# Default mode for long topics: active "summarize this topic"

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [March 13, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024 "2017-03-13T19:36:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Pad\_Pors](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pad_pors/32/52016_2.png) [@Pad\_Pors](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Pad_Pors)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/1 "2017-03-13T19:36:04Z")

</div>

Is it possible to put long topics in “summarize this topic” active-mode, so that best replies are shown in long discussion in the first glance.

then if someone wants to un-hide other topics he can simply press the hidden items.

This is because usually newbie users go to top list, and see long discussion, and don’t see “summarize the topic” at first (they have already scrolled down the topic).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [March 13, 2017, 7:39pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/2 "2017-03-13T19:39:51Z")

</div>

I have been thinking about this a bit.

I noticed Reddit is now effectively forcing summaries on their older archived topics..

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/d/1/d1f9032d37d95f54c92edbe33beabafb7613be93.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2017, 6:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/3 "2017-07-08T06:22:15Z")

</div>

I do wonder if we should at least offer this as a site setting.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![elijah](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/elijah/32/104055_2.png) [@elijah](https://meta.discourse.org/u/elijah)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/4 "2017-07-08T21:42:33Z")

</div>

I think that setting would be helpful for sites that have very long topics. _cough_ imgur _cough_

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2017, 12:09am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/5 "2017-07-13T00:09:09Z")

</div>

Another example of reddit “auto-shortening” topics like this, for new arrivals who aren’t logged in:

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/0/b/0bd94b5524f040b53a2ef397f6ffbf6475335f52.png)

It is quite hard to see that “load more comments” link…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ron\_jeremy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/ron_jeremy/32/56621_2.png) [@ron\_jeremy](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ron_jeremy)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2017, 4:43am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/6 "2017-07-13T04:43:02Z")

</div>

> [@codinghorror](#):
>
> who aren’t logged in

I’d love to see an option like that where visitors could see only topics (first post) but would have to login to see any of the replies.

[ktmtalk.com](http://ktmtalk.com) implements this, but every now & then "opens’ their forum to visitors for a brief period before locking the doors again.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/codinghorror/32/110067_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://meta.discourse.org/u/codinghorror)
#### Post date: [July 13, 2017, 4:44am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/7 "2017-07-13T04:44:17Z")

</div>

Not happening on my watch, sorry! That would need to be some kind of plugin.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ryanerwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/ryanerwin/32/94589_2.png) [@ryanerwin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/ryanerwin)
#### Post date: [April 6, 2018, 7:22am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/8 "2018-04-06T07:22:37Z")

</div>

> [@Pad\_Pors](#):
>
> Is it possible to put long topics in “summarize this topic” active-mode, so that best replies are shown in long discussion in the first glance.

> [@codinghorror](#):
>
> I do wonder if we should at least offer this as a site setting.

Any further thoughts about turning on “Summarize this topic” by default?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![pvincent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pvincent/32/137856_2.png) [@pvincent](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pvincent)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2020, 3:22pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/default-mode-for-long-topics-active-summarize-this-topic/59024/9 "2020-04-26T15:22:09Z")

</div>

> [@ryanerwin](#):
>
> Any further thoughts about turning on “Summarize this topic” by default?

I would like to have this in the settings panel too.  
According to me, it should not be a big pain because this feature already exists, and by appending on any topic the flag `?filter=summary` overrides default display