“Notify” is such an underrated feature. Why does it only work with topics? I think it should work with replies too.
I’ve participated in many Discourse communities over the past five years or so. In that span of time, I’ve only ever seen “Notify” be used a few times. It’s often neglected and most users don’t seem to know that it even exists. When it does actually happen to be used by a user, it usually results in a lot of confusion from the recipient who is clueless and ends up asking what it is.
I think that expanding the use cases of “Notify” would really help bring it into the spotlight. Currently, you have to scroll all the way to the bottom of a topic and click on the “Share” button to actually find it. Most people don’t seem to use that button and instead use the “Share” button that can be found in the original post. For whatever reason, “Notify” doesn’t even show up when you click on that button. Even if that was “fixed” per se, I still think that “Notify” should be able to work with replies.
Also, what about a dedicated button for “Notify” next to the “Share” button or something like that? Maybe through a plugin instead?
It hasn’t come up as a request that often as far as I know (this is the first I can recall), but people have been confused by the differences between the topic and reply share modals before… so more consistency wouldn’t hurt.
I do wonder how much use the notify feature gets… If I had to guess I’ve used it/been notified by it <5 times ever. Not sure if this indicates it needs to be more prevalent… or if it means it doesn’t need to exist.
This is the first time I’m noticing it exists and is a feature I may use more 1) that I know it exists and 2) if it were attached to the specific post and not the overall topic.
I wonder if over time, I’ll want it to also have the ability to include a short message so the person has some context into why I’m notifying them, otherwise I may find myself adding the extra step to send them a message or chat to clue them in and at that point, I might as well just send them the link in the message/chat. I believe the invite feature has an option for a message and yet I also know that it goes through email, not just a notification in the user account.
I’ve also wanted the ability to have the invite button in the post share menu, not just the topic share menu, as sometimes I want to invite someone at a specific part of the conversation. I recognize this may be a more complex change though.
Overall, I worry a bit if people start sharing more to specific posts instead of the overall topic about what ramifications that’ll have on conversation dynamics, yet I imagine you all may have more seasoned perspectives on how that might play out.
I asked for it, but very obliquely and ineffectively within the context of asking for this to apply to groups as well.
The combination would be super helpful, as a way to more gently notify users / groups than the rather sledgehammer-like @mention (which forces people to watch the topic)
That is because it is buried down in the topic share setting at the bottom of the page. I think that most folk would try and share the topic by clicking on the button on the OP so would never see it. Certainly I only found it by accident a few months ago - and fell in love with it immediately!
I also hadn’t noticed the notify option. I don’t know what it does or the difference between it and invite either!
Edit: just checked – is it that notify notifies existing users via the notification panel (I guess a green number like a PM), and invite invites a non-member by email (unlike invite to a PM topic which is to users via the notification panel).
button on the OP so would never see it. Certainly I only found it by accident a few months ago - and fell in love with it immediately!
