Techniques for tracking long discussions

[Sher]

Does anyone have any techniques for keeping track of various threads within a long thread? Is there a way to see an outline of a long discussion that shows who responded to who, but only shows the topic heading and who the poster name is? Is it possible to display a long , long discussion in an outline type format? I find myself getting lost in the long discussions, and I cannot figure out how to simplify operations...

Do you have any suggestions? Sher

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Sher,

Often people use the Quote function to respond to above text. Personally, I find this a much better way of tracking continuity than the "Outline" function you see on some sites... obviously it's a matter of personal taste. A site I was involved with previously had an Outline and when people accidentally switched it on, they freaked out because of how bizarre it made the layout appear. It appears as if the universal "standards" in message boards are heading away from the use of "Outline" type functionality, and I cannot think of any other boards I am involved with (other than the one mentioned above) that still offer it. The fact that the Yahoo Dhamma Study Group uses it is the primary reason I do not frequent DSG.

We do not know of any way to offer this function.

Metta,
Retro.

[Sher]

Hi Retro:
I have been trying to use the quote feature, and I am not certain I use it correctly. I am going and opening multiple windows and trying to select out quotes copy them , paste them, and then highlight the pasted quote and then pressing the quote button. I think I must be making it too complicated.

I imagine it it because I like organization that I like the outline form where I can see who responded to what and then just go to what I would like to see instead of wading through all of the posts to find what is relevant. My experience with boards has all been non Buddhist. This was my first Buddha -Board , so that is the non-Buddhist boards I am basing my experience on. But it is what it is, and I can work around it. I just thought I would see what others are doing.

I guess I am not doing the quote function properly; I will keep working at it.

Someday it might be nice to have a Women of Theravada section on this board. I just joined a board called esangha, because they have a woman's section, but that board overall is massive--just almost too big for me to wrap my head around. Anyway, an idea for the future. If it doesn't happen that's okay too. Sher

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Sher,

It sounds like you are making it too complicated.

Just press the Quote button at the top-right corner of the post you want to respond to.

Then trim the irrelevant part of the post out if you like, and focus on the aspect you wish to respond to.

If you need to include multiple quotes you can just replicate the Quote formatting that's automatically inserted.

And if you mess it up, you can always press edit and try again.

Metta,
Retro.

[Sher]

Greetings Sher,

It sounds like you are making it too complicated.

Just press the Quote button at the top-right corner of the post you want to respond to.

Then trim the irrelevant part of the post out if you like, and focus on the aspect you wish to respond to.

If you need to include multiple quotes you can just replicate the Quote formatting that's automatically inserted.

And if you mess it up, you can always press edit and try again.

Metta,
Retro.

That's helpful, and I just tried doing your suggestion in another post, and it worked pretty well. Thanks, Sher