Members' Viewing Habits

[Tscarborough]

I use the slices on the left.

[Jackitup]

I scan/skim recent posts and pick and choose which thread I may want to read til I get back to repeated stuff I've read or till I get diverted to something that grabs me for awhile. Other times I go thru the different title topics from the main page and look at the threads that have been started and see what sticks out that I like. I have some down times too, like many where the computer just doesn't interest me at all, get tooo much at work often, overcomputerationitis syndrome

Jon

[rcbaughn]

I' not very forum savy so I just check the latest posts on the main forum page which usually includes the threads I'm looking at. I generally check Off-Topic, Ovens, Ingredients section, and Chit-Chat at least a couple times a day. Before I go to bed I'll manually scan the pizza style area for interesting post, usually the American thread is my go to though if I'm wanted to find new pizza topics. Maybe NY too.

[petef]

I use "show unread posts since last visit".

Same here and I login about 5 to 7 days per week. As a result, the categories (individual forums) have almost no affect upon the posts I read.

Top priority reading are the threads I've posted in. But sometimes I'll miss those because the Icon is not prominent enough to catch my eye.

Other than that, I look for several more threads that look interesting. Once in a thread, I may read each post or just skim through it looking for interesting content. When I'm in a hurry or just feeling lazy, I just skim through a thread looking at the pics. If a pic grabs my attention, I will usually read that post.

I do all my thread selecting first by opening each in a separate tab. Then I just read each tab, closing each one down after I'm done reading it.

---pete---

[La Sera]

I scan about 4 subforums and only open a few threads that may interest me.

[Pete-zza]

Interestingly, it seems that Norma is the only member who has posted in this thread thus far (excluding me) who looks at each and every post, even if not read for comprehension.

Knowing how hobbies can become all-consuming at times for some people, I also wonder to what extent spouses or other partners of our members, and also family members, influence the amount of time the members spend on our forum and how they view the members' participation on the forum. I know, for example, that members of Norma's family have expressed the view that she spends too much time on the forum.

Peter

[AimlessRyan]

Interestingly, it seems that Norma is the only member who has posted in this thread thus far (excluding me) who looks at each and every post, even if not read for comprehension.

I'm probably not far from doing that myself. I at least look at everything from Forum Info down to Thick Style, and I'm beginning to look pretty regularly at Other and Challenge. I occasionally look at Starters, Pizzeria Reviews, Cookbook Reviews, Ads, and New Members. I look at the other few categories either rarely or never.

I assume if I did look at every category it wouldn't take more than a couple minutes per day, since the categories I skip don't have a high volume of posts.

[TXCraig1]

Interestingly, it seems that Norma is the only member who has posted in this thread thus far (excluding me) who looks at each and every post, even if not read for comprehension.

This doesn't surprise me. IMO, you two are by far the most interested in the science of pizza and gathering knowledge across all disciplines – not just a couple specific styles as is the case for just about everyone else. 

[Don K]

Knowing how hobbies can become all-consuming at times for some people, I also wonder to what extent spouses or other partners of our members, and also family members, influence the amount of time the members spend on our forum and how they view the members' participation on the forum. I know, for example, that members of Norma's family have expressed the view that she spends too much time on the forum.

I have a computer by my La-Z-Boy in the living room. This is where I do most of by browsing on this forum. Sometimes my wife gets a little perturbed when I'm reading something on the forum while carrying on a conversation with her at the same time. She'll say, "How much can you talk about pizza?" For the most part she tolerates it.

My daughter says that I'm addicted to pizza. She's probably right. She says that it's weird that I spend so much time on "the pizza site" just talking about pizza. I tell her that its weird that she she texts her friends while they're sitting in the same room.

[Jet_deck]

What I hear is "Dad's on the pizza forum, again"

If I login, I always click 'show new post since last visit' and depending on the topic and the last poster, i decide whether to view or skip it.  Kinda lame as compared to reading everthying, but it suits me fine.

[scott123]

I read every post.  At least I have.  I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to to continue reading every post, though.

The 100 most recent posts are my bread and butter. It allows me to quickly read through everything that's been posted in my absence.  The only chunk of time where I couldn't catch up with every post was an extended power outage last year:

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,16265.msg158959.html#msg158959

Until recently, I've been able to almost always be back online before those 100 slots get filled.

The 'show unread posts' area drives me a little batty.  I use it when I have to, but the number of clicks it takes to read every post is kind of ridiculous- far harder, imo, than just navigating through 10 pages of recent posts. Another big issue with me, personally, is that I tend to usually work at night and sleep during the day, and, during the day, I'll get the occasional support call, which will require me to turn my computer on, which, in turn, loads my web browser and opens this page. Since the call will only take a couple of minutes, I'll then turn my computer off and go back to sleep.  Because I opened this page, though, that registers as a 'visit' so all the previous posts are gone from my 'show unread posts' area when I go online after I wake up.

It's a very personal/unique problem, obviously, but, for me, the 'show unread posts' area isn't all that reliable for my needs. Even if I set it up so I can turn my computer on and not open a browser, the way the 'show unread posts' area is set up is a huge hassle, imo, for reading every post.

Because of this, I would kill for an increase to 200 (20 pages) of unread posts. I have no idea how difficult it would be to implement, and I get the feeling that Steve generally doesn't mess too much with the board, but it would be helpful for me.

[Pete-zza]

scott123,

I understand and agree with everything you said.

In my case, as a Moderator, I try to look at all new posts in chunks rather than at one time. If I try to look at a couple hundred or more posts at one time, I would go batty. Also, if I plan to respond to a particular post, I try to do it the first time I look at the post. Otherwise, I may have to spend a lot of time trying to find the post again later. Looking at new posts in batches, usually several times a day, makes the task more palatable. However, like you, posts often disappear and have to be found again by using the All Unread Topics button. One of the things I learned, however, is not to use my iPad when looking at new posts. More than once, I accidentally hit the Mark All Posts As Read button, which is just below the All Unread Topics button. That is also a reason why I look at posts in batches. If I accidentally delete posts, I can find them again in the 100 most recent posts. In the earlier days of the forum, we rarely got more than a 100 posts in a day, so there were fewer problems.

Peter

[Ev]

I normally look for the highlighted slices on the forums I'm most interested in. I rarely use the "unread posts" and "new reply" links.
 Also, Norma always PMs me to tell me where the juicy bits are!

[JConk007]

I do the show unread posts thing also and read almost all time permitting or select based on interest.
log on few times daily 
John

[TomN]

I ususally go right to the thread that i have created. Then I use the top of the page for:
Show unread posts since last visit.
Show new replies to your posts.

This works well for me.

TomN

[SquirrelFlight]

I typically scan the New Members, just because I'm curious where people are coming from, then go to Chit Chat and Other Foods.

From there, I check General Pizza Making, the Newbie section, American Style and Cracker Style (where my interests currently are).  Then I check if there are and additions to the multi-grain section.

After that, I give a quick scan over section that have new posts.

[Jeep Pizza]

My viewing habits are all over the place, but most times i look at the slices and then look at new posts in that area making my way thru all i can in a sitting. Then other times i use the show unread since last visit or the show most recent posts.

[pizza dr]

Peter

I would like to know how the moderators decide where to place new topics?  I started a new thread called "trip to Italy" that took me a considerable amount of time to resize photos and do a narrative.  It was meant to spark a conversation about the food in Rome and the Amalfi coast.  I placed it in the Chitchat sub category as I thought that pretty much encompasses everything else that is directly not related to pizza as it is titled "general discussion about miscellaneous topics"

The post got moved to Pizzeria and Restaurant Reviews.  Although I did discuss one of the restaurants I visited it was not meant to be just a restaurant review.  

Furthermore, there are several trip related threads in other categories like Neapolitan style that were obviously not moved to another category

Please explain

Scot

[pizza dr]

I would think "db Bistro Moderne in NYC" in the Chitchat category posted today would be more of a resto review than "trip to Italy". 

[Pete-zza]

Scot,

As a Moderator, I look at around 1500 new posts a week. If I am going to do something with any post I look at, I have to do it when I first look at it. Otherwise, I may not be able to find it again later without spending an inordinate amount of time tracking it down. I use my best judgment on what I do with any given post. In the case of your post, I thought that it might get better viewer response in the pizzeria & restaurant review board because it is a smaller board with fewer threads than Chitchat and because it is related to pizza reviews only and not as open ended as Chitchat. It was just another judgment call on my part. I will be the first one to admit that I am not always perfect, but there are only two Moderators, Bill and I, and we look at close to 80,000 new posts a year, and trending higher, trying to make sure that they are all in the best or most proper places in the forum's indexing system. I used to send PMs to members whenever I moved one of their posts but the forum grew so large that I had to discontinue the practice simply because I couldn't devote the time needed to keep up with the increased volume. There are a lot of other things that I have had to change in the way I operate and moderate the forum because of the extraordinary growth of the forum.

I just finished spending over two hours tracking down and correcting dead links in over thirty posts so I had not yet seen the db Bistro Moderne in NYC thread you mentioned. Having now looked at that thread, I believe that it belongs in Chitchat because it does not relate to pizza. The Pizzeria & Restaurant Review board is intended to be for pizza reviews only, although it is possible that on occasion a post might end up there that doesn't belong. Sometimes I take a board and review the threads in the board to see if they all are in the right place. If not, I move them to more appropriate places.

Since you feel so strongly on the matter, I will move your thread back to the Chitchat board. I also invite you to tell me (preferably via a PM) which Neapolitan threads you think are in the wrong place. The Neapolitan board is one of the most problematic boards to moderate because members try to dump everything that smacks of Neapolitan in that board when they more appropriately belong in child boards. The Neapolitan Pizzamaking board is intended to cover pizza making, as in recipes and techniques. Sometimes there is overlap with pizzerias. In those cases, I have to make a judgment call, whether the post leans more toward pizzamaking or toward a pizzeria review. Sometimes the scale tips one way, and sometimes it tips the other way.

BTW, if there is anything that you or any other member feels strongly about in the way the forum is managed, feel free to send a PM to Steve.

Peter