Notifications dropping off—> less engagement

[carbonbased]

So, for some time (over six months) I’ve noticed that some my notifications drop off, especially on popular threads. By “notifications” I mean the website “bell” notification badge thing. I’ve unsubscribed from email notifications quite some time ago as I get too much email as it is, but I remember the same thing happening with them too.

I don’t use the app and mainly use mobile iOS.

This is bothersome as I use those little notifications to keep myself engaged with SH. No notifications, no engagement.

I’ve narrowed it down to this: I think it happens when somebody posts on a thread that you’re reading (like the last page). You then navigate away. The system thinks you’ve already read all of the posts, but posts don’t appear without a page refresh, so you don’t get a notification.

This would explain why it seems to happen on popular threads with lots of posts. The only way I catch it is to go into my “watched threads” area. There I can see a recently updated thread and then confirm that I haven’t been notified.

I also sometimes leave a browser tab open on a thread that I want to read later.

In short, my guess is there’s some notification time setting that is set incorrectly on the server end. Either set too short or too long (or some other parameter, probably a cookie thing). I don’t know exactly, as I don’t have experience with forum software.

I could look in my messages about this problem that I’ve sent to mods, but my guess is that this has been happening for at least a year.

 

[Raffy]

I have had similar problems. The more active threads are more prone to it, such as the Tikka thread. I think I've resubbed to notifications on that one about 29 times. I make a point to also scroll to the end whenever I get a notification that brings me back to a watched thread and it still does it.

 

[carbonbased]

I have had similar problems. The more active threads are more prone to it, such as the Tikka thread. I think I've resubbed to notifications on that one about 29 times. I make a point to also scroll to the end whenever I get a notification that brings me back to a watched thread and it still does it.

I never resub, just the act of revisiting the thread reactivates notifications. However, I go the end of the thread…that’s impt to note.

But I try to keep a close watch on that “watched threads” area so I know to revisit the thread!

Frequently updated threads are easier to catch, but my worry is those important-but-less-updated threads…those could slip through the cracks if I miss them in the watched threads area.

 

[Makinchips208]

I have noticed the same thing. I use the app exclusively, unless I’m making a troll burner account.
Sometimes I miss a bunch of posts in a popular thread, I guess a trade off might be have hundreds of notifications for posts in a single thread?

 

[carbonbased]

Sometimes I miss a bunch of posts in a popular thread, I guess a trade off might be have hundreds of notifications for posts in a single thread?

Naw, no trade off. The system only alerts you to the first new post and resets when you visit the link in the notification bell.

Unless, with the bug I’m reporting, someone posts on the thread while you’re visiting it. Then it seems sometimes you won’t get a notification.

 

[carbonbased]

More specifically, I should note, it seems like the glitch is when you’re on the thread, someone posts on it, and you leave before the “Messages been posted, do you wish to reload?” message occurs at the bottom of the thread.

 

[Raffy]

I only use my phone on the actual website and very occasionally a PC. I found the app was too buggy with watched threads so I ditched it.

 

[Ledzep]

Sometimes not being too involved here is a good thing.

 

[LeftyJason]

I only go into notifications after I go through watched threads. Works pretty good for me. If somebody posts something new it changes the order of the watched threads.

 

[carbonbased]

I only go into notifications after I go through watched threads. Works pretty good for me. If somebody posts something new it changes the order of the watched threads.

Yeah, but in my view notifications and watched threads should be 1:1.

In other words, the notification number badge on the bell alerts you to an updated watched thread. Symbiotic.

Note that in my model above I am ignoring the non-thread notifications, like Live Stream announcements, that also show up under the bell icon. I have no problem with those, obviously.

I cannot think of a reason why one would watch a thread yet not want a notification alert? That would be a very weird edge case.

But let me know if I am missing something.

I do see utility in the watched thread area, however. Sometime you want to find a thread you know you are watching, even though it’s “inert” or not updated recently. It can be a handy way to find threads.

 

[LeftyJason]

Yeah, but in my view notifications and watched threads should be 1:1.

In other words, the notification number badge on the bell alerts you to an updated watched thread. Symbiotic.

Note that in my model above I am ignoring the non-thread notifications, like Live Stream announcements, that also show up under the bell icon. I have no problem with those, obviously.

I cannot think of a reason why one would watch a thread yet not want a notification alert? That would be a very weird edge case.

But let me know if I am missing something.

I do see utility in the watched thread area, however. Sometime you want to find a thread you know you are watching, even though it’s “inert” or not updated recently. It can be a handy way to find threads.

There can also be notifications of somebody quoting your post or reacting to a post. You will get one for this and the like that I put on this quoted post. Those notifications will also be counted as seen as long as you are on that same page of the thread. If you aren't on that page they will still show at the top under notifications.

 

[carbonbased]

There can also be notifications of somebody quoting your post or reacting to a post. You will get one for this and the like that I put on this quoted post. Those notifications will also be counted as seen as long as you are on that same page of the thread. If you aren't on that page they will still show at the top under notifications.

Oh yeah, forgot about those. I’d group those under the “other than a new post on a watched thread” category.

The notifications that concern me are the ones that don’t alert me to a new post on a watched thread. All the other alerts are cool, but missing new info on threads sucks.

 

[LeftyJason]

Oh yeah, forgot about those. I’d group those under the “other than a new post on a watched thread” category.

The notifications that concern me are the ones that don’t alert me to a new post on a watched thread. All the other alerts are cool, but missing new info on threads sucks.

That's why I don't use the app. No easy way to get to watched threads. Takes at least 1 more step than on browser. I probably refresh that page at least 50 times a day.

 

[carbonbased]

That's why I don't use the app. No easy way to get to watched threads. Takes at least 1 more step than on browser. I probably refresh that page at least 50 times a day.

I don’t use the app. I am mainly on the phone (iOS), but it happens on the browser too (Mac Chrome).

My theory is it has something to do with cookies, timing, and witchcraft.

 

[Raffy]

I don’t use the app. I am mainly on the phone (iOS), but it happens on the browser too (Mac Chrome).

My theory is it has something to do with cookies, timing, and witchcraft.

Most certainly witchcraft

 

[6.5SH]

This might be related to a user you've ignored posting in a thread. At first I thought it might be intentional "sinking" but don't think that is it.

Real country music.

Any favorites ?

www.snipershide.com

That thread while hardly controversial keeps disappearing. There is a troll account I blocked quite a while ago that recently resumed posting, noticed this issue right after.

 

[carbonbased]

This might be related to a user you've ignored posting in a thread. At first I thought it might be intentional "sinking" but don't think that is it.

Real country music.

Any favorites ?

www.snipershide.com

That thread while hardly controversial keeps disappearing. There is a troll account I blocked quite a while ago that recently resumed posting, noticed this issue right after.

Yeah, I don’t think so because it’ll happen on any thread, and I have blocked only a couple people in total, and they only post in the Motivational thread.

But that is an interesting observation…hmmm

My current workaround is after I am done reading a thread, I make sure to go to the last post (ex: sometimes rereading a post half-way through the thread), refresh, see if any new posts appear, and immediately jet outta there. Seems to have made a difference.

Reinforces my guess that it has something to do with notification timing and the where the site thinks you are on the hide.