Feedback → [request] Reply to thread

There are two ways to make a reply: "Reply" button on every post and "Reply OP" button at the bottom of the thread. When you click on the latter - your post will be marked as "reply to user" (where user is the account name of the OP). BTW, the post made with this button looks exactly the same as you click "Reply" button on the first post in the thread...

Everything looks fine. But what if someone doesn't want to make direct reply to the OP personally, but rather wants to participate in the whole thread discussion? At this time there is only one solution - put a disclaimer directly into the post: "this is just a general reply not particularly replied to user or anybody" (see example here).

Thinking about that it's easy come to a simple solution - rename the button on the bottom of the thread to "Reply to thread" and label every post made with this button as "reply to thread" instead of "reply to user".

In case if someone wants to make a reply to OP directly (and particularly, to his first post) - there is always common "Reply" button on the bottom of that post (as, BTW, in any other posts).

If it's implemented this way, it's easy to differentiate replies made to the thread from replies made to particular posts. And there is no need for any disclaimers (as mentioned above) anymore.

I think the object of the reply is to keep the thread on-topic which would be a reply to the OP. If not on-topic possibly start a new thread?

Here is yet another example when the differentiation would help. So far, you can't ask a question in the tread without someone taking it personally...

I certainly don't have any objection to your proposal, OZO, but it seems to me it might only further confuse things.

We have long-time members here who post regularly, yet still haven't figured out the difference between the two options that currently exist.
At least one member doesn't even seem to realize that "forums" are a feature of this site rather than "bases", which are non-existent here.

It's currently up to the thread-starter to determine if a reply is to him/her directly, rather than to the forum topic in general.
And most of the time, with/for most members, that determination isn't that tough to make.

Also, if you click on the user name noted in blue at the top of any reply (at least it exists within most replies), that will take you to the actual post being replied to.
Though granted, many people probably already fail to take advantage of that if they're uncertain where a reply is directed, as well as the proper 'reply' button having been misused to begin with wouldn't help in that situation.

But the situation you referenced above seems to be the fairly rare exception rather than the norm among thread-starters, I would say.

So again-- while I have no objection at all to your idea, I can't 'sign' either, because I foresee only regular misuse of that button option as well to be the likely outcome of the implementation.

Ah Man!!!

Also, *object*.

I guess next time I'll get into this situation I should remember to begin my post with this statement (as it was mentioned in the post above):
"this is just a general reply not particularly replied to user or anybody"

OR

just make a reply to myself (if it's possible, of cause), even if the next post will be logically unrelated to the previous one. No one will complain then, posting something like this - "why do you reply to me?" and forcing others to refrain from their potentially useful remarks there...

And all of this is just because we don't have the "Reply to thread" button at the bottom of the tread and therefore there is no way to make a post to the thread, not to some person in the thread.

That is possible.

Then you can reply to that post with "How the hell should I know? And what are you replying to me for anyway, when your post is obviously meant for the thread in general."

this.

Maybe remove the "reply to" part when people click the button at the bottom like I just did

May be change the name from "Reply OP" to "Contribute"?

If one wants to contribute to the thread - it's easy to do so with clicking on this button. Then no one will complain - "why did you reply to me?"