/unread title links go to first post in topic, should go to the newest

[pichalite]

@Arc I get your point... as you are in the /unread page, redirecting to latest post makes sense...

Well it's up to the @administrators to decide

[Bri]

We do save last post read information, so ideally (well, from my point of view), you'd have the page rendering the links to the topic like forum.com/topic/<topicid>/<slug>/<last_post_read>

That might require updates to any themes that wish to go that route, though

[julian]

Hard to say which behaviour is best, vs what is expected... throughout the site, when I click on a topic title, the expectation is that it takes me to the first post, if we change this for /unread, we might end up just getting a whole bunch of bug reports saying it's taking us to a seemingly random spot in the topic

[Nicolas]

Users on my forum had same complain
I think I have created same topic or issue on GIthub, don't remember.

If you enter Unread section, your intentions are clear. UI should provide also clear signals.
But if you click something and you are at the first post... hm, something went wrong.

[psychobunny]

Well, maybe all links (unread/recent/category) should take you to your last unread and not to the OP. I mean, you've obviously already read that much right?

I'm definitely against having one behaviour on one view and another on the rest, as @Julian said, it would come across as unexpected behaviour

We can then remove the "click here to go to your last unread post" alert

[pichalite]

for changing all links to take user to their last unread post

[Arc]

@psychobunny said:

Well, maybe all links (unread/recent/category) should take you to your last unread and not to the OP. I mean, you've obviously already read that much right?

@julian
I think this would work really well, and fix both issues at once.

[Kowlin]

I can see this working out. However if this goes on, I would like to see a option for the user to let it return to the behavior what is present now.

[baris]

Yeah how do I enter a topic from the beginning if this change is made?

[yariplus]

This sounds nice, but I checked several other forum softwares, and the expected behavior is definitely to go to the first post. This is probably influenced by the possibility that the first post is occasionally updated on very long threads, such as on plugin posts, event posts, etc.. Some solved the many pages problem by inserting a mini pagination block near the topic title, with the unread pages highlighted.

[julian]

And so this is why we ended up having the topic title go to first post, and timestamp go to last... it's really something that not everybody would like one way or the other.

I'd go for a userland option to toggle the behaviour, but I'd prefer the default to stay as "go to first post"

[Bri]

My experience with vanilla and vbulletin has always been where it takes you to the first unread. I'll admit that it's not a very broad range of experience.

Still... Can I make the argument that I've been playing with nodebb for 2 years and just recently found the "go to last post" button?

Also, what if the user hasn't logged in for a while or the thread is very fast paced? Why is there only the option to go to either the first or last post?

[a_5mith]

@baris said:

Yeah how do I enter a topic from the beginning if this change is made?

Use

At first I came to agree with you, but the more I think of it, it makes sense to go to last read topic. It's a shame it doesn't work across devices. But if you view the same topic on the same device, chances are you're not there to read the first post again.

Rather than going to the first unread post, it should probably go to first unread post -1. The last post you read will give you a sense of familiarity when going back to that topic, rather than a post you've not read.

[psychobunny]

FWIW Flarum also goes to last unread as default in addition to the other forums mentioned, so it does sound like expected behaviour to me

Also, how often do you feel like you need to start reading a topic from scratch everytime?

[julian]

Sounds like it's time for a poll

[Bri]

@a_5mith said:

it makes sense to go to last read topic. It's a shame it doesn't work across devices.

It does, your last read post is saved on the server now. For some reason though, on older threads sometimes the "Click to go to your last read post" dialog doesn't come up.

[a_5mith]

@BDHarrington7 said:

@a_5mith said:

it makes sense to go to last read topic. It's a shame it doesn't work across devices.

It does, your last read post is saved on the server now. For some reason though, on older threads sometimes the "Click to go to your last read post" dialog doesn't come up.

Ah didn't know that. Well in that case, I'm all for going to the last read post in a topic so it can be continued. I say the last read so users remember reading it and it jogs the memory for the previous posts in that topic.

[Bri]

Continued here: https://community.nodebb.org/topic/7330/behavior-for-clicking-on-title-in-unread

[yariplus]

Eheheh, I should've tested more forums, the majority is always first unread post

[Nicolas]

What is the main point, when you visit Unread section, to open topic from the first message?
One possible solution: Add button (btn-default) near title, with clear message (go to unread message)
Have much more possible solutions? - add settings to the ACP. Every community will select most UX friendly for them.