Is it possible to configure Auto-Subscribe to a thread to which someone posts, with option to allow user to turn off feature if they don't like it?

Is it possible to configure Auto-Subscribe to a thread to which someone views the thread, with option to allow user to turn off feature if they don't like it?

Further, is it possible to configure so that a subscription only emails someone on the next post/reply but not subsequent ones *except* when they return to view the thread the will get another email on the next post/reply.

These are features of vBulletin, and I find them extremely important for building traffic and making a forum "stickier" but w/o inundating the user with too much email for hot threads?

-Mike

-Mike Schinkel
President; Xtras.Net

The user can both subscribe and unsubscribe at any time. They have the option to default thier profile to subscribe to any topic they start as well.

If I understand you.. they can subscribe manually to a thread started by someone else... as well as unsubscribe later if they choose, they can do so within the topic or they can access ALL subscriptions they're on in the control panel.

I dont believe this functionality has been discussed.. interesting but no, currently you subscribe to the topic and/or forum and you get notices for EACH addition. Ryan may have future designs for such functionality later.

Agreed... too much email turns OFF users and aside from that last one... InstantForum does a hell of a job leaving control with the user so they can manage the emails.

Mark 'Rigger82' Christianson
US Paratrooper & Webmaster of Paratrooper.net
http://www.paratrooper.net

A hell of a good job, or a hell of a bad job?

-Mike Schinkel
President; Xtras.Net

LOL, guess I should have qualified that... GOOD.

In fact, you should click above on the CONTROL PANEL and you can see for yourself the settings since this is the latest version of the upcoming 4.0 release due shortly.

Mark 'Rigger82' Christianson
US Paratrooper & Webmaster of Paratrooper.net
http://www.paratrooper.net

Unless I miss something, I checked Control Panel and saw four options under Email, none of which had to do with auto-subscribing to forums. 

What I'd like to have is an forum-wide option that configures all new users to have their "Subscribe to this thread" checked whenever they make a post, but allow them to override that default in the control panel.  I have found that forums that do this (i.e. vBulletin forums) have a lot more traffic than others that do not or that email subscribers on every post and not just the next one since they last visited.

Minimally, I'd like to hack IF.NET to set the default for auto-subscribe to be true.  I'm sure I can update the ASP.NET code to do it, but I'm not sure how to compile it and get it installed.

-Mike Schinkel
President; Xtras.Net

Im just the opposite, I ensure they know about the feature but I sure wouldnt want to suck up bandwidth pushing emails around and irritating the users who get tired of turning it off all the time.

My appologies, I just looked and realized the feature to globally enable/disable this default is not in there.. wow.. Ive been on one too many forums.

Mark 'Rigger82' Christianson
US Paratrooper & Webmaster of Paratrooper.net
http://www.paratrooper.net

I use two forums for one of my hobbies (motorcycles); one has auto-subscribe and the other does not.  I love the one w/auto-subscribe and hate the one without (I'm always having to go back to subscribe, or I don't realize I didn't, or whatever.)  I bet many people using a forum don't even realize there is a subscribe feature (I didn't on the one forum for a while.)

The best thing would be auto-subscribe ON as the default with a control panel option to turn it off, and then in the emails that are sent, three one click options at the bottom to 1.) unsubscribe from the thread, 2.) change the auto-subscribe option to OFF, and 3.) do both.

I don't mind using bandwidth to get people to use my forum more.  And as for irritating users, they only have to turn off once for the entire forum (see option one-click #3 above), and if that's too much for them then I think they are just a bit too anal.

But one thing *IS* important; only send one email for the next new post on a subscribed thread, *NOT* an email for every new post on a subscribed thread, and then reset to notify again if one visits the thread.

Apology accepted, of course. That's why I'm asking; I hope InstantASP listens...

-Mike Schinkel
President; Xtras.Net