Message thread Download

[John Galt]

Having run a Wildcat BBS for years, one of the (then called message bases) options that were available on any base (now thread) was the ability to download the entire base of messages, as well as read off line, add a post, and upload it back up. Why?

If I'm a user and new, I can see 100's of messages, on a ton of different topics. If I can just dl the thread I'm interested in, I can read off line, and even if no upload feature clear the thread as read, and post what I want.
It's a shame that internet forums (BBS's the exception) don't have features for effecient message base function. Like another ability to simply read one post at a time, and press next to get to the next post.

We even had a spell checker, and could send a file to any user on the base.

Just some MOD thoughts!!
JG

[Anguz]

that'd be nice... then those travelling, that can't be online for a long time, could just download the threads they're interested in and then view them offline...

the pictures can be downloaded only once, so they'll be used in every topic too, so it wouldn't be a waste of bandwidth... even better, if the member leaves the pictures in the folder, he won't have to download them again...

on the other hand, for the member to be able to reply offline, he'd need some kind of client that'll take care of posting the replies when getting online... an option could be to reply via email, using an email client, but that may be hard, from what I've read...

also, if the person downloaded the thread a couple of days ago, and then replies but can't get online until today, then the reply may be obsolete... this may cause the threads to be full of unnecessary replies

so being able to read the topics offline sounds neat, but replying them offline may not be a good idea...

another thing... if the person tries to download a topic again, even if he already deleted the previous download, it'd be good that the forum only sends the new posts, this'd save bandwidth

if the person doesn't like it cause he can't follow what was being said, then he'll learn to save the previous downloads, they shouldn't use much space in his harddrive

just some thoughts that came to mind... I hope you find them useful

[John Galt]

You make some interesting observations regarding uploads, and I have to agree with you regarding them.


However the ability to download is not only for reading and response, but also for that "bug" that went for several posts, and was finally solved, or helpful tips from those posting to such messages, with the links to other informative help. This could all be saved for future reference.

On my old Wildcat, the options could be set by the user for all messages, or just the new ones.

And how may times have you  ssished for a spill chker? Hummm