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New Feature to test: Alerts

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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
We've got a little something we'd love some help testing. Don't get overly excited yet, as this is just a really small part of the groundwork for something NS has needed for a long time. As well we recognize we need alerts for way more stuff. However, we need some of you to assist with throwing some weight at it so we can smoke test.

We have built an alerts (read:notifications) system. It doesn't do a ton, but is shaping up to be cool.

Steps to enable:

-Go to your "account settings" (link up top in the orange box)
-Scroll to bottom and enable "Alerts Beta" (you will have to do this on any new browsers you use)
-Refresh the page
-3rd box down you will need to update your email address and choose to subscribe to email alerts

Would love as many of you as possible to try this, and let us know how its working for you. Again, it will be missing a lot of functionality that you want - and we're not sure how long it will take us to add that stuff - but its a pretty cool start.
Feb 26 2015 11:13AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5852 - Karma: 4,531
Well done! This is such an epic feature. I love that no matter what page the thread is up to it takes you to where they quoted your post. It's so nice not to have to skim a thread to see if anyone has responded to you.
Mar 2 2015 11:23PM
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.frenchy
Posts: 18221 - Karma: 12,323
friggin sweet man
Mar 2 2015 11:46PM
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msg
Posts: 1108 - Karma: 3,269
Wooooo
Mar 3 2015 3:21AM
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Daski
Posts: 658 - Karma: 2,348
Mine was already enabled, i dont care though, so excited to see this finally happen!
Mar 3 2015 6:20AM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13084 - Karma: 18,731
I love the feature! Could it be reset after a certain amount of time passes? It would avoid having over 600 alerts in the profile bar when I miss a few days.
Mar 3 2015 8:59AM
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Huck_Norris
Posts: 11487 - Karma: 18,627
This is really awesome. Nice work guys. Definitely helps keep track of the conversations you're having.
Mar 3 2015 9:57AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
cydwhitNot really a big deal IMO, I've been really impressed at how helpful and smooth they have been, well done!


Thanks! Definitely something we are super happy to get out the door. ;)
Mar 3 2015 10:32AM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,411
Do you think in the future there is a posability of member tagging at all? Even if it's as simple as just mentioning a username like Mr.Bishop and then you would get an alert that I mentioned you?
Mar 3 2015 11:10AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
NinetyFourDo you think in the future there is a posability of member tagging at all? Even if it's as simple as just mentioning a username like Mr.Bishop and then you would get an alert that I mentioned you?


Very possible. That one is definitely more difficult to pull off, so I can't give you a timeframe in which we'd be able to do it - but it was always one of the features we wanted to be able to add.
Mar 3 2015 11:33AM
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AT-AT
Posts: 3281 - Karma: 3,256
It even does friend alerts haha.
Mar 3 2015 3:27PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,411
AT-ATIt even does friend alerts haha.


Oh god, pros are going to log in and go, " Holy shit why is everyone my friend."
Mar 3 2015 4:20PM
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JahLiam
Posts: 2321 - Karma: 7,828
just a thought for the future, could you guys implement an alert system for every time anyone responds to a thread? this could be very useful in regionals because they are low traffic, so getting an alert for every post in there would be better than always having to check and see
Mar 4 2015 9:53PM
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.Hugo.
Posts: 17360 - Karma: 28,485
JahLiamjust a thought for the future, could you guys implement an alert system for every time anyone responds to a thread? this could be very useful in regionals because they are low traffic, so getting an alert for every post in there would be better than always having to check and see


you can already watch an entire regional forum so every post will show up on "my threads"
Mar 4 2015 10:11PM
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JahLiam
Posts: 2321 - Karma: 7,828
.Hugo.you can already watch an entire regional forum so every post will show up on "my threads"


I know that, but it would be a lot better if you could "watch" a thread in your alerts, so you don't need to check your threads to see if someone posted. maybe I'm just being too picky about this though
Mar 4 2015 10:28PM
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Noddard
Posts: 2652 - Karma: 3,831
I love it! I am liking the recent ideas and improvements, keep up the good work guys.
Mar 5 2015 2:56AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
JahLiamjust a thought for the future, could you guys implement an alert system for every time anyone responds to a thread? this could be very useful in regionals because they are low traffic, so getting an alert for every post in there would be better than always having to check and see


Right now we have both things separated into two experiences. We may look at some merging in the future, but right now we kept it in two places.
Mar 5 2015 8:03AM
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corona
Posts: 12799 - Karma: 32,775
this is great.

would be sweet to have it a bit more customizable though so you can choose what you get alerts for.
Mar 5 2015 1:58PM
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Lé.Skiing
Posts: 10035 - Karma: 8,128
I know this probably not high on the list of things you could do alerts for, but what about doing alerts for whenever people make a post in a cult? or sends a Request to join a cult to the cult owner. I know cults are dieing, but the few that are still going might be a good way to keep them alive. Who knows might even be a good way to get people want to use cults a little more.

So far the alerts Have been awesome!
Mar 5 2015 2:13PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,411
I don't know if it's really an issue because it can certainly be used for some joyful spam, but it is still spam. Basically if you go to someone's profile, you can friend/unfriend them an infinite amount of times, and if you repeat like crazy you can stack up someone's notifications quick.
Mar 16 2015 6:41PM
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.Rybak.
Posts: 9017 - Karma: 9,864
NinetyFourI don't know if it's really an issue because it can certainly be used for some joyful spam, but it is still spam. Basically if you go to someone's profile, you can friend/unfriend them an infinite amount of times, and if you repeat like crazy you can stack up someone's notifications quick.

Yeah.
Mar 16 2015 6:47PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,411
.Rybak.Yeah.


Ahaha, I just got hit with 94 alerts. Well played sir, well played.
Mar 16 2015 6:48PM
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.Rybak.
Posts: 9017 - Karma: 9,864
NinetyFourAhaha, I just got hit with 94 alerts. Well played sir, well played.


Does it say i unfriended you too? Because i dont think i pressed it that many times.
Mar 16 2015 6:52PM
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AT-AT
Posts: 3281 - Karma: 3,256
NinetyFourI don't know if it's really an issue because it can certainly be used for some joyful spam, but it is still spam. Basically if you go to someone's profile, you can friend/unfriend them an infinite amount of times, and if you repeat like crazy you can stack up someone's notifications quick.


Hmmm interesting.
Mar 16 2015 6:59PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,411
.Rybak.Does it say i unfriended you too? Because i dont think i pressed it that many times.


Nope, here, I'll demo it for ya ;D
Mar 16 2015 7:03PM
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.Rybak.
Posts: 9017 - Karma: 9,864
NinetyFourNope, here, I'll demo it for ya ;D


Wow i must have went harder then i thought.
Mar 16 2015 7:23PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
Lé.SkiingI know this probably not high on the list of things you could do alerts for, but what about doing alerts for whenever people make a post in a cult? or sends a Request to join a cult to the cult owner. I know cults are dieing, but the few that are still going might be a good way to keep them alive. Who knows might even be a good way to get people want to use cults a little more.

So far the alerts Have been awesome!


This is more handled within MyThreads and the 'watch' feature. Currently the plans are to leave it there, but we're also going to assess if we should ever think about merging those things.

NinetyFourI don't know if it's really an issue because it can certainly be used for some joyful spam, but it is still spam. Basically if you go to someone's profile, you can friend/unfriend them an infinite amount of times, and if you repeat like crazy you can stack up someone's notifications quick.


Good point. Will address.
Mar 16 2015 7:44PM
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[tk]
Posts: 3863 - Karma: 1,906
The referenced post has been removed.


I don't even think Facebook has this feature yet
Mar 17 2015 2:40AM
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MLJ
Posts: 1849 - Karma: 3,649
[tk]I don't even think Facebook has this feature yet


NS is ahead of the game. I have to say, these alerts are amazing, I can reply to people so quickly! At first j was sceptical of the email feature, but it is actually basically like getting notifications on my phone, so that is great. My only problem with it is that there isn't an obvious link to click to go to the comment. Maybe I'm just being stupid, but I think it could be simpler. Also I don't know how it is on computer because I haven't used the email alerts there.
Mar 17 2015 7:23AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
MLJNS is ahead of the game. I have to say, these alerts are amazing, I can reply to people so quickly! At first j was sceptical of the email feature, but it is actually basically like getting notifications on my phone, so that is great. My only problem with it is that there isn't an obvious link to click to go to the comment. Maybe I'm just being stupid, but I think it could be simpler. Also I don't know how it is on computer because I haven't used the email alerts there.


Now that we know it works and the servers didn't blow up, we can start putting feature improvements in the queue. The idea is that you click on the thread, but that could be slightly confusing. q
Mar 17 2015 10:36AM
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MitchT
Posts: 560 - Karma: 4,095
Alerts have been awesome, great new feature to the site.
Mar 18 2015 11:51PM
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MLJ
Posts: 1849 - Karma: 3,649
BTW I just realised that cult alerts don't work, from the email notifications. It brings you to newschoolers.com/culthome which says file not found with the classic photo of the guy eating it on the water crossing thing. Not really that big of a deal, just letting you guys know. It works from the alerts tab.
Mar 23 2015 3:25AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22708 - Karma: 76,633
MLJBTW I just realised that cult alerts don't work, from the email notifications. It brings you to newschoolers.com/culthome which says file not found with the classic photo of the guy eating it on the water crossing thing. Not really that big of a deal, just letting you guys know. It works from the alerts tab.


Good find, will address.
Mar 23 2015 9:39AM
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