I just want to say

[Banni]

I know the notifications could possibly put some people off, since it is different than what they're used to. But
I actually really like it
Especially if the site is having a slow spike, it's easy to look at the active threads all on one page instead of browsing around. Also makes sure that people will definitely see your threads no matter where they are! I feel like that was a good idea since usually avi sites only have one or two active forums. Everything moves here >v<

I hope that even with the site becoming more busy
that this feature doesn't go away. ♥

But for those who don't like it, I wanted to suggest a tweak (for the future)
Adding a filter to it, where you can select which specific forums you'd like to see posts from, or deselect them all to not get any notifications if they prefer to browse. c:
That way instead of only having an option to opt out, people still can always watch the forums they are more interested in.

[Mika]

Or perhaps for people trying to clear out some notifications while browsing them perhaps a check box option so they can clear out a page at a time instead of hitting read all and possibly missing threads after going through four pages of browsing the notifications. I would like to clear one page at a time lol. /just anothersuggestion since Banni brought it up/

[Banni]

Yeah but also have the option to clear all pages, so you could go at the pace you want to. Personally I prefer to clear them all at once and browse in case I missed something XD Cause page by page can be tedious when you let them go as long as I do!

So like, select all button for deleting one page at a time (and you can manually select/deselect like in emails)
and next to it a wipe everything button or something

And if a filter becomes a thing, that could probably fit in the account settings somewhere~ since that is more of a setting feature

[galled]

Isn't that what subscriptions does?

[Kitalpha Hart]

I don't think windlyn has subscriptions...

[Banni]

subscriptions have no effect on the notifications tab
the notifications just notifies you of every thread that's been updated.
Subscriptions gives you a short cut to the specific threads you chose from a different page entirely o3o

It does Kit, it just doesn't notify. More like a book marker

[Kitalpha Hart]

Bleh
I don't use it because I just use the notifications. Derp

[Banni]

XDD
I use them both
so that I have an easy way to get back to threads (or REMEMBER to get back to them) even if they haven't been updated/got lost in the notifications pages.

[Kitalpha Hart]

I have a few threads marked, but eh

[galled]

I'm pretty sure subs will update the subscription button with a number like notifications, but Diana may have disabled it.

[Banni]

~Kit
eeeeeehhhh~

~Galled
Ohhh, if that is the case I just haven't seen it work like that! I've never had numbers on my subscription tab so maybe she did disable it. Of course if that gets working again, my suggestion is still for notifications so I can see how it'd still be a useful thing even if the subs were working.
This came to mind mainly cause I've seen a few of people complain about it while offsite cause it put them off for being too spammy. A filter could please those people who dont like it xD

[Diana]

Hi banni! Thanks for bringing this up!
I have no intention to fully take away the unread posts feature, just relocate and rename it.

There are a bunch of buttons on the index page that filter through the threads and show them to you (they just don't count up like the notifications in the sidebar) but they do the same things. Unreads is the same as the notifications button, Unanswered is all the posts nobody has posted in yet, New is posts in order of when they were posted, and Active is, as the name describes, active threads.

I'm pretty sure subs will update the subscription button with a number like notifications, but Diana may have disabled it.

When I get a chance between school and holidays and everything, I'm going to make the subscriptions button update with a number when new posts are made in threads you're subscribed to (it'll take over the notifications spot). At one point I put in this feature, but we were so small it wasn't practical and so I put it back to how it was before. It was also really sloppy, so I'm going to try to fix it up while I put it in.

But like I said earlier, the "show all unreads" sort of feature is going to stick around-- just be separate... And not in the sidebar, because I think that's intimidating some people. C:

As for filtering forums, I don't think I'll do that. If you want to see new replies in a forum, just click on the forum from the index and the icons are a bright lilac if the forum contains posts that are unread. If you are really interested in a forum, you can subscribe to it individually.

I like the idea of being able to clear them one page at a time (or really just clear the ones you're subscribed to). I'm not sure what the checkbox would really accomplish, since if you want to clear the notification you could just click it and close it or click the ones you want and clear all; and that might not even be a problem when the feature separates your subscribed threads. Just unsubscribe, right?

subscriptions have no effect on the notifications tab
the notifications just notifies you of every thread that's been updated.
Subscriptions gives you a short cut to the specific threads you chose from a different page entirely o3o

It does Kit, it just doesn't notify. More like a book marker

You were right about this, thanks for helping other users get it cleared up!

I think I might rename the feature to "## Unread Threads" though, until I'm able to reconfigure it. That might help new members understand why the number is so high. Any opinions on that?

Thanks for your feedback everyone!

[Blue Jay]

Diana
May I make just a small suggestion for a change until you can fix the coding for the other thing. You can rename the Notifications button Active Threads and then new users won't be as confused. It won't mean that it's notifications of threads your subscribed to but literally what the name would mean a list of all the most recent active threads. I hope that helps you somewhat.

[MonkeyGirl18]

Seeing as to how there are unanswered topics and unread posts buttons, putting them in the notifications thread is kinda useless anyway. Like, the buttons are on the top of the page of the main forums page.

I just like my notifications button to remind me of replies to a thread I'm participating in.

Edit: you shouldn't rename the notifications button. I don't like having my threads being buried, when they have a reply, under all the other ones. If absolutely necessary, make a new button UNDER the notifications button for the unread posts or whatever. We should have the ability to see only posts that we have participated in or created. Or even bookmarked.

[Banni]

Diana
Thanks for the response! Sounds like you already have some good ideas for these features.
I do agree with Blue Jay's idea to rename notifications "active threads" instead. "Unread threads" is good as well, but "active" seems to really explain itself more. Since that is literally what it is x)

I'm excited to watch this site transform in the future
It's looking great as an alpha already~