Only Catching Last Post. Missing Useful Thread Infomation

[Doc.AElstein]

Hi,
_ I expect this is less of a Forum Software Problem and more of a general consequence of current communication technology and practice.
_ But it could be a useful point for people to bear in mind:
_ I have noticed an increasing Tendency for people just to catch the last Post in a thread and often miss much sometimes very useful, Infomation.
_ This seems to effect both new Members and also very experienced people likewise.
_ I have often had a Pro jump in, in good will, with a quick brief answer which mirrors, but is less detailed, than one already given a few Posts before. And often then the OP catches the most recent short response , missing the more detailed one. I have even seen people come in , again in good will, and try to explain a point to me or the OP which was already cleared up in detail in an earlier Post. I bet some people like me often have to do a reply with .. “Please see Post ___”
or "Thanks very much for replying. I appreciate the effort, but......."

_ To help here, I have often informed, per PM, of a solution inside a Thread ( Mine and/ or someome elses). Often the response is very positive from the OP who is both very grateful and surprised having not “caught” it in the Thread the first time around. .
_ I expect this is only slightly due to possible Forum Software miscomings ( such as the recent periods Email Notifications were not working at all.... ) Moreover I expect it is the result of the increasing “Smartphone” and “Chatting” practices where people are getting used to doing lots of short quick almost “real time” “chatting” and so only looking at the last response.
_
_ A suggested that might help, if it were possible, would be that in an Email Notification of a reply, the first link given should take to the start of the Thread. A second could take to the last looked at by the notified person, and then only the Third ( which can be useful ) would take to the most recent Post.
_ This way an inexperienced person would be encouraged to have to scroll through the thread as he/ she would likely select the first link by default.

Alan

[TMS]

Personally, I never use email notifications; I just rely on the CP to identify any updated threads that I am participating in.

I will generally look at zero reply posts, or posts with only one or two replies but that look interesting, or the odd thread that piques my interest. But, chances are, I'll start at the beginning and work my way through the thread.

If the OP doesn't follow their own thread in detail, that's their loss, no-one else's.

I don't think there's much point asking for this change, or much chance of it being implemented. And i wouldn't want too much of a demand on the TT.

[Doc.AElstein]

Hi

Personally, I never use email notifications; I just rely on the CP to identify any updated ...

_ seems the UserCP ( Control Panel ) link
http://www.excelforum.com/usercp.php
is favoured from many of you Regulars. It is good, and I found it essential in Periods recently when email notifications were not working. But Note at that time it was also a bit touchy and sometimes only showed updated Threads for a while, so again things could have gone astray.

..If the OP doesn't follow their own thread in detail, that's their loss, no-one else's.....

.. I agree generally, but occasionally, as I have found out, they are genuinely "missing" unintentionally, relying perhaps on appropriate notification, which the software was sometimes not providing, or in the way which i mentioned encouraged them missing a few posts.

...I don't think there's much point asking for this change, or much chance of it being implemented. .....

..that certainly seems to be the attitude one picks up. But maybe at least occasionally to suggest is OK.
_ At the end of the day , no big deal, I try to learn myself as much as possible when answering Threads. Occasionally going the extra bit to inform the OP has been worthwhile, but I appreciate it is totally impractical to the many like you who are so amazingly active and busy answering so many Threads.
Alan