It would also be great to have a line above comments you've already seen. For example, I come on the site after something and I see the newest new comments but I don't see an important one. If we put a line above comments I've already seen, that would solve that problem.

Don't know how hard it would be to make it work.

Maybe the way forward is to stop saying "We can't do X because this isn't an actual forum, but something handmade to look like one" and say instead "Lets actually make the "Forums" link connect to some actual forums so we can deal with all of these issues."

I disagree that this 'handmade to look like one' it does not look like a forum, most people expect (vbulletin/phpbb I'm looking at you as the examples), but more like a news thread from back in the day. While it still is a forum (a place of discussion), it is just a simple one compared to what users expect.

As a developer, I DISLIKE users who want X feature because site y has X feature, even when X feature is a decent idea. I dislike it because you come across as not seeing anything else but what you want, not what is there or the time and effort behind putting what is up or even make what is there work for them.

In contrast as a developer, I understand the need for the consistency for what users expect and the ease that goes along with it..Instead of having to deal with something that is not what a user expects/wants.

Using X software because x y and z sites use X software is not an argument that should ever be used. Because you're saying 'Developer you didn't look at the obvious options and chose something else blindly', which is ever hardly the case. (this is not the argument presented here but this is one that I have heard a lot before, so in before that).

Lets find out why we have this setup instead of something else and what made yeaGO! decide to go this route.

Personally, I find the subscribe button much to my liking, looking at the 3 latest updates in the forums list to see things that are not on the front page but have been updated, the time stamp next to it is EASY to compare when you have a relative idea when you where here last or read that thread last. If that's hard for you, that's your problem. The site has told when it was last updated, if you can't know if you didn't read it before/after that... see a doctor. I do have a bad memory and I can make that work for me, you can too.

These two ways I keep up with what's important to me and the casual threads that are ongoing. I don't subscribe to everything, just the few that I think are worth following and mostly that is just the posts I create, to follow up on anything in there that might need OP to comment. Anything else, people highlight me when it's important. Otherwise, I'm good to go. The traffic isn't so bad that these steps are impossible, maybe the deck help, but then I just keep track on the decks, not threads that I've commented on, and if I'm needed to reply there, I get a highlight. So I don't see the need for the requested issue.

Okay gufymike,

The statement has been made MANY TIMES on this site that these "forums" are here because basically "you're supposed to have a forum" when the stated focus of the site is the deck builder and the playtesting features. That's fine.

But when people say "I'd like X" and "I'd like Y" and the answer is ALWAYS "We can't do X or Y because this isn't actual forum software like php or vbulletin" at a certain point reasonable people should at least consider "So why not use one of those then?"

I'm sorry you felt like my thread requesting a feature because I had an issue came across as only seeing an issue...except wait, it was a thread requesting a feature because I had an issue, what ELSE am I going to post here?

Do you seriously want every request for a feature for this site to be accompanied by the list of all the other things they -don't- have an issue with? Squeaky wheels, my friend. The fact that I care enough about the site to -want- features added in should be all the proof you need that I understand what is good about the site.

And as a developer, if you EVER have a problem with "We should have X" when X is a good idea, just because of why the person happens to want X, you're a bad developer. You never deny a good idea just because you don't like where it came from. This is pretty much true of everything.

And for goodness sake, where do you get off objecting to someone else's issue on the grounds of "It isn't an issue for me"? If it's not an issue for you, don't ask for it. You can disagree that it is a problem if you like, and discussion is always good, but to basically say "Because I don't have this issue, your entire point is irrelevant" is a little disrespectful.

And thanks for suggesting I'm somehow deficient because I have the issue I have. When you read pretty much all of the forums, and check back frequently, it doesn't take a medical issue to go "Well, I was here "around" 15 minutes ago, is this thread that says 13 minutes one with a new post, or was I only here 13 minutes ago and that was my post?" And then you have to go and check, and go "Nope, no new post, okay what about this one over here with 14 minutes?"

I read threads I don't post in, and I watch enough threads that notifications would just cause me to have pages of notifications, which is -also- annoying. I don't think it is in ANY way unreasonable to think that the site ought to be able to mark something as having new posts since the last time you looked at it, and don't understand at all why it should be a problem to want that.

"So why not use one of those then?"

Sometimes, the integration is an issue, for various reasons, from authentication issues to complete database incompatibility. SSO (Single sign on) points are a problem, specifically privacy concerns (say using openid with google). Some people don't like that because of the shared data (even when informed on what info is shared), to wanting to keep it separate for the sake of keeping it separate. These would alleviate some of the integration concerns though.

There are language incompatibilities and complications, getting two different pieces of software to work together written in different languages is a major headache. The developer needs to be fluent in both languages. In the case of forum software, most use a common, but flawed database server because it is popular. So you lose the ability to use what you want (for example mysql historically has had different features, which it is now gaining some of the more common ones like procedural languages) and may perform better. Most forum software is written in PHP, which is not an ideal language and is flawed majorly compared to others, which many developers shy away from for these reasons.

Using a 'popular' forum software also leaves the site vulnerable to 0 day attacks. phpBB being the example that had a worm attack it's software that was a major problem across the web. Using a custom software alleviates these headaches and makes it easier on the dev and maintainers also, since they know all the nuts and bolts running this site.

If this is in python and using the django frame work, there are a few forum software that could be added and made to work as others do, if this is in ruby I'm sure there are also, but we have to ask what do we lose if we do that? Is it worth it? These are things I can't comment on.

I don't think you understand the time and effort that it takes to add in what is seemingly the 'littlest of things'. It's a pain and depending on life away from this, might not be feasible just for the time reasons. So getting them might not be possible in this case.

I watch threads I don't post in, I watch decks I don't post in also, but honestly I've never had an issue with knowing when a new post is in. And I do have to take some medication to help my memory..Which still has problems, but never with things I pay attention to. as for checking back every few seconds to see if someone posted a reply, I wait a bit longer then go back, because history has told me otherwise. If it is important for me to reply, someone would highlight me as you have. (as you'll notice I didn't highlight you...).

My point is to give some insights, not refute your points and at the same time, give a little information on how to use what is available to your benefit for what you want.

Again, you'll note that I prefaced my entire thread with "I have no idea how practical this is" and then simply described what I'd like to see.

YOU don't know any better than I do what Yeago's code looks like, and if HE wants to come in and tell me that it is completely impractical, he can do that. But you don't need to tell me that it might not be easy to do, that's why I asked about it in the first place.