Upcoming forum update: Convert friends to followers or not?

[Sly Ripper]

In the upcoming site update, friends become followers. It it possible to have everyone's current friends converted to followers so that you will receive notifications when users you follow make posts. This could result in you getting a lot of notifications that you possibly don't want (you can disable the notifications after the update).

 

So, do you guys want to start with your friends converted to followers or do you wish to start fresh? Vote in the poll.

[Quikdrawjoe]

I'm not even sure why I'm friends with them in the first place...

[xZoneHunter]

I'd say convert them to our "followers" but maybe add some options to 'tweak' the notifications? Like the notification options we have now.

 

Either way, glad to hear some news about the update!

Edited March 31, 2016 by Zone Hunter

[snakebit10]

I like the idea of converting friends to followers.

[DaivRules]

People added each other as friends to begin with, might as well convert them to followers. 

[DEMON]

I'm with Zone Hunter, convert.  So long as I can turn off notifications on this feature, I am fine.

[MilanYildirim]

Since that's a forum not a blog or social media account I'd love my friends stay as my friends rather than followers but I think that's not even open to debate.

Edit : (In my opinion the word friend is folksier than followers)

Edited March 31, 2016 by MilanYildirim

[Edunstar84]

I voted to start with our friends being converted to followers, but would love the option to turn off notifications for certain followers.

[Nihiris-]

Why would I want to lose my friends?   Keep them as Followers with notification options.

[Xionx]

i dont know , i accepted a lot of random ppl friend request (ok there was not really a request) , but im not really interested in every single post they do.  So im more for reset , and start with 0 followers.

[Masamune]

Convert, although I've been having a ton of notifications since I turned the friends status update notification back on, so I'm sure I'll be turning the follower thing off soon enough.

 

There's a cap on notification, right? 10 with the drop-down box, & 50 on the notification page? If possible, it might be a good idea to increase that (at least the drop-down box anyways, maybe 15 or 20?).

[Xel]

Off Topic:

Are we gonna be able to block people instead of only ignoring their posts?

[SkyesUnholy]

It'd be an inconvenience for users with a high friend count with whom they actually interact with to re-add, or to re-"follow" them in this sense, as they probably wouldn't remember half the amount of friends that they had

 

In the case that friends are converted to followers, do you have anything planned to inform users of the site update after the update is live and to direct them to the notifications settings? For instance, there will be users who miss the "launch" of the site update and they'll be confused with the amount of notifications they're getting and why they're getting them

[-Dark Mark-]

I voted to start with 0, but didn't realize that would mean losing friends until after.

Guess I just prefer friends over followers. Hopefully there are notification options.

Edited March 31, 2016 by -Dark Mark-

[Parker]

I voted convert to followers. Maybe the default option should be to not receive notifications when they post and instead have to actively select that feature. That is what I would prefer at least. 

 

 

Parker

[Deceptrox]

I prefer to keep friends as they are, but give an option to follow any user regardless if you added him/her as a friend or not.

[Lucas]

Keeping them would be way more handy than having to add them all again.

[Happy]

The wording of follower does make a lot more sense. I'm in favor of just just converting old friends, it's more convenient. Will we be able to set our notifications so that we only get notified when people we're following open a new thread?

[Shinobi]

I voted to automatically convert friends to followers. I don't have that many friends (sadly) so I'm not worried about getting overwhelmed with notifications. But I do feel bad for those people who have a lot of friends. But then again, That's what you guys get for being popular!

[Dreakon13]

Oy... as if people here didn't already grub for "likes" and "profiles views", the last thing it needs is more options/verbiage to appease the undeserved inflated egos akin to Twitter.

 

My pessimism aside, I'd say clear the friends/followers first.  If I'm thinking of the right site... most of the people on friends list weren't even my choice.  They just kind of added me and it became this mutual thing sans my approval.

Edited March 31, 2016 by Dreakon13

[thegirlruka]

I have two ideas... I'm not sure if the former is possible though.

 

Idea 1: Have the follower count start at 0. Keep the current friend list hidden to the public but visible through the Usercp thingy in a manner similar to ignore preferences. You could have it like this for a set amount of time (1 month after the update maybe?) and then the old list would be deleted. From this list, add an option to follow the people on it.

 

Idea 2: Similar to what Parker said, convert them to followers and make the default notification option be disabled. Make notifications of this type an opt-in feature.

[BlindMango]

Well, if there's no friends list feature with the updated forum then turning them into followers is probably the best idea imo, so long as there is an option to turn that off as you say there'll be

 

Maybe put a banner at the top of the forums on the first few days of the forum update alerting people that they can turn it off if it can't be off by default

[ShadowStar83x]

I'd say convert. If you have like 50 friends, it'd be a pain in the ass to add them all again.

[AuzzieWingman]

Convert. The way IP Boards is, anyone becomes friends with people they simply choose they want to be and its entirely one sided on default. There's no verification process. Followers can make a little more sense in that way,

[Dreakon13]

Convert. The way IP Boards is, anyone becomes friends with people they simply choose they want to be and its entirely one sided on default. There's no verification process. Followers can make a little more sense in that way,

 

This brings up an interesting point... why would the person being followed receive notifications from their followers activity?  If they're following us, they receive the notifications... not the other way around.

 

EDIT: Oh right, because friends are a two way road currently.  Right, right, right, right....

Edited March 31, 2016 by Dreakon13