Standard versus Linear+ ?

[--Pete]

Hi,

I prefer the 'Outline' view of a thread because, as long as people hit 'Reply' to the post they are actually replying to, it makes it easier to follow the conversation. However, when I have a lot of catching up to do, I'll often view in 'Standard' or 'Linear+' mode. But, aside from some minor background differences (fewer buttons on the 'Linear+', I think), what is the difference? Which one is better for what?

Just an idle question :)

--Pete

[Tal]

Hi Pete

Standard is the complete thread in post order arranged oldest to most recent. Linear is "Standard" with the added bonus of putting the original post on the top of the page. So I guess if you have a multi-page thread that you're reading you can compare it to the original post's topic and see how far off course the discussion has gotten. :)

[jahcs]

I prefer the Standard view. When posting I usually attempt to hit the reply button on the post I am directly replying to, or the latest post in a sequential conversation.

I have always been a fan of the "Open in New Window" command on the right click menu if I need to refer to previous pages or the original post on a thread. Linear view doesn't appeal to me very often for that reason.

Once in a while I will shift one window over to the Outline view to see if a poster is replying to me when their post's content is ambiguous regarding it's target.

[Selby]

I'm one of those people who likes to view the entire thread at once. I load the page and let it load rather than having to continuously open new threads only to see the "NT" or "made you look." I used to like the standard and outline, but I've moved more towards the linear look for everything I do now. Just makes it quick and easy =)

[Occhidiangela]

Hi,

I prefer the 'Outline' view of a thread because, as long as people hit 'Reply' to the post they are actually replying to, it makes it easier to follow the conversation.  However, when I have a lot of catching up to do, I'll often view in 'Standard' or 'Linear+' mode.  But, aside from some minor background differences (fewer buttons on the 'Linear+', I think), what is the difference? Which one is better for what?

Just an idle question :)

--Pete
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Linear has the connotation of ancient Babylonic and Assyrian inscriptions, such as those found on both the Rosetta Stone and in the Canyon of the Magi in the Anauroch Desert.

Standard, however, is my preferred choice as I like to speed scan many posts to catch up.

To each his own.

Overcaffeinated craps player

[yangman]

I've never used anything other than outline because it allows you to view the entire path of a conversation thread. As long as the conversation doesn't branch too many times, I simply load up the lowest post, PageUp a few times, and read the entire conversation.

A little more work involved, but I find it a sufficiently elegant solution.

[NiteFox]

Linear is "Standard" with the added bonus of putting the original post on the top of the page. So I guess if you have a multi-page thread that you're reading you can compare it to the original post's topic and see how far off course the discussion has gotten. :)
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That annoyed the fark out of me, especially when I was on dial-up. I'd click on a page number in a thread, alt-tab away while I waited for the page to load (2MB Broadband has killed my ability to multitask), then return and think that the page hadn't loaded after all this time.

And I don't really like tree-structure boards, whatever the purists say. Give me Standard, or give me hell.

[Munkay]

That annoyed the fark out of me, especially when I was on dial-up.  I'd click on a page number in a thread, alt-tab away while I waited for the page to load (2MB Broadband has killed my ability to multitask), then return and think that the page hadn't loaded after all this time.

And I don't really like tree-structure boards, whatever the purists say.  Give me Standard, or give me hell.
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I am a casual user of standard. It's great for a slow growing or a light hearted post. But an intense debate on the lounge with its fast growing dense content, outline or linear + is the only way to go.

Just take a look at any large 5+ page post and try to decipher it in standard. :blink:

Cheers,

Munk