Kris Hansen

Threaded view wasn't removed because no one used it, it was removed because it was causing significant problems to the rest of the users, by messing up the sorting functions.

Also know, I have no say in the matter, much like I had no say about what went down in 2009. All I can do is ask the folks at IB to consider updating the threaded view to the current platform. I'm not an IB guy, I am all the way across the country from them, so it's not like I can go lean on their wall and pester them till it's done.

I thought I had sent messages to everyone who would be effected, but apparently I either dreamed that I did, or I tried and some cosmic force intervened.

In a perfect world, the original threaded view that Johannes built in 2009 would still be in use, but this world is far from perfect sadly.

EHLO

Within each topic AZ has threaded (threaded summary at top, with single post below) and hybrid (threaded summary at top, with all posts below) options, but no threading option on the main forum page that I think MP4.2+6.0 is referring to as being missing now at AW.
Is it just the threading on the main forum page that was custom built in 09?
It doesn't appear to be an option at AZ, which appears to use the same forum software, but having it in the main forum page would be more useful than having the option within a topic.

Kris Hansen

Yes, the threaded view of the forum view was the custom part, and in addition, it added the same look and feel to within individual threads. As far as I know, we were the only VB site anywhere that was using it. It was awesome, and I really hope that IB can figure out a way to make it work with the current software... Do know that I pushed HARD for it in the beginning, and will push hard for it now.

And actually, the ORIGINAL threaded view was almost 100% exactly like our old software, but for some reason, it caused the database to freak out when more than a few users were on at the same time. It was scrapped, and we launched with traditional linear view, to less than rave reviews. Within that first week, one of the IB guys whipped up the threaded mode that we had used till last week. So it was all based on the code from around 2009.

MP4.2+6.0

Regardless of outcome here, your efforts and forthrightness are appreciated. Thank you!

EHLO, without getting into the weeds or the technostuff beyond my understanding, what Kris describes also resonates with my understanding and historical experience. It is the case unfortunately that I really feel like I have "lost my glasses"--literally happened to me in high school once when they got swept away in an ocean wave. There I was able to get them replaced of course in a few days.

FWIW, if you go over to QW Jason posted just the other day that he finally found the continuing strain of keeping things going just too much so found a home (buyer) for the site. Read his sticky post about it--also a nice touch in terms of forthrightness. He goes to great pains to say the longevity of the interface was something he sought commitments about. Of course if you look, the buyer is also the one who runs R8talk, seemingly the leading English language R8 enthusiast site. Like AZ--not well traffic'ed or experienced for the D3 but better for the Q5 though with a brasher poster base--their forum software is unmistakably the unwashed IB type interface. As mostly an occasional looker so far there it is tolerable, but again only as a casual user/reader. Their board is model specific, so they also have a bunch of specific forum segmentation around the R8 that indirectly helps you zoom in on specific areas of interest. Regardless, the QW related announcement also gave me some pause about their site software longevity as well. But a few more years stability on the D3 is about my current time horizon for now--for either the D5 or the continued usual plunge in really nice lightly used D4 S8s or W12's, R8 dreams aside.

4Driver4

As one of the seven, I can say that it's probably time to retire threaded view.

This day has been coming since IB took over the forums. KAWF, and then (to a lesser extent) the customized version of vB, defined the character of this community. It allowed "branches" of thread drift and side "conversations"; those who wanted to stay on topic could, and those who wanted to could have a side discussion without negatively impacting the thread. But when vB was implemented and different views were allowed, it was the beginning of the end for threaded view. New members who were used to linear view didn't follow the conventions necessary to make the threads work right in threaded view and things started to get ugly. The few of us who still use threaded view had tremendous difficulty trying to figure why the OP would reply to his own post over and over rather than to those addressing him. Linear view people couldn't tell who threaded view users were replying too either. It was messy for everyone

If linear view was going to make it, it would have need to be enforced for all from day one. It wasn't. The (Audi)World has changed. Time to shrug off the last vestiges of the old AW and move one. Good-bye, threaded view. Thanks to Kris for struggling mightily for years to provide a compromise solution.

4D4
Occasional AW Lurker

yakimaA4avant

I post infrequently and have always used the threaded view since, well, Jet's A4 pages. But it looks like I need to change my view because I cannot see any replies.

Galco

Thanks to MP for bringing this to my attention with recent post on the A8 D3 board. I was going crazy trying to figure out what happened to my MUCH MUCH PREFERRED threaded view. I thought it was on my end.

Alas, it is a systemic issue. While am not a big time poster, i do make solid contributions to the group and consider myself much more than a lurker. I must say there has to be an awareness issue among the community if so few are using it. The Threaded view is soooo much better to quickly scan issues, preview replies and decide for yourself where you wish to jump into the thread. Sometimes I am very happy with just reading the thread summaries, other times i will click somewhere in the middle of the conversation and when necessary, I will start from the original post. I say its an awareness issues as once you appreciate the flexibility of the threaded view it is very difficult to go back.

PLEASE, bring back the threaded view!!!! As i can honestly say the forum is less without it. Its too time consuming to click on each topic to get a one line update from a fellow driver...

Much appreciated.