Engagement issue: Forums notifications

Most of you have seen my post about what I think is a big problem with user engagement with this software.   I've come to the conclusion that I am going to have to do my best to make improvements myself to make the software more engaging, or ask this community for help.

One of the things I think would help a little is if there was a more visible way to manage notifications on forum posts.   Dolphin already has the code for following or subscribing to a post, but it is hidden in a little tab that no one seems to see.  Plus the default is set for not being subscribed, so if you have a low population site the forums just sit there dead - no one comes back to a forum to see if a post got a comment - they usually follow a notification email. 

On other sites I have seen it work like this.  Right in the body of the post, at the bottom, there is text something like this:  

Following Discussion (stop following) 

This means you will get the notices for a post you have commented on automatically.  If, however, you click on this link it will change to this:  

Not Following Discussion (start following) 

Now you are no longer subscribed to this post.  

Isn't that simple?  Everything is right on the surface, and immediately understandable.   

Would it be possible to do something like that here?  I am not a coder, but it doesn't seem like it would be an overly complex mod, and it could help many of our sites. 

Following Discussion (stop following)

Following Discussion (stop following) | edit post

Pinging okweb and Prashank.

do you realize those links are active and go to the site your referring too? 

Shhhhhshhhhshh

Edit modules/boonex/forum/index.php at line 309 you will see this

case 'post_reply':

echo_utf8 ($f->postReplyXML($_POST));

break;

case 'post_new_topic':

echo_utf8 ($f->postNewTopicXML($_POST));

break;

and replace that with this

case 'post_reply':

echo_utf8 ($f->postReplyXML($_POST));

$f->flag ((int)$_POST['topic_id']);

break;

case 'post_new_topic':

echo_utf8 ($f->postNewTopicXML($_POST));

$fdb= new DbForum ();

$sTopic= process_db_input($_POST['topic_subject']);

$iFId= $fdb->getOne("SELECT `topic_id` FROM `bx_forum_topic` WHERE `topic_title` = '$sTopic'");

$f->flag ($iFId);

break;

Good luck :D

@Prashank - OMG, that is awesomely cool!   - and such a simple fix.  Thanks so much - can't wait to try this. 

let us know how ya get on withit Cal.. be interested to see how it works out.

Ok, I have made this change and started testing.  What it appears to do is change the default for new posts to "subscribe" - that is a big help, but does it do it for "replies" as well.  In other words, if I reply to someone else's post, will I automatically be subscribed also?   I tested that and it doesn't appear to work - or at least I didn't get the notification email.   Again, this is a great start, and really helpful, but I was hoping to get these statements in the actual body of the post

Following Discussion (stop following) 

This above one being the default for all new posts and anything you reply to. 

Not Following Discussion (start following) 

This is what would be displayed after you clicked the above, which as it says, would also unsubscribe you from the thread. 

I am probably asking for too much here - that would likely require someone to make mods to different files, but if the above code can be tweaked to make it work that would be great.  

It should work for reply also. If someone reply to a topic they get subscribed automatically. I tested it and works for me.

Hi Cal,

I have a plan to increase engagement on sites dude.

How about using a broadcaster module or legan spam module or similar module that does this:

If a member logs into a site an ajax popup will appear on the screen. inside the popup are options and buttons:

What would you like to do today on yoursite.com

Post a blog - (button here)

Add an Article - (button here)

Add a tutorial - (button here)

Enter a contest - (button here)

Post in the forums - (button here)

This type of pop up option box when someone logs in will, I think, encourage them to be active and contribute to the site...

What ya think?    maybe someone could even make a module out of this idea.

 A very nice idea. Who else is interested in this?

if you could have an admin in the back - to allow for setting the strings and links this would be a very good module i think. if you wish i would be happy to do some quick screen shots of what i think it might look like and what the admin might be... if it helps.

Nathan : )

 sure. it would be very kind of you.

I didn't intend to use this post for the general "engagement" issue problem, but as long as we are, here is the site I mentioned on my note that got me thinking about this: http://hub.startuprev.com/

I don't think the site looks all that great, and it was apparently just thrown together from a Social Engine script, but what they do have is "immediate engagement".  I don't think Dolphin can do anything like this with its current design, but I wonder if there is anything we can do that comes close?   

I was thinking of maybe something that displayed a list of members with an "add as friend" button?  I can't think of how we could have that "post something" capability here, but does anyone have any other creative ideas? 

I won't say that dolphin can't do that. Yes it will require some custom blocks code. But its not impossible. The homepage block looks like the dolphin wall&spy, maybe you could use it with custom modification. D7.1 has an outline thingy that can work too.

Done preashank 25......

will mail to you to see what you think.