Forum previous/next links near top

baysmith

At the bottom of a topic page are links for previous/next topics in the same forum. I've found those handy for browsing a forum. However, scrolling to the bottom is a pain. Could there be some sort of previous/next controls near the top?

disperso

Usually you reach the bottom when you have read the whole topic. Makes more sense this way, IMHO.

giesbert

Perhaps on both, top and bottom.
If you want to brwose the forum, you perhaps read the first two entries and decide to go on, then on the top would also be nice.

kamalakshantv

Yes it would be nice to have it in the top too.

Wolf P.

I agree with this.

baysmith

[quote author="disperso" date="1292146913"]Usually you reach the bottom when you have read the whole topic. Makes more sense this way, IMHO.[/quote]

I read the beginning to see if I'm interested in the topic. If not, I move on. If so, I read the whole topic. Reading just the title often isn't enough for me to know my interest level.

baysmith

[quote author="Gerolf Reinwardt" date="1292147100"]Perhaps on both, top and bottom.
If you want to brwose the forum, you perhaps read the first two entries and decide to go on, then on the top would also be nice.[/quote]

Yes. I wasn't suggesting removing the ones at the bottom. The Gmail interface is similar in that it has controls at the top and bottom of messages. Sometimes you can take action after reading a bit and sometimes only after reading everything.

fcrochik

I would like to be able to go next within the "post since last visit" ... :)

baysmith

[quote author="fcrochik" date="1292180587"]I would like to be able to go next within the "post since last visit" ... :)[/quote]

How would you distinguish between doing that and just browsing?

fcrochik

[quote author="Bradley" date="1292183231"]
[quote author="fcrochik" date="1292180587"]I would like to be able to go next within the "post since last visit" ... :)[/quote]

How would you distinguish between doing that and just browsing?[/quote]

That is easy: I don't know! :)

In theory is quite simple (but almost never is on real life): when you click on a post on the "posts since last visit" list you pass a parameter to the server saying "onlySinceLastVisit" then the server will render the "next" and "last" links based on that information.

EDIT: of course if you don't have the "extra" parameter you would assume you are just browsing. Also, the next and last links would pass the extra parameter too. :)

baysmith

I was thinking of some sort of visual indication so that after a reader switches away from the page and then comes back, it gives feedback that it is in that mode rather then regular mode.

fcrochik

I see... It could be a small note on the bottom right (before the next and prev links).

At any rate I would vote for simplicity: anytime you break out the flow (click anywhere but the next and prev links) you go back to the "default" mode. If you want to start browsing just the "since last visit" you start over on that page.

disperso

I myself consider a power user, but don't you think that this is a little bit too much? Wouldn't it be too complicated for new users?

baysmith

I don't think so. I think it can be something unobtrusive which won't be noticed by new users, but only by members who frequent the site.

kamalakshantv

Initially I had never noticed that links at the bottom. Had it been on the top one would have noticed it. Usually I don't scroll below the reply box.

baysmith

Yes, I didn't notice them for quite awhile. It wasn't until I was responding to a topic that I said "Ohh, what is that?"

fcrochik

I just want to figure out a way to spend the bare minimum amount of time I can to keep up with everything that is going on.

By far my "favorite" fix would be to be able to jump straight to the fist post "since my last visit" (odd enough...don't see many people complaining about that). Being able to quickly go trough the new posts would also allow me to do that more often.