Reddit style sort by Most reactions.

[WolframaticAlpha]

It would be nice to have something like this, especially in some long running threads, like video suggestions and dog pics.

[Needfuldoer]

Why? Traditional forums are built around a linear conversation format, not farming karma based on making the snarkiest jokes.

[rcmaehl]

On 6/19/2023 at 8:39 AM, Needfuldoer said:

Why? Traditional forums are built around a linear conversation format, not farming karma based on making the snarkiest jokes.

google en passant? /s

[WolframaticAlpha]

On 6/19/2023 at 6:09 PM, Needfuldoer said:

Why? Traditional forums are built around a linear conversation format, not farming karma based on making the snarkiest jokes.

I specifically mentioned things like the dog pictures thread. Obviously, it shouldn't be implemented by default, just give people an option for the same.

[dizmo]

20 hours ago, WolframaticAlpha said:

I specifically mentioned things like the dog pictures thread. Obviously, it shouldn't be implemented by default, just give people an option for the same.

Why implement a feature for a handful of threads?
I see it doing more harm than good.

[WolframaticAlpha]

On 6/21/2023 at 10:24 PM, dizmo said:

Why implement a feature for a handful of threads?
I see it doing more harm than good.

Implement for every single one and just allow people to sort, chronologically by default.

[dizmo]

1 hour ago, WolframaticAlpha said:

Implement for every single one and just allow people to sort, chronologically by default.

The point clearly went right over your head.

[Biohazard777]

I am not familiar with Invision Community, so pure guesswork, but:

 

#1 Potential problem:

I doubt the DB keeps an index on reactions, which would be important for this sorting function to work.

Posts are pretty much static, once you post you can edit all you like, it doesn't affect sorting, post ID stays the same.

Reactions... People can add/remove reactions to the same post many times, so the "weight" of the post changes over time, unlike post id or post timestamp (those are created once and do not go through changes).

Ironically, if not indexed the greatest performance hit would be where it is most needed: in long-running threads.

 

#2 Potential problem:

You don't want feedback loops,

you know when a handful of posts make their way to the top they tend to stay there for a looong time (or forever).

Thus other (potentially better) posts kinda fade into oblivion...

 

Reddit has a simple, but effective way of dealing with this: Top by Day/Week/Month/Year.

But that is for threads only, you can't sort comments by top this week or top this month, just top or newest, etc. (and so the feedback loop is back at being a problem)

 

Now sure, a system for top reactions + time range could be implemented, but that would complicate the DB even further...

And even if there is an inexpensive solution that could be easily implemented, it still wouldn't work for the LTT forum.

It would break the flow of replies, leading to some really out of place/context highly upvoted replies.

A few examples: a highly upvoted reply quoted someone but snipped the content, or worse - a highly upvoted reply didn't use quote at all:

Having comment threads would alleviate this issue for some cases, but (besides me not being a fan of it) that would mean a complete restructuring of how the forum works.

 

 

@WolframaticAlpha you are some sort of dev if I am not mistaken.

You should know that "simple" stuff... is rarely simple heh.

Devs main job isn't writing code IMO... it is solving problems, and the only way for a dev to solve them properly starts with proper planning... foreseeing potential pitfalls.

Anyhow, the point is:

This kind of functionality would most likely be beneficial for a very small number of threads and not so many users.

but it would require a non-negligible amount of work... Thus, I don't expect it to be implemented.

[SimplyChunk]

so judging by this thread that'll be everybody else's comments up the top and yours and mine down the bottom??

[Skyesgaming]

On 6/9/2023 at 1:04 PM, WolframaticAlpha said:

dog pics

Just enjoy the puppers. 

[WolframaticAlpha]

 

 

On 6/24/2023 at 5:42 AM, dizmo said:

point clearly went right over your head.

Yeah, it might be only for a small number of people. But if you allow people options you might have people interact with your software in a different way that you can't foresee.

On 6/24/2023 at 7:12 AM, Biohazard777 said:

Thus, I don't expect it to be implemented.

I should've written in the first post, neither do I expect that someone is going to look at this and immediately say 'let me implement that'. I would've liked such a feature and thus made a thread for it. It was a 'suggestions thread'.

 

On 6/24/2023 at 7:12 AM, Biohazard777 said:

People can add/remove reactions to the same post many times, so the "weight" of the post changes

You can add a delay in the client side and deal with a lot of the false clicks/changes. 

On 6/24/2023 at 7:12 AM, Biohazard777 said:

People can add/remove reactions to the same post many times, so the "weight"

Most of that cost might be minimised if you use something like leveldb or something like that. You realistically need to just implement a key value store.

 

Though yes, now that I think about it, I doubt if invision has a set separate database for the number of reactions. 

On 6/24/2023 at 7:12 AM, Biohazard777 said:

break the flow of replies, leading to some really out of place/context highly upvoted replies.

That really depends. Some high volume threads act almost like proto reddit posts, (without comments etc), so yes it might break the flow of conversation if someone uses it on normal threads, but I don't expect that most people are going to do that for chronological threads. 

 

[Bitter]

This isn't Reddit, get over it.

[Arnox]

I came here to ESCAPE the trashfire that is Reddit. If you want a voting system, I'm sorry but I think you'd be happier somewhere else.

 

Hell, I even think the reactions here are kinda annoying, but still, I'll tolerate them any day over a much worse system like Reddit's.

[SimplyChunk]

that reminds me....is voat still going?