Thread Subscriptions - new idea

[Positive_Rate]

Hello All,

I thought of a couple of ideas...

1) it would be a great idea to be able to see who is subscribed to what threads?

This way we can compare what writing styles are better than others.

The author also knows who specifically is really interested as opposed to knowing only how many views there has been.

Under your profile where it says 'Threads started by XXXX', find the thread, and see how many subscribers you have beside each thread.

Possibly get a notification when someone subscribes to your thread??

2) be able to check on which threads you yourself have subscribed to.

This way we can scroll back over threads that we were interested in but the threads themselves may have lost momentum.

It could appear under statistics.


If you look at YouTube and note how much significance some people give to their 'following' as opposed to their views, we can see that the presenters/narrators are interested in boosting their readership, and are so inspired to improve the content.

(In other words, I have a long, long way to go!!! But at least I know that without the stats!)


Regards,
Alan

[airdave]

This is the biggest problem with the internet...especially social media sites and sites like youtube...
the focus is on status...not content or value.

Everyone is more concerned with how many "likes" or followers than who is actually paying attention and why.

I can understand, when you monetize, you are looking for viewers so you can earn more rewards.
But this has become the only thing that matters.

There are so many so-called "celebrities" with twitter accounts that have millions and millions of followers.
They make millions of dollars from Twitter for the views and number of followers (advertising revenue).
They offer no real content of any value to anyone, but it doesn't matter
...for the masses the goal is to be one of the nameless, unknown, and unimportant subscribers...be part of the herd.

I have a few paper model related videos, so I have a youtube account
and its nice to see how many times one of my videos has been viewed,
but its not important to me to know who has viewed it.
Those that actually subscribe to my channel are clear to me, and thats good enough.

But on a forum, its all about replies and responses.
When you post a reply, it automatically 'subscribes" you to that thread.
But its your post that alerts the author to your interest and presence.
This isn't twitter...a forum is all about discussion and feedback.
A long list of thread lurker's names doesn't really serve any purpose to me.

And a lot of those lurkers want to remain anonymous...so you would have to give them the option of remaining anonymous
...and that would defeat the point of a list (since it would be incomplete).

------------------------------
As far as subscribed threads, you do have a complete list of those already at your disposal.

Or has that changed?

Look at the top right menu and click on "Quick Links"
Find "Subscribed Threads"

I just checked mine...I am subscribed to 3543 threads, and they're all listed.

[Lex]

Dave had summed up the issue nicely.

A lack of replies and viewership indicates a lack of interest in the subject, or the build technique, or both. No amount of clear writing will be able to avert this, and I would not want people to try anyway. The forum is for an expert-to-expert showcase and discussion of techniques, and can do without the kind of facilities associated with social media. We do have a very active facebook group, if you ask.

[rickstef]

And unlike Dave, I have it set to not subscribe to a thread I respond in, as I would get too many notifications during a day.

And keep in mind, we have many members from across the globe, where English is not their native language, and might not understand certain terms or word usage, so gearing the way you write a post to a sampling of people who have responded to your thread might not help those non-native English speakers.

Keeping the posts simple, clear, and informative will help with translations, and over all understanding

Rick

[Positive_Rate]

Dave,

Thanks for shooting me down in flames merely for making a suggestion!

I think you seem to make the point yourself ‘Those that actually subscribe to my channel are clear to me, and thats good enough.’ This is exactly my idea here. Those that actually subscribe. No celebs. No money.

This is hardly mainstream social media. I take your point, that people - on social media - are more concerned with ‘likes’, monetization, but that is clearly not the case here. Nor is it about being a celebrity as you correctly say. I agree that one of the aims is about replies and responses but see many of the ‘responses’ are not so much a comment/feedback/observation about what has been written, more of a comment for the sake of making it. However could it not also be to see which members have subscribed?

I think it is interesting from the point of view of the author to be able to see which members are subscribed (like you say about your YouTube channel) as opposed to how many views, and I don’t need to know their identity either, I’m not at all interested in fact. Lurkers would be – most of us here, right?

Anyhow - suggestion made -, and people have their views about it which is quite fair enough too.

Alan

[Rubenandres77]

Originally Posted by Positive_Rate

...
This way we can compare what writing styles are better than others.
...

I really do not understand this part. Specially because every person writes differently. And "better" is a very subjective word. Besides, we are a hobby forum, not a literary contest that gives prizes for better writing.

I understand it even less in a forum like this where visuals are as relevant as texts. I've seen many threads that are full of great pictures, and little to no text at at all, and still gather lots of attention.


Personally I really do not care at all about who follows or subscribe to my threads. After all, I build for my own selfish pleasure. If someone finds it interesting or inspiring to follow the builds, then that's fine. But I see no reason to keep record of who/when is following me.

However, that doesn't mean I do not care about feedback: for me the comments, advice, suggestions and critiques on what I do are more important. That real interaction is treasured and really helps to improve. Much more than just knowing who has subscribed to my threads.

[sgoti]

Originally Posted by Positive_Rate

Dave,

Thanks for shooting me down in flames merely for making a suggestion!

Actually, Dave did not "shoot you down in flames".

You offered a suggestion, he offered some counter-points.

I'll offer my own: Want to see who's subscribed to a thread? Read the thread (or scroll and watch the left-side column).

[airdave]

Originally Posted by Positive_Rate

Dave,

Thanks for shooting me down in flames merely for making a suggestion!

Alan

[Positive_Rate]

Ruben,

I think you are quoting me out of context there. There is no 'literary contest' and I am surprised you put that interpretation on it. I agree with you in that the visuals are at least as important as are the comments and critique, nonetheless I would find that interesting.

I thought it would be another way to monitor our own threads. There can be ways of monitoring ones own posts, and - like Dave said himself, about his own YouTube channel - he considers the subscribers.
[I]Those that actually subscribe to my channel are clear to me, and thats good enough.[I] I had the same viewpoint.

The aim for me in the first instance is simply to be aware of who is following, from one thread to the next.

sgoti
Want to see who's subscribed to a thread? Read the thread (or scroll and watch the left-side column).
Unless I'm mistaken you can't see all subscribers by reading it - I can subscribe, read, enjoy - but not post.

Dave
Hahaha!!! Very funny!!

Alan



Come on - I'll take you all on!!!!

[airdave]

Thats not what I said....

youtube is a video site...where I post videos and don't usually engage in discussion or ask for feedback.

This is a public forum...a place to discuss, comment, respond, feedback, debate, where I do engage in (written)verbal activities..

Two different entities.
Please don't use my choices at youtube as an indicator of what I expect here.

While I do look at the identity of the limited number of individuals that have subscribed to my video channel (at youtube)...here, I wait for comments, responses and feedback.
From that I can establish who is "following" my work and showing any interest in what I have to offer.
I don't care if they actually subscribed to my threads or not.
(Although a comment, by default, does subscribe them)

I do not want to know the identities of any and all that subscribe to any of my threads.
Thats pointless information to me.

There are people here who "ignore" my threads...I don't want to know their names either! lol
But what about those who don't like me and subscribe to my threads just to monitor what I say so they can crawl out of their holes to sling mud?
Why would I want a list that includes them?! LOL

--------------------
I didn't mean to "shoot you down in flames".
Sorry.
Was just giving my opinion on your topic.
Its all good.

Anyone seen my boat? I think it needs debarnacling. (Is that a word?)