I like how you can put [link] in your Links folder and have one-click or keystroke access to what's new.

Is it possible to have read new end on a static page that says "You have no more new messages in your subscribed forums"?

That way, a Buffista does not get dumped into the message center at the end, adding to the hits.

I hate "read new", but I'm trying for the board's sake.

Also, I tend to threadsuck on a slow Saturday or Sunday afternoon--then I save the board and catch up at my convenience. How much of a strain does the thread suck put on the server and should I stop?

Is it possible to have read new end on a static page that says "You have no more new messages in your subscribed forums"?

I wouldn't think so, or even if it did, it might not be correct. In other words, between the time you've loaded the page, and the time you've read it, there may be more new pages.

That way, a Buffista does not get dumped into the message center at the end, adding to the hits.

If possible (some day, in the future, assuming we're going to keep up our mySQL conserving ways), it would be nice if, when there are no more new, "read new" took you to the main page rather than the message center, when there are no more new pages to read. At least, it would be nice for me, because I've unsubbed from a lot of threads that I still like, because using "read new" works better for me when I'm only subscribed to my "always want to read" pages.

How much of a strain does the thread suck put on the server and should I stop?

Using threadsuck is helpful since you're getting an entire thread with just one set of database calls.

I miss the old BBS days and the free utility "Silly Little Mail Reader" (SLMR).

Slimer was handy in that you connected to the BBS, downloaded a zipped file the board made of all unread posts (or however you configured).

Then you read the posts offline, and made responding posts, then connected and uploaded the small file of responses and the board posted the responses in the correct forums.

A wonderfully simple old dos program and it greatly reduced overhead on boards.

Other offline Mail Reader programs came later, but I liked the simplicity of this one. Too bad we can't have a back end like that.

Stop copying me.

Never! What colors are you wearing tomorrow, btw?

This is exactly what I did.

What Would Cindy Do

If possible (some day, in the future, assuming we're going to keep up our mySQL conserving ways), it would be nice if, when there are no more new, "read new" took you to the main page rather than the message center, when there are no more new pages to read.

Oh, I like that idea.

For me, read new taking me to the message centre keeps me in the subscription metaphor. If I don't want to know how many posts are rapidly increasing in the Firefly Spoiler thread (which I really don't), as a subscription person, I never have to. The main page doesn't exist unless I go there on purpose.

It was the thought behind the design, anyway, that subscriptions would be a world in itself (easily exitable, but still).

Yep, I'd certainly prefer that Read New lands in the Message Centre too.