New Feature: Similar Threads

[Ryan]

I've had a lot of good feedback on the "Is this already being discussed" feature and figured I would add to that. I just installed a feature that lets you see "similar threads" to the one you are viewing:



Just scroll to the bottom of any thread to see a list of threads similar to the one you are viewing.

 

[Strouty]

Very nice.

I noticed this in the search and thought it was nice.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

I've had a lot of good feedback on the "Is this already being discussed" feature...

Wow!!! This is the single best thing you have added, Ryan. Redundancy is my biggest pet peeve. I missed you announcing this, haven't seen any discussions on it, and I haven't started any new threads since v3 was launched, but I figured it had to be somewhere in the new thread chain, and sure enough, I just found it in a little fake test. Hit the big red [Post Thread] button, picked Vintage board, typed in "Plomb" and got the question/warning and a list of Plomb-related threads. WELL DONE!

 

[BlakeTheCarGuy]

Yes . I was wanting that but hadn’t suggested it. Thanks Ryan.

 

[Wrench97]

Nice touch

 

[Ryan]

Thanks fellas!

 

[Strouty]

Thanks fellas!

Not so fast...... Have you seen what gets posted? I think you may need to limit the search criteria to the subforum of the current thread, at least then it would have half a chance of picking something close. These are from this thread, not even one that is close to anything to do with the topic.

 

[rlitman]

Not so fast...... Have you seen what gets posted? I think you may need to limit the search criteria to the subforum of the current thread, at least then it would have half a chance of picking something close. These are from this thread, not even one that is close to anything to do with the topic.

In an ideal world, there wouldn't ever be anything close. If its just showing you the closest fits, which aren't remotely similar (what you found above), then that's a problem. Perhaps there's a threshold for similarity that can be set?

But I've seen many threads split across different subforums, so limiting the search to one subforum is bound to miss the most important dupes.

 

[Strouty]

I was thinking if the search is kept within the same sub forum, like general garage discussion or lighting and electrical, then you would have half a chance of being close versus searching all the forums.

 

[Ryan]

I was thinking if the search is kept within the same sub forum, like general garage discussion or lighting and electrical, then you would have half a chance of being close versus searching all the forums.

I suspect you are right.

 

[Strouty]

You are definitely the man Ryan, nice job!

 

[kaymccampbell]

Can it be disabled individually or at least made so that it's not trying to pop when I'm trying to post?

 

[The Cobbler]

that's a great option. I do agree if it could be limited to the individual sub forum it would help lessen the "clutter"

 

[Private Lugnutz]

Not so fast...... Have you seen what gets posted?

Oops. No, I did not pay close enough attention.

I'll now third the subforum suggestion! I just tested the new feature more extensively on the Vintage board. Most threads there are topical either by brand (e.g., "Spreading the Bonney Affliction") or type (e.g., "Spiral Ratchet Screwdrivers"). I just typed in dozens of brands names (e.g., "Plomb") or tool types (e.g., "DBE wrench"), and it hardly ever included any Vintage board threads in the list, instead grabbing and suggesting much more innocuous threads from other boards in which the same terms were mentioned.

 

[FrankLee]

Is it possible to move the page buttons below the Similar Threads? When using Bottom arrow button or the End keyboard button, you always have to scroll up to use the page buttons. It's rather annoying.