A new and much needed ATS feature.

Hey ATS, sorry if this is in the wrong topic. If so, could a mod move it please and thanks.


ATS is a great forum. Sadly, the way in which we post and view posts is very primitive in comparison to what we could have.

For example. Lets say I make a thread. People start responding, but through out the responses, one person sees someone else's response and wants to comment on their input. So, they click reply, and the reply is sent all the way to the end of the thread, and the original poster of that comment will probably never see it in some cases.

What I am purposing is that you can comment on comments individually, but they remain hidden until you hit the + sign to see the responses.

Any thoughts, contributions, or disagreements?

I really, really dislike it when threads are structured that way...
to each his own I guess.

I hate when threads are like that too.

A better way to do it, would be that all posts, in each individual thread have numbers. So when someone replies to a post, it can say, reply to post #17 and so on. That way all the readers can figure out which reply they're answering. Because I have noticed throughout ATS, that I always see reply to but when that user has 20 posts in the thread, you have trouble following which post they're answering. So I think numbered posts would work well.

I was thinking, if someone hit reply on a post, then the member who made that post would get a U2U, saying that someone replied to the post. I think that would make it easier for the member to see the reply faster than looking through the entire thread itself, especially if the thread is multiple pages. Also maybe a sorting tool in U2U for thread replies to keep it organized.

reply to post by xxshadowfaxx


If you click the reply to link, it will take you to the post that's being replied to. This one will take you to your post, if I clicked reply to on the OP it would take you to that post.

I submitted a suggestion to include a link to the post even when "quote" was used, allowing reference to the original no matter what, assisting in comprehending a big thread. I'm not sure what will become of that.

Other than that, I don't mind a "flat address" format at all. Having responses in an expandable tree format would make it seem too "formal". I prefer seeing things by luck-of-the-draw. Otherwise it would be easy to fall into the habit of expanding posts by only certain people. I think you'd miss alot out of plain old prejudice. It isn't the difficult even now to interact in that manner.

Yes, I also hate threads that are structured that way. I guess I'm just used to this format, all the major forum software such as SMF, phpBB, IP.Board, vBulletin, all seem to use this layout by default.

reply to post by Jenna


Well, I guess it is me that's stupid afterall

reply to post by buni11687


I really like this suggestion.

On another board I use the threads that have new replies in them are highlighted in your list of subscribed threads, that would also be nice.

Oh, and since I'm already writing and I don't care to make a new thread about it since it has probably been adressed before I just wanted to say that I would like to see a small gender sign somewhere to show what gender you are, it would help us not to call all the ladies here dudes, just throwing that out there.

reply to post by TheLaughingGod


ATS is way more awesome without knowing people's gender.

Besides, it's not always hard to tell who is a guy and a girl.

I feel the board never needed changing in the first place.

reply to post by xxshadowfaxx


Nah, that doesn't make you stupid. I've been here four years and I'm still learning things about the site.