Could the forum do with a topic filter?

A topic filter could allow people to discuss topics they like and dismiss topics they are not interested in.

Tailoring the forums topics for each user.

Saving the moderators a lot of time and effort, with repeating topics. Even though the people discussing those topics might find it new, interesting or valid, regardless of the jaded views of regular users and community moderators.

It should also reduce the work load of Moderators.

 

Well after over a year they still haven't even delivered advertised "paid" features so could be hard to get anything else either

 

Look at the way your YouTube of Netflix "channel" works, even your Facebook and Twitter feeds have a filtering system in play.

Now imagine how a popular forum like Unity could look with a similar interest filter applied, highlighting things that you might find interesting and lowering things you are not interested in.

Would a personalised Unity forum feed make you more likely to use the forums?

 

We already have a topic filter. If I put you on ignore all your threads vanish.

 

Is it getting near that point? He has been on a roll.

Back on topic, go check out the UNet forum. They have started experimenting with tags and filters.

One thing to be careful of is it doesn't degenerate. The answers tag system is almost useless, partly because there are too many tags. And partly because the most commonly used tag is Unity.

 

Arowx is doing absolutely no harm. He is making topics as it is his right to do so.

If you don't like his topics, your first call should be to ignore them and not reply.

 

Do you know what the biggest flaw in a tagging system is? It requires action on the part of the original poster. Think back over the various threads that have been locked (aside from out of control arguments of course). How many of those who started them are likely to apply the tags appropriately?

No, I just have a silly sense of humor.

 

Why would it need tags, it could use the wording of the post or meta tags on attached media???

It would need some type of like/dislike feedback system.

 

Got ya. Internet.

These brainstorming threads do bring us some value. You've often got to chew through a ton of ideas to find the gold.

 

Meta tags would have to be applied to the media in question, but even if they were perfect it wouldn't matter as the majority of threads in sections that aren't dedicated to specific categories don't frequently have attached media.

Analyzing the contents of a post isn't much better as threads in sections like this one frequently tangent, may have secondary discussions that spring up temporarily before reverting back to the original topic, etc.

One of the biggest problems with a feedback system is that it can be, and frequently is on sites like Reddit, abused. It isn't that uncommon to have posts become buried because someone hit "dislike" when they simply disagreed with it.

 

Something like a Hide This next to each thread could be handy. There are many times I see a thread in morning I want to read and by lunch break or later it has rolled off to second page due to a huge number of new posts being added. Often the threads I find interesting are scattered across the first several pages.

We do have the Watch feature but after a while it would be flooded as well. The option to Hide Threads of no interest could be cool.

Regarding @Arowx making a lot of threads. He is generating content for free for Unity. That helps to bring new visitors in to the forums and helps Unity website to have top rankings.