How do I set the (new xxxx) number? May 22, 2013 12:17 PM Subscribe
You know the number that tells you how many new posts have been added? Sometimes mine works, sometimes it doesn't. Most of the time, it just tells me the number of posts in the whole thread, even if I've responded. Is there way to reset it, or get it to count correctly?
And am I in the right place to ask this question?
The number "new" shown on the front page for comments on threads is an approximate count, based partly on the recorded time of your last visit using your cookies; it's not something that's 100% reliable but is generally pretty useful when coming back to the site on the same browser after a few hours away. It's not tweakable in any meaningful way, no.
The numbers in Recent Activity for comments since your own last comment in a thread are more accurate; you may find that function useful if you weren't aware of it already.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:25 PM on May 22, 2013
The numbers in Recent Activity for comments since your own last comment in a thread are more accurate; you may find that function useful if you weren't aware of it already.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:25 PM on May 22, 2013
oh!! So, it's not recounting, because I"m not leaving, lol!
Right? because I'm only going from one thread to another, rather than closing the window and coming back later, it keeps just giving me the current number.
posted by MoxieProxy at 12:27 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Right? because I'm only going from one thread to another, rather than closing the window and coming back later, it keeps just giving me the current number.
posted by MoxieProxy at 12:27 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it's not 100% perfect because it only resets after 20minutes of inactivity away from the site. For me constantly pinging some part of MetaFilter each day, all the time, it only resets in the morning and between meals when I'm offline, but if you check-in on the site more often than 20min, it won't reset the counters.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 12:27 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mathowie (staff) at 12:27 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
In other words, it works pretty well for sporadic users of the site that check-in a few times a day. Heavier use of the site, and it doesn't work as well.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 12:28 PM on May 22, 2013
posted by mathowie (staff) at 12:28 PM on May 22, 2013
if you check-in on the site more often than 20min, it won't reset the counters
The counters reset? *mind blown*
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:29 PM on May 22, 2013
The counters reset? *mind blown*
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:29 PM on May 22, 2013
20minutes of inactivity away from the site.
What is this heresy.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:41 PM on May 22, 2013 [16 favorites]
What is this heresy.
posted by shakespeherian at 12:41 PM on May 22, 2013 [16 favorites]
20minutes of inactivity away from the site.
What is this heresy.
I still don't have a computer in my shower; sorry.
posted by Mooski at 12:44 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
What is this heresy.
I still don't have a computer in my shower; sorry.
posted by Mooski at 12:44 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Wet Wipes.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:45 PM on May 22, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:45 PM on May 22, 2013 [6 favorites]
Wait why are you showering for so long? There's an internet going to waste!
posted by shakespeherian at 12:51 PM on May 22, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 12:51 PM on May 22, 2013 [4 favorites]
People, just write comments with the time-delayed posting feature. How else do you receive the "write a comment every minute for a day" Trophy on MeFiSocial?
I've said too much.
posted by Lemurrhea at 12:55 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
I've said too much.
posted by Lemurrhea at 12:55 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
This is something that has always driven me nuts in an OCD way. I've always wished a way to turn it off, but have resigned myself to trying to live with it. *twitch*
posted by slogger at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by slogger at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Someone surely could make greasemonkey hide it for you. That someone is not me.
posted by donnagirl at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2013
posted by donnagirl at 12:57 PM on May 22, 2013
Here's a little more technical explanation of how it works.
If you use a browser plugin like Stylish, you can add this rule for MetaFilter domains:
That should turn it off for you.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:00 PM on May 22, 2013
If you use a browser plugin like Stylish, you can add this rule for MetaFilter domains:
.new {display:none;}That should turn it off for you.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:00 PM on May 22, 2013
If you install Plutor's Scroll Tag Greasemonkey thing it keeps track of exactly where you are in every thread and as a bonus updates the front-page counts accordingly.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:04 PM on May 22, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 1:04 PM on May 22, 2013 [4 favorites]
Personally I find the (xxx new) useless to the verge of negahelpful.
The only time I really care about new comments (rather than just total number of comments) are when I have recently read or commented in a thread. This feature reliably tells me that threads I just commented in have dozens of new comments. And it makes scanning for actual useful information a little bit more difficult.
I don't know if anyone loves it, but I'd be in favour of removing it if it can't easily be improved.
posted by 256 at 1:14 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
The only time I really care about new comments (rather than just total number of comments) are when I have recently read or commented in a thread. This feature reliably tells me that threads I just commented in have dozens of new comments. And it makes scanning for actual useful information a little bit more difficult.
I don't know if anyone loves it, but I'd be in favour of removing it if it can't easily be improved.
posted by 256 at 1:14 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Wait why are you showering for so long? There's an internet going to waste!
I spend 10 minutes washing, and 15 minutes turning the water just a little bit hotter until I'm standing under the functional equivalent of a down-facing volcano.
Very relaxing.
posted by Mooski at 1:37 PM on May 22, 2013 [9 favorites]
I spend 10 minutes washing, and 15 minutes turning the water just a little bit hotter until I'm standing under the functional equivalent of a down-facing volcano.
Very relaxing.
posted by Mooski at 1:37 PM on May 22, 2013 [9 favorites]
I still don't have a computer in my shower; sorry.
You take 20-minute showers? Are you really dirty or just masturbating in there?
posted by Mister_A at 1:38 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
You take 20-minute showers? Are you really dirty or just masturbating in there?
posted by Mister_A at 1:38 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Are you really dirty or just masturbating in there?
'or'?
posted by shakespeherian at 1:39 PM on May 22, 2013 [10 favorites]
'or'?
posted by shakespeherian at 1:39 PM on May 22, 2013 [10 favorites]
pb, shouldn't that be
.welcome {display: none;}
?
posted by Foci for Analysis at 1:42 PM on May 22, 2013
.welcome {display: none;}
?
posted by Foci for Analysis at 1:42 PM on May 22, 2013
Sure, you could hide the welcome message at the top right of the page too. The rule I mentioned will hide the white (light blue in the plain theme) x new counts in post bylines that are next to the full comment counts.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:45 PM on May 22, 2013
posted by pb (staff) at 1:45 PM on May 22, 2013
Just to clarify, we used to have sessions set to timeout in 20 minutes but it's currently at 15 minutes. So that'll save some water.
posted by pb (staff) at 1:47 PM on May 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by pb (staff) at 1:47 PM on May 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
You take 20-minute showers? Are you really dirty or just masturbating in there?
Eh, yeah, already mentioned I don't have a computer in the shower. What good is masturbating if I can't close 15 tabs after?
TMI, I know. Sorry. IT'S A JOKE. I'M DONE.
posted by Mooski at 1:50 PM on May 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
Eh, yeah, already mentioned I don't have a computer in the shower. What good is masturbating if I can't close 15 tabs after?
TMI, I know. Sorry. IT'S A JOKE. I'M DONE.
posted by Mooski at 1:50 PM on May 22, 2013 [3 favorites]
Ziplock bag + smartphone = metafilter in the bath. The touchscreen works surprisingly well through the plastic. I assume it would work in the shower too although I've never tried.
posted by shelleycat at 3:17 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by shelleycat at 3:17 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
If your number matches the number of the day, you win MetaFilter Gold!
posted by GuyZero at 3:20 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by GuyZero at 3:20 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
You take 20-minute showers? Are you really dirty or just masturbating in there?
Two minutes washing, two minutes masturbating, sixteen minutes getting rid off the evidence while near sighted.
posted by MartinWisse at 3:56 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Two minutes washing, two minutes masturbating, sixteen minutes getting rid off the evidence while near sighted.
posted by MartinWisse at 3:56 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Ziplock bag + smartphone = metafilter in the bath. The touchscreen works surprisingly well through the plastic.
In all seriousness, my wife loves me very much, but if I did this she would probably leave me. I'm not sure I'd blame her.
posted by Mooski at 3:57 PM on May 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
In all seriousness, my wife loves me very much, but if I did this she would probably leave me. I'm not sure I'd blame her.
posted by Mooski at 3:57 PM on May 22, 2013 [5 favorites]
"If your number matches the number of the day, you win MetaFilter Gold!"
It's pretty neat how they do this — those are actually bitcoin hashes that we're continually mining for Matt and Co. Since advertising's fallen off, they've broadened the revenue stream, and it's cool that they give us a part of that.
posted by klangklangston at 4:08 PM on May 22, 2013
It's pretty neat how they do this — those are actually bitcoin hashes that we're continually mining for Matt and Co. Since advertising's fallen off, they've broadened the revenue stream, and it's cool that they give us a part of that.
posted by klangklangston at 4:08 PM on May 22, 2013
shelleycat: "Ziplock bag + smartphone = metafilter in the bath. The touchscreen works surprisingly well through the plastic. I assume it would work in the shower too although I've never tried."
Mooski: "In all seriousness, my wife loves me very much, but if I did this she would probably leave me. I'm not sure I'd blame her."
My husband is so thrilled with his Lifeproof case for his iPad that he took it into the bathtub with him last night so he could watch QI while bathing. (I told him that if I caught him deliberately water-testing it with the iPad in place, we would have to Have Words.)
posted by Lexica at 5:44 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
Mooski: "In all seriousness, my wife loves me very much, but if I did this she would probably leave me. I'm not sure I'd blame her."
My husband is so thrilled with his Lifeproof case for his iPad that he took it into the bathtub with him last night so he could watch QI while bathing. (I told him that if I caught him deliberately water-testing it with the iPad in place, we would have to Have Words.)
posted by Lexica at 5:44 PM on May 22, 2013 [2 favorites]
I have an iPhone that is for the tub. It's my tubPhone. I doesn't have an active data plan on it. I watch shows in the tub and play Pants vs. Zombies all the time. For hours.
posted by cjorgensen at 6:00 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 6:00 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
cjorgensen: "I watch shows in the tub and play Pants vs. Zombies all the time."
I'm getting a mental image of flinging trousers at zombies to trip them up and allow one to escape. With in-game messages like" Achievement Unlocked: Dungarees" and "Do you want to spend 50 points to upgrade to chinos?"
posted by Lexica at 6:17 PM on May 22, 2013 [8 favorites]
I'm getting a mental image of flinging trousers at zombies to trip them up and allow one to escape. With in-game messages like" Achievement Unlocked: Dungarees" and "Do you want to spend 50 points to upgrade to chinos?"
posted by Lexica at 6:17 PM on May 22, 2013 [8 favorites]
Achievement Unlocked: Bath Salts.
posted by box at 9:43 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by box at 9:43 PM on May 22, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seconding the use of Plutor's Scroll Tag thingy to make comment counts more usefully accurate.
posted by hattifattener at 2:06 AM on May 23, 2013
posted by hattifattener at 2:06 AM on May 23, 2013
I'm glad others here take baths instead of showers. Make wife and friend make fun of me, but now I don't feel so alone.
posted by slogger at 4:04 AM on May 23, 2013
posted by slogger at 4:04 AM on May 23, 2013
Yeah, it's not 100% perfect because it only resets after 20minutes of inactivity away from the site. For me constantly pinging some part of MetaFilter each day, all the time, it only resets in the morning and between meals when I'm offline, but if you check-in on the site more often than 20min, it won't reset the counters.
It's the secret mod plan to force us to go outside.
posted by corb at 5:18 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
It's the secret mod plan to force us to go outside.
posted by corb at 5:18 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I love Plutor's scroll tag, but in my dream world it would store preferences somewhere other than your local so its counts would be reflected on multiple devices. Not even so much concerned about mobile, but work vs. home computers.
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:26 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:26 AM on May 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
" sporadic users of the site that check-in a few times a day."
A few times a day is only sporadic ?
I....
What...?
I...
*adds up work and family hours*
HOW ARE YOU PEOPLE MANUFACTURING TIME?
posted by fatfrank at 6:51 AM on May 23, 2013
A few times a day is only sporadic ?
I....
What...?
I...
*adds up work and family hours*
HOW ARE YOU PEOPLE MANUFACTURING TIME?
posted by fatfrank at 6:51 AM on May 23, 2013
Well, let's just say you can't add MetaFilter time on to work time without double-counting.
posted by dg at 4:09 AM on May 24, 2013
posted by dg at 4:09 AM on May 24, 2013
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
Now we'll see if I am correct!
posted by cjorgensen at 12:22 PM on May 22, 2013