Rename 'Notify'?

Wanchope

  • Posts: 234
Rename 'Notify'?
« on June 14th, 2013, 12:27 PM »
The truth is I don't know how many times I clicked on 'Notify'/'Subscribe' in any forum I am posting, recently I came across a Forum that did it in different way, it just 'Say Follow this Topic'. I gladly clicked it and it got me thinking, why not use Follow Topic instead on 'Notify'/'Subscribe'. I know it's the same thing but a few word changes may work more than we expect. The ajax confirmation will say something like this Are you sure you want to follow this topic?  in place of Are you sure you wish to enable notification of new replies for this topic?
  I am also thinking this
* Subscribe/Notify sounds old school, modern social networking use something like Follow.
* They is also a felling that once you click 'Notify'/'Subscribe' your mailbox will be filled with spam etc.
I also know this can simply be done by editing language file, just suggestion.
Thanks.

Arantor

  • As powerful as possible, as complex as necessary.
  • Posts: 14,278
Re: Rename 'Notify'?
« Reply #1, on June 14th, 2013, 04:29 PM »
The logic behind 'notify' is that it (currently) enables an email to go to you when there are updates. It's a passive thing. Following implies something more active.

If we had some interface for showing you just the topics you're following (separate to 'unread topics' and 'unread replies' as we currently have) it would make even more sense to rename it.
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Nao

  • Dadman with a boy
  • Posts: 16,079
Re: Rename 'Notify'?
« Reply #2, on June 14th, 2013, 05:12 PM »
Wanchope, you haven't seen the French version, I used a great many different terms for this (s'abonner, adhérer, souscrire, s'inscrire, rejoindre...), and it makes me realize I should probably review them for consistency... :lol:

Arantor

  • As powerful as possible, as complex as necessary.
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Re: Rename 'Notify'?
« Reply #3, on June 14th, 2013, 05:16 PM »
If it's troublesome to translate, it suggests that the wrong convention is being used anyway ;)

I actually like how other software calls it 'Watched Topics' which is probably the fairest thing it could be called.

Wanchope

  • Posts: 234
Re: Rename 'Notify'?
« Reply #4, on June 14th, 2013, 06:00 PM »
Yes watch topic is also great, just any translation that will make it stand out, I have a feeling that this nice forum feature is greatly underused and once the potential is realised, it will be a very nice community feature.
Thanks.