need help using WP - a little overwhelmed

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Hi everyone,

I'm still trying to get used to to this site. I think this may be the Aspie in me coming out, but I try to look through the topics and there are SO MANY. So, when I see 800+pages to look through, I get overwhelmed. I spend a lot of time using Excel, so all I keep thinking is, "isn't there a way to sort/filter?" I tried the "Display topics from previous:" dropdown, but it didn't seem to do anything.

Does anyone else have this experience, or any idea what I can do to manage what I'm looking at?

I don't have all the time in the world, so all I can think of to do is pick one topic/thread at random every day to read.

I thought I might make friends here, but, with so much going on, I can't imagine bumping into the same person more than once.

I handle using Facebook pretty well, if that's any indication of how my brain works.

Thanks.

i'd only bother with 'page 1' of topics in each sub-section- most of the threads beyond that are long forgotten and finished with.

just browse through until something catches your eye/ is about a subject where you feel you have something worthwhile to input. If a topic's long and already has loads of replies, i usually just skim through them and read a few to get the jist of what's going on.

if you post in the same sections frequently you'll probably get to know a few people eventually(:

OK. That makes sense. Thanks so much.

Check the dates on the post times, especially for the first post of each thread. Sometimes the activity here is so high, threads get "bumped" onto the second or even third page, so it's okay to dig a little bit deeper than page one.


One thing a lot of users here don't care for though, is "resurrecting" really old threads. It's called "necro'ing" threads. Most of the really old stuff was started by users who either aren't here anymore, or aren't paying attention to the threads anymore.

Got it. Thanks for the advice.

That seems to be ignored. I have seen so many dead threads revived that it is a little ridiculous. I always check the dates.

"necro'ing" : never heard of this word.

It appears under many names. See these, for example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_%28Internet%29
and: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.p ... cro-thread

Traditionally, it's considered "bad form" to do this on many forums.

Necromancy is a sin

I understand the concept. It is usually refereed to as bumping a (dead) thread. I just haven't heard of the exact word "necro'ing" (from the verb "to necro").
I just find words (and language) sometimes fascinating. Urban Dictionary is cool sometimes. I wish it would give the entomology of some of the slang words, though. I am guessing it is from "necro" which is prefix for death. As in "necrosis", "necromancy", or "necrophilia" etc.

Newly-coined slang is very interesting sometimes.

Try the "view posts since last visit" link, it will bring up all the threads that have been posted on since you were last on here, here's a print screen to show you where;

Nice! That's great to know. Thanks.

I've never seen the problem with "necro posting" so long as the post that bumps the thread is relevant to the discussion and not something mundane or spammy. I'd prefer to post in an old thread than make a repeat one; something also looked down on.

It's a bit of a paradox on forums, because posting in an old thread is considered bad, but so is making a thread which repeats the topic of an existing thread. Like real life social rules, it makes very little sense.

Anyway, I hope you become more comfortable with WP as you spend more time here