Am I Asking For Trouble ?????????

[jimbo 111]

I have been a member for over two years now and read posts regularly
I don't wish to criticise TP because I have gained a lot
since joining and still think it is a wonderful forum for helping carers with the multiple problems that arise
Not only letting of steam, but all the practical problems that enables members to give help to each other
But one thing has bothered me for a long while and I feelI want to get it off my chest
When I log in to TP I always go straight to New Posts and I suspect that is common to most members
I don't know the proceedure used in 'emptying the box'
but I know that it is done several times a day ,and the number of posts moved can vary considerably
Every day there appears to be more and more people signing on for the first time
Always there will be several replies welcoming them and assuring them of help from members ( usually this is by the same
10-15 members)
But then, so often the thread is moved and very rarely do you see a continuity of the support initialy offered
THis maybe bcause the new member is happy with the response and does not bother further
But I suspect hat it is for another reason , and this is the purpose of my post
Would it not be possible to keep th posts of new members seeking help on the New Posts page for longer.
Many of the posts are from a few existing members repeated daily ,often more than once, I have no quarrel with members who do this , but it does repeatedly 'push' the new members post off
and it gets lost in the other forums
Some members who perhaps only log on once a day' or even less often do not I think get the chance to read the posts of support offered to the new member, unless they look up posts in the other forums
I have noticed that those posts by new members that are quickly taken out of New posts, quite often do not get any further response
I am sorry for rambling for this long I only wish to ask is it not posible to give the new membes a better chance for their posts to be seen by more members by giving them a longer time in New Posts
I remain a firm believer in the good that Talking Point does
for all members and continue to read daily the joys and the sad experiences shared by all
jimbo 111

 

[sleepless]

Hello, jimbo,

This was mentioned by another member some time back, if I remember rightly.
I don't know the answer, but would just say that I personally don't look on 'New posts' ever, I just look on 'Support for members' in case I can help with anything there, and then I unwind a bit in 'Tea Room.'

I'm sure you'll get a more useful answer soon, jimbo.

 

[DeborahBlythe]

Hello Jimbo, I may be wrong, but I don't think posts get moved, as such, they just arrange themselves in chronological order with the most recent addition to any thread automatically taking it to the top of the list.
If a thread goes a bit quiet, it will tend to pass down the column until someone contributes to it again. I don't think there is a conscious re-arranging of posts, it happens automatically.

 

[jenniferpa]

I can see where you are coming from. The problem is that "New Posts" is an automatic function of the forum software, and I do not believe that there is any way to leave certain posts longer than any others. Apart from anything else, the forum software has no way to know if a new thread is from someone with one post under their belt, or 10000.

I could speculate that if we enforced that a person had to post their first post in a specific forum, it might be possible to say "all post from this forum stay on the new posts page for X amount of time", but I doubt it. This is because what everyone sees on the "new post" page is specific to them. If I don't log in for several days I'll get a list of all new posts since I last logged in; if I check several times a day, my list will tend to be shorter.

Just to clarify: a post is not "moved" from New Posts. If it remains there it is entirely a function of if people post to that specific thread.

 

[TinaT]

I've said the same about repeat postings but there again tonight I have done repeat postings on a thread I started. I do feel that my repeat postings have not only helped me with some factual help related to dementia and caring but perhaps helped others.

New Members posts deserve to be kept on the New Posts page for at least 24 hours! I usually only drop in and out and only use the New Posts page when visiting so probably miss some which I might be able to offer support to.

I really don't know what to say about repeat posts from more or less the same people. They do seem to 'hijack' the new posts section of Talking Point.

xxTinaT

xxTinaT

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Jimbo

It works like this.

Each new post goes to the top of the page so if an older post is replied to it goes back to the top of the page. It all works like a scroll, scrolling down as new Threads are posted or new replies are posted on old Threads.

There is no way this can be controlled in any other way.

If anyone has a Thread of their own, or one from someone else which is of particular interest, they can subscribe to that Thread. This is done by clicking on Quick Links . Third from the bottom of the drop down box , click on Subscribed Threads and follow the instructions. This way you will always be able to find the ones you want.

I hope this helps.

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Tina

Today`s Posts are kept on the front page for the day, whether from new or old members.
Today`s posts can be accessed by clicking on Quick Links and the drop down box, 2nd from the top.

 

[TinaT]

Thats a tip you gave me a while ago and which I do use to find recent posts which have dropped off the page Sylvia. It is a good tip to use.

xxTinaT

 

[Tender Face]

Hi Jimbo – this ‘New posts’ access has always baffled me ...
I’ve bookmarked TP through this link: (since I joined in 2006!!!!!!!!)

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/index.php

It shows me each section of the forum and allows me, now, to work through from News upwards (I always did read newspapers backwards for the sports reports first!!!!)

Unless you are logging in regularly I can’t see how anyone can possibly keep up with ‘new posts’ – or would even want or need to - and many important threads and posts might be missed for both poster and reader.

It has been worrying me of late – having taken quite a step away from TP – that many new members get a scant couple of replies or a ‘someone will be along’ – or a ‘welcome and hope you find TP to be ......’ and before you know it – if it’s been a busy day for posting – they have ‘dropped’ into oblivion on the second page ..... and they have not had the decency of someone actually reading through their issue and taking time to consider and respond if their experience allows them. My own personal knowledge and experience now is becoming misty as laws and services change, although I do try to ‘chip in’ where I can to help alongside keeping abreast of news and campaigns.

It’s sometimes appropriate that someone’s thread re-occurs as a new post – Tina’s example is a good one – an appeal for help and quickly responded to - and I am guilty myself – because of current circumstance of even posting quite frequently in the Tea Room over the last few days - which I rarely even visit normally nowadays (much needed when I was hands-on caring!) - to offer support and some humour to a difficult situation to support some highly respected TPers going through some tough times.

But there is obvious ‘bumping up of threads’ at times which disturbs me and bear little, if any, relevance to dementia.

Patterns emerge. Not all of us are as daft as we are looking (as me mam used to say!) and spot some of the forum politics and the games that people play!

But I wholeheartedly agree – it is to the detriment of new posters at the moment.

I have asked KatherineW before to look at T&Cs – if people are ‘abusing’ the forum and upsetting others but are technically not breaking T&Cs then perhaps it’s the T&Cs need to be reviewed?

There are surely plenty enough sections and social groups now for TP to be used as any member needs without constantly infiltrating the main forums with ‘tittle-tattle’?


Just IMHO .... and if you’re in trouble Jimbo – then I am digging myself deeper for reiterating what I have been saying since the last changes to TP. It falls little short of a mini-Facebook these days. Not at all the ‘support’ forum it once was. Unless you are in a certain ‘clique’ and feel the need to 'twitter' what you had for lunch.

Will now go hide away with tin hat on, and sorry if my comments mean your thread gets moved to obscurity in the Tea Room.

I hope Katherine will take on board the repeated messages I have seen from the likes of yourself and several others, Jimbo and find some way to give the forum some credibility again.

I applaud you for voicing your concerns publicly.

Love, Karen, x

 

[sleepless]

Karen, why should you feel guilty for posting several times in the Tea room over the past few days?
The Tea Room is for light relief, 'tittle-tattle' if you will. Somewhere we needn't worry about 'politics' and the like.
Don't feel guilty for going there, please!

Sometimes a new poster comes on, in some despair or distress arising from being a carer, and all they need is to know that someone, somewhere, welcomes them, and understands what they are going through. Others of course, require practical advice on a particular topic. I'd like to think there's room for all on TP.

(Just checked the link you gave, Karen, and that's exactly how I arrive here. Then I go to each section in whichever order I want.)

 

[Tender Face]

Truth, sleepless? Some years ago one of my dear friends was chastised on TP (by the Administrator then) that it was inappropriate to continue to ‘use’ TP as purely a social outlet after their caring role had ceased.

Some members are doing that now, I have no objection other than
I don’t like the double standards.

I am always hesitant to even log in for the few dear friends I know still post on TP without thinking I have filled my ‘pot’ of giving back first.

It depends whether you are pally with certain others or not and whether one person’s need for frivolity is frowned upon or not.
We all know it goes on (on this forum and no doubt others). Let’s all be adult and not pretend otherwise.

You are pushing me towards being yellow-carded!!!!!!

I am not having a ‘go’ at any particular individual – just wishing to be respected as an adult that *I* am not stupid!

I would just like to see forum rules interpreted and applied consistently for ALL members.

Karen, x

 

[Margaret W]

Am I stupid? I have been using this site for several years and I don't know of any section of it that is devoted to New Posts. New Threads - yes. Not New Posts. A post is a contribution to a thread. It might be a new post to an old thread. Have I missed something?

Margaret

 

[sallyc]

Now I'm confused

I thought that New Posts showed and new threads, or threads with new replies, posted since you last logged on, and so each person would see something different on "their" New Posts, depending on when they last logged in.

I don't know, now.

But if that IS the case, surely that's fair for everyone

 

[sussexsue]

As a New Post devotee, I have no problem with it and it seems to work in much the same way as any other forum.

The thing about a forum is that no one owes anyone else anything. You can give and take from it as you want. To me this one serves two main purposes, both of equal value:

1. practical support and information, which it does brilliantly.
2. compassion and a degree of social interaction in what can be a very isolating illness, which probably less members use.

The problem with a new poster, is that they will often have lurked here for quite a while (as indeed I did) and possibly feel they already cyber-know some of the more regular posters, but of course we do not know them. There is also a tendancy to first-post "hi, I am new here. My *** has just been diagnosed with AD and I dont know what to do, hope you can help". This is very difficult to respond to as there is not a specific problem to be addressed.

Where there is specific long interaction with certain posters, the value is that it welcomes us into their world. Much of what they are experiencing will affect us all at some time. It is not just one day, one problem, but an ongoing saga of the day to day problems.

I feel we should all value each and every posting and how everyone uses the board. As with most things in life, the more you put into it the more you get out of it.

 

[BeckyJan]

Spot on Sally!!

Margaret: If you look along the green line above, 4th from the left you will see 'New Posts'. If you regularly log in most posts are covered by 1. New Posts and 2. Today's Posts which you will find if you scroll down Quick Links.

If you log on less regularly it is better to go through each Section.

 

[sleepless]

Karen, I meant no offence at all.
I think I must be stupid, as I've failed to spot any of the machinations that have been going on under my nose!
But I'm not going to look for them, life's complicated enough.

Having said that, I realise I'm probably taking part in one even as I type!
I'm going in the garden.........

Kind regards to all,
sleepless.

 

[TinaT]

Ignoring or condoning or being kind and understanding of certain repeat posters and reiterating that TP is open to all, however they use it, does not solve the problem of new posters being given scant shift. This concern has cropping up again and again at regular intervals from quite disperate TP posters and has been sent by PM to KatherineW..

New Posters who post - 'Hi my mother has recently been diagnosed. I am at a loss' etc., etc., - deserve much more than a cursary glance, a couple of posts of 'Hi and welcome you have come to the right place' etc., etc.,

However short the new poster's message, I would suggest this is a cry for help. Such new posts I believe are tentative and scant on information because the posters need to build up their confidence that they are in a safe place and will be responded to by others who have direct and relevant experience and understanding of the emotional cost which a first poster has courageously put out for the first time in possibly a strange, unfamiliar way. This is how I first started on TP and had I had not been responded to with not only a welcome but some wisdom from others who had been on the road before me, then I doubt five years later, if I would have even made a second post.

New posters need and deserve more than 2 or at most 3 cursary answers. I try to respond to any which are directly within my own experience and at least suggest that they give more details and offer advice as to where to look in their own locality for support. However I perhaps visit TP once or twice a day and I know have missed some posts where I felt I had some experience and perhaps could ease the worry.

Many, many new posters don't get more than a couple of hours before they are pushed onto the second page by more vociferous repeat posters who seemingly have a lot of spare time on their hands to devote to repeatedly posting many times in a day.

Actual involvement with dementia either as a family carer or sufferer themselves is not the case with some regular, repeat posters who always seem to maintain a top of the listings on the new post page because of their repeat posting. Such posts are invariably for predominatly social reasons with scant or no dementia related subject matter and no matter how innocently they are posted, they are pushing new posters or indeed old posters who have need of advice, or comfort, or information, off the new posts page very quickly.

Please don't ignore this honest concern about new posters dropping off the page by continuous, repeat posters bumping up their thread on the list which then directly has a knock on effect of pushing other posts off the first page. Once off the first page a response is much less likely.

Whether we like it or not, and whether other pages are avaiable, the New Posts page is the most favoured, quickest and easiest to access or read.

xxTinaT

 

[sistermillicent]

I have also noticed lately that new people have not been well responded to, and like someone else here I generally try to go through posts and respond first to the ones that have not had many replies.

I feel a responsiblity as a member of this forum who has been well helped to give that help to new people especially, since part of what has directed someone here is probably isolation. I am loyal to my "friends" as well, but that is usually because I feel well placed to know what they are going through because it has some similarity to my situation or feelings.

I repeat myself many many times, but I don't mind doing that and am not bothered if "the regulars" think oh god, I have heard her say that before, because the new poster is the one who matters.


There is the issue of not knowing what to say or how to help someone but I feel if I reply somehow it will bring the post back to the top of the list where people are more likely to see it.

I make mistakes in what I say, but I don't think of it as the end of the world. I generally learn not to do it again.

You can only try, and I think some response is better than none.

Pippa

 

[sunray]

Is there another way?

I am on a couple of other sites where "Today's posts" are used in the same way. If the site is busy and new posts by long term members prolificate this can mean that certain posts are quickly relegated to page two or completely out of sight.

Not everyone who reads what a new poster has to say has a pat answer and time to post right away. I myself like to mull over a problem for a while to see if I have something to contribute to a discussion. For that reason the moderators mostly do the welcoming of newcomers. As they log in they post on the newcomer's introductory entry thus taking it to the top of the list again. I think this is a good solution to the problem.

Every site which encourages support enables the forming of cliques. I don't see that as a problem as long as clique members also post encouragement on the newcomer's introductory post. We all need to feel part of a group and rather than feeling part of 9000 it is easier to feel supported in a smaller group of say a dozen people. I think that is just a natural inclination as part of our being human.

Let's just make sure that those who are old hands here welcome the new chums as a priority before going on to add a comment on their own "friends" posts.

Sue.

 

[TinaT]

Hi Pippa,
Many thanks for your PM. I had started to reply to you on the thread, then realised it might look like the very thing I was complaining of - repeat posting!!

Well said from you Pippa - I know we don't always give the right advice. I've sometimes responded to a scant new thread and gone off on entirely the wrong tack but the new poster has always seemed to be glad that someone had responded, even if it was misinformed and they have then sent more detailed information as they know someone has taken a proper interest in them, even if it was not quite the information they needed.

On second thoughts I will put it on the thread. It is at least directly related and will have the effect of putting the thread back at the top of the page.


xxTinaT