Upping the max posts per page.

[J Arcane]

So, we have a significantly smaller amount of random traffic on this site than the prior, and in fact, a significantly smaller amount of traffic than other sites I have used with much larger amounts of traffic.

Yet we only have a maximum of 40 posts per page.

Could we like, see about bumping that up to 100?

It makes extra long threads much easier to follow.

[PathMaster]

While I agree it would make some thread easier to read, 100 seems too much. Maybe 50 or 60.

[J Arcane]

While I agree it would make some thread easier to read, 100 seems too much. Maybe 50 or 60.
You could always set it lower in your own settings.

I'm not asking a change in the default, I really don't use it anyway, and it's good to keep it low to minimize the traffic impact from lurkers.

I just mean increasing the range of options under the User CP.

[tombofsoldier]

While I agree it would make some thread easier to read, 100 seems too much. Maybe 50 or 60.

OVER NINE THOUSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND!

I have nothing valuable to add.

[Shadowstorm]

I second this notion.

[DoctorFinger]

I have this sudden urge to use the admin panel to restrict JArcane to 10 posts per page :D

[fitbabits]

I have this sudden urge to use the admin panel to restrict JArcane to 10 posts per page :D
I was thinking five, or even one.

[bapenguin]

So, we have a significantly smaller amount of random traffic on this site than the prior, and in fact, a significantly smaller amount of traffic than other sites I have used with much larger amounts of traffic.


What the hell does that even mean?

40 is a good number for now, it puts less strain on the server.

[Matthias]

What the hell does that even mean?

40 is a good number for now, it puts less strain on the server.

I think Arcane is saying that we have pretty low traffic right now, and the traffic we do have comes from regular members who are going to read most-to-all of the thread. Giving them the option to see more posts per thread (but not bumping up the default) would be good for some people. Also, they'd be hitting the server less frequently and loading the common resources fewer times.

[TheKeck]

and in fact, a significantly smaller amount of traffic than other sites I have used with much larger amounts of traffic.
In other news, J Arcane has many fewer shoes than people who have significantly more shoes than he does. :D

Also, I oppose this simply because then I'd have to change my user title. ;)

[bapenguin]

I think Arcane is saying that we have pretty low traffic right now, and the traffic we do have comes from regular members who are going to read most-to-all of the thread. Giving them the option to see more posts per thread (but not bumping up the default) would be good for some people. Also, they'd be hitting the server less frequently and loading the common resources fewer times.

While our unique user count is low, our page views are incredibly high.

I see your point on the last statement, but it really depends on how someone uses the forum software. There's the potential there for it to be a bigger burden on it.

[TheKeck]

INSTEAD, let's just implement the recent posts side bar again!! :D

[J Arcane]

What the hell does that even mean?

40 is a good number for now, it puts less strain on the server.
I left out a portion of the sentence, sorry. IT was a bit late.

What I meant was, I've been to sites with much, much larger traffic volume than this one, that had a much higher maximum. RPGnet dwarfs this site, and their max setting is 200 posts per page, just for a more specific example.

Thing to consider is that not everyone's going to use the max setting, and lurkers and guests can't change it at all, so changing the max setting doesn't influence server load as much as, say, changing the actual default.

[Deunnero]

INSTEAD, let's just implement the recent posts side bar again!! :D

A valuable feature indeed.

[DangerousDaze]

Why not just go into the Admin panel | Thread display options | User-Settable Maximum Displayed Posts, and just add some bigger numbers to the list. That way J can set his own view of the forum to something larger without affecting the rest of us. That shouldn't tax the forum unduly.

[J Arcane]

Why not just go into the Admin panel | Thread display options | User-Settable Maximum Displayed Posts, and just add some bigger numbers to the list. That way J can set his own view of the forum to something larger without affecting the rest of us. That shouldn't tax the forum unduly.
That is, in fact, exactly what I'm suggesting. ;)

[violent]

Traffic should only grow from here. What's to be done then, lower it once the strain on the server is evident? 40 posts is fine. Clicking the next page shouldn't be a trial for anyone really. My dog could do it.

[J Arcane]

Traffic should only grow from here. What's to be done then, lower it once the strain on the server is evident? 40 posts is fine. Clicking the next page shouldn't be a trial for anyone really. My dog could do it.
1) I've been to sites larger than both this site, and the former EvAv put together, with larger page counts, so I really don't think it's that big of a deal.

2) It disrupts the flow of the conversation when the post per page count is shorter.

3) You're just being a pain in the ass because it's me asking, aren't you?

[violent]

3) You're just being a pain in the ass because it's me asking, aren't you?

No dude. I'm just doing a little foreshadowing. In the case that it started to become strenuous on the site (which honestly, should be what we're all shooting for), we would be in a position of taking away a feature versus giving. This may be a tad presumptuous but I like to play things safe. For me personally, I dealt with 20 posts per page for years and it never really hindered me from the flow of a conversation. That's probably the only think I'm disagreeing with you on.

[fitbabits]

That is, in fact, exactly what I'm suggesting. ;)
The options now are 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.

Now, get out and get some fresh air.

Oh, and apologies to The Keck.

[J Arcane]

No dude. I'm just doing a little foreshadowing. In the case that it started to become strenuous on the site (which honestly, should be what we're all shooting for), we would be in a position of taking away a feature versus giving. This may be a tad presumptuous but I like to play things safe. For me personally, I dealt with 20 posts per page for years and it never really hindered me from the flow of a conversation. That's probably the only think I'm disagreeing with you on.
Fair enough.

It's just been my experience, that most posters usually won't reply to a post from any but the last page of a given thread. This breaks up the conversation a bit, and tends to leave posts toward the tail end of a page orphaned or ignored, because posters will just click through to the next page.

It also makes the really long threads more of a bear to get through, because you can only read smaller snippets at once, and as well, means more page requests to the server, and overall, often more loading time as a result. Back when I was on dialup it made an especially huge difference on my end, it was actually quicker for me to load up 100 posts at a time, than click through one by one at 20 posts at a time.

Now, obviously, the only way to 100% remove the first issue is changing the actual default, but I do think that just giving the expanded option does result in enough people using it that it sort of carries things more smoothly anyhow. The latter issue is of course a matter of personal taste.

[Psykoboy2]

Five posts per page!!!!!!

[DangerousDaze]

The vB developers hardcoded the maximum limit to 200 because that's when it impacts performance. Anything below that shouldn't cause a problem.

There are many things you can do to optimise a vB forum but reducing the number of posts per page isn't generally one of them, especially when compared against other changes like turning on Full Text Search if you use MySQL 4 or turning off immediate updates etc.

/edit - 50 is a good compromise. ;)

[violent]

Five posts per page!!!!!!

5 posts max.

[fitbabits]

5 posts max.
But only for J Arcane!

[violent]

But only for J Arcane!

Zing-a-ding.

[bapenguin]

I declare 42 posts per page. ;)

[NoName]

I declare 42 posts per page. ;)

You win at life.

[TheKeck]

Oh, and apologies to The Keck.
Thank you for looking out for the children. I'm off to do the dirty deed. :(

[Disgustipated]

If it wasn't J Arcane asking, I'd be all for this. But he's a little psycho.

[Stoke]

I just use 40ppp since that what I had at EvAv, however, I have a greasemonkey script that will load the next pages posts when I get near the bottom. Pretty handy in long threads

[fitbabits]

I would appreciate a small thank you from J Arcane. Ungrateful punk.

[pomeroy]

I would appreciate a small thank you from J Arcane. Ungrateful punk.

You'll be waiting for a while for something positive to come from him.

[J Arcane]

I would appreciate a small thank you from J Arcane. Ungrateful punk.
Nobody ever thanked their parents for giving them half an Xbox for Christmas. ;)

I kid, I kid. Thanks for the bump. It honestly never dawned on me to say that. :(

[Variable Gear]

I second this notion.
I nth this notion.

[fitbabits]

I nth this notion.
There will be no nthing while I'm here.

[TheKeck]

Nth you!

[Everyone vs Dinosaurs]

5 posts per page? I would love to know how that would be practical!

[BLeeP]

5 posts per page? I would love to know how that would be practical!

I would say I surf this site more on my cell phone then on the PC here. Five posts per page would probably prove to be useful on there. I'm not using it, but I'm just giving an example.

[Everyone vs Dinosaurs]

Valid point, I suppose.

[H.Bogard]

INSTEAD, let's just implement the recent posts side bar again!! :D

It would be kinda neat if it were customizable via the user control panel and let you choose which forum sections it should show recent posts from.

[pseudopseudo]

I nth this notion.

I 9rd this notion.

[DangerousDaze]

I would say I surf this site more on my cell phone then on the PC here. Five posts per page would probably prove to be useful on there. I'm not using it, but I'm just giving an example.

If you're browsing by phone then you might want to check out the PDA version. Just go to the archive (http://www.colonyofgamers.com/cogforums/archive) and choose the PDA link.

[Shrinn]

I can't wait to see someone come into a long conversation using 5 posts per page.

"Remember the point I made back on page 37?"

TheKeck's head will explode.

[TheKeck]

TheKeck's head will explode.
You speak truth. :)