerve to post a topic in General, or OT requires a little extra oomph.

 

 

 

I agree to this, but I disagree. This is a good suggestion, and would stop the duplicate annoying topics by a lot, but it would also be annoying to appear every single time. Unless I read it wrong, where there is no extra page loading with this? If it's on the same page as the create a Topic/Reply area, then it wouldn't be too bad. But then again, since Admins didn't want to increase the amount of signatures, how can they do this when it'll appear every time someone makes a post? Is it fair to the dial-up users?

 

 

 

*I'm not sounding mean, and I'm probably out of context here on the last few sentences, but think this over, as it will probably be used against Tip.It to raise the signatures whenever they are discussed about again, nor reply or quote me on the last bit as well, I won't respond to it*

 

 

 

Well, as a little clarification with that, it would be ajax based, so when you type up your subject, and you click out of the subject box thing, (onblur), it would have a little floating div appear underneath it with the titles of posts like that of your subject, and links that would open in a new window, so you could quickly check and see if it's the same or not. I;m not too sure how it would be layout wise, though. It could be a div with a really high z-index, but then it would go over the bbcode and stuff, and be annoying, or, it could just be a normal div and expand and stuff...I dunno.

[Guest]

Exactly. This is going to be to a great benefit to the people who are new and post topics and haven't learnt the valuable lesson to search first.

 

Yes, so let's confuse the heck out of them more. Unless you forget when you first came to Tip.It, Tip.It Forums is a large scary place, and to get the nerve to post a topic in General, or OT requires a little extra oomph.

 

 

 

So therefore they could implement the strategy I outlined a little bit below the point you decided to cut my quote into pieces. And have a line or two under this new feature Errdoth is outlining explaining that you should search using this tool before posting so that you don't post a thread which has already been posted.

 

 

 

Or do people who first come to TIF, also not have the ability to read? :-k

 

 

 

Its quite simple, alot of people don't read the rules before they post replies and threads when they first come to these boards (which is clearly evident by the number of new people posting threads before searching). So having this feature with a line or two below explaining its use, would be a pleasant reminder that searching before posting a thread is the way to go. And it being there would mean it would be a whole lot more easier for the user. I for one would rarely use this feature, but its not for me (someone whos been around for a couple of years). Its for the new person who doesn't know that he should search before posting and for a few others who would like to search before they post (if they didn't already). Which brings me to a new point - is it possible to have a checkbox which turns this feature on and off if it is going to be implemented, therefore it won't annoy the people who get annoyed over measly things. Like the BB code, smilies checkbox etc.

 

 

 

 

 

And for the record, I highly doubt people get scared coming onto an internet forum for the first time where their identity is a secret to post a thread or post. I can't speak for you obviously, but I'd hate to know what their self-esteem levels are like in RL to be getting scared over joining a new internet forum.

[Cruiser]

Well, as a little clarification with that, it would be ajax based...

 

That alone makes me scream 'omfg NO'. Tip.It does not need to jump onto the 'Web 2.0' bandwagon and go adding all these useless AJAX based features. It adds bloat to the code, slows down load times and usually results in annoyingly slow rendering because you get a page that then sits there waiting for the JS to execute.

 

 

 

If you want to remind new users of the search button, use a single line of php to spit out a note when a users post count is under a certain threshold. It could fairly easily be placed right above the subject line in bold letters and saves the pain of loading something like jQuery just so people don't have to click another link and actually think a bit.

[Guest]

If you want to remind new users of the search button, use a single line of php to spit out a note when a users post count is under a certain threshold. It could fairly easily be placed right above the subject line in bold letters and saves the pain of loading something like jQuery just so people don't have to click another link and actually think a bit.

 

 

 

An even better Idea. Good thinking Cruiser. :)

[Errdoth]

Well, as a little clarification with that, it would be ajax based...

 

That alone makes me scream 'omfg NO'. Tip.It does not need to jump onto the 'Web 2.0' bandwagon and go adding all these useless AJAX based features. It adds bloat to the code, slows down load times and usually results in annoyingly slow rendering because you get a page that then sits there waiting for the JS to execute.

 

 

 

If you want to remind new users of the search button, use a single line of php to spit out a note when a users post count is under a certain threshold. It could fairly easily be placed right above the subject line in bold letters and saves the pain of loading something like jQuery just so people don't have to click another link and actually think a bit.

 

 

 

That'd probably be even better, then they wouldn't be able to have an excuse if the other search thing didn't catch something. (which it probably wouldn't)

 

 

 

Ajax is useful sometimes, but, yeah, when scripts overrun the page, it turns crap :(