As you can see CTH 2.0 is launching a new comment platform to improve the features and user engagement we have all come to appreciate. Here is some background information about this comment process that will likely answer questions. Please book-mark this post and share it for those who do not read the site updates and just go into the comments.
Because we are free from the constraints of WP/Automattic we are able to explore features that many Treepers have asked for. We have selected comment software from WPDiscuz (not affiliated with Disqus in any form) specifically because we can control the platforms internal content according to our privacy demands.
No outside system is gathering any user data or content on the commenting platform, everything within CTH 2.0 is being built on a very stable and private proprietary foundation.
The ability to add videos, graphics, pictures, tweets, scribd embeds and other functions is now present in the comment section. This is called “Oembeds”, and it is live right now. However, we will not be activating a feature that allows you to upload images or videos directly from your computer. If the image/video has a url, it should be visible.
There are other features we will likely add to the comments section, but we must go painstakingly slow, and here’s why….
At each step in the process of adding features we have to pause and measure the impact on server capacity to support the addition. Each feature creates a small amount of data that communicates with the servers in real time (ie. the bandwidth). Think of it like a pipe, and each feature adds data into the pipeline… the pipe has a capacity… we add, then evaluate, ensure pipe capability/stability, then move on. The issue is scale.
CTH 2.0 is a massive community of simultaneous users. Each user engagement requires a live-time upload of data from server to you. The page load time is directly related to the bandwidth capacity… if there are a lot of simultaneous users the level of data transfer can overwhelm the pipe…. it can clog and freeze.
Additionally, each new feature creates a draw from the server capacity at the end of the pipeline. For lack of a better explanation this is the CDN rate. CDN = Content Delivery Network. CTH 2.0 is a massive load of data that updates for each user as they land on the homepage and visit the articles. Again, it is a matter of scale. As we said before CTH is a community, essentially a social media platform, working inside a website.
Our community engagement, the size of our commenting community, exceeds almost all other types of websites except for social media sites. Those sites are specifically designed for community engagement… CTH 2.0 is leading the charge back to the era before Big Tech took control of content delivered to you.
The content in the community (the comment section) is derived from your choices, your freedom. It is your discussion and we are stewards protecting your conversation.
With 5,000 simultaneous users on-site at any given moment, the bandwidth demand is large. With 100,000+ unique daily users and 500,000 page views per day, the data load (CDN rate) on the servers is large. We are chewing up about 5 terabytes of server space per day even with two cache services hosting the older content. We always knew our data load was heavy, we just didn’t know how heavy. This is why almost all other suggested solutions for our CTH 2.0 launch would not work. It is a scale issue.
All of these are essentially good problems. The rebel alliance is strong and the assembly is large. We just need to consider that each small 4gb feature addition for a single user has a magnitude of impact based on the scale of our assembly.
Think about walking into a bar with 100,000 friends and everyone orders one drink at the same time. The bartenders (servers) are going to get overwhelmed pretty quick, and the beer kegs will run dry fast. Then think about everyone ordering two drinks. That’s the type of scale issue we are navigating while keeping the bar open.
With all that in mind we initiated the new comment system with Oembed functions activated. Now we watch a little while and make sure the pipes (bandwidth) and servers (CDN rate) can handle the data load.
Then we add the “likes feature”, and we watch again… we keep repeating this process with every feature until we have safely checked-off our priority list. There are a lot of features we want to provide while at the same time the server host is trying to figure out what the level of our site demand actually is. Again, good problems, but this is unknown territory.
So the proprietary comment platform we have selected is stable, private and secure. It also allows us to add features that you have requested. We just need to measure the impact of each addition as we move along.
Also, CTH is modeled on an eleven year-old platform theme. It is reliable, but it is also clunky, heavy and not as streamline as modern tech can provide. As described, CTH is a heavy data-tank on a highway with the ability to collapse the road. We need to modernize and get faster while retaining the depth and purposeful mission priority.
We need to change our theme platform to be responsive to the type of device you are using making it easier to navigate the site from phones and iPad type devices. The engineers are working on a proposal, and a test site is experimenting. The good news is our site content is not complex and the modernization should not be too difficult. In essence, CTH presents itself differently, more user friendly, depending on the type of device you are using.
Additionally, one of our priorities right now is establishing an email notification system where you can subscribe to automatic notifications of new posts etc. As with almost all systems of this type (there are many) it involves the use of a third party email transmission process. Y’all are aware that privacy is a CTH priority, so we are being very careful about vetting the service and setting up this notification system to protect CTH users.
CTH does not compile user information, does not engage in the manufacture of processes that assemble lists of users or any user data. We are working to ensure we do not end up creating an external list of subscribers that would be vulnerable to exploitation. Your privacy in all matters related to CTH engagement is my priority. This new commenting platform can also deliver that type of email notification service, we are evaluating.
Thanks again for bearing with us as we work through some technical issues, search for optimal solutions, and fiercely retain the original values and mission priority of the Treehouse. The Truth Has No Agenda
Myself and the incredibly hardworking site admins consider ourselves stewards to this community. YOU are what matters. Your ability to analyze, discuss, crowdsource and provide your comments on the subject matter is what makes CTH home. We will NEVER remove a commenting function from our website.
In fact, it is the crowd-sourcing work we have done as a community that has been the most thrilling and brilliant part of our work together. I will never lose that focus. The key to Treehouse 2.0 is recognizing we have built something within a big tech ecosphere that wants to see us removed. By being proactive we have avoided some serious challenges and that makes us better stewards for our conversation.
Remember, YOU are the important part.
Without you CTH doesn’t really have a purpose. Individually we could stand outside shouting at trees with no impact; but together, sitting on the figurative cyber-porch, the conversation is rich with unique skill-sets, subject matter experts and life-long experiences that make discussion so much more valuable. Myself and the CTH admin team cherish the value you represent.
Please share your feedback and suggestions on the comment platform. Does it work for you? What do you like or not like about it. We will modify, when possible, based on feedback.
Love to all,
~ Sundance
Awesome!
Just so long as I don’t see those miserable blurry, out of focus pictures before I can comment, I bees one happy camper! Now I gotta see if I can finally
overstrike. Oh! Happy day ? ? ?Now just one question – I see a notification switch, is that active, or in place for eventual e-m notification?
edit – hallelulia!!!
Thanks for all the hard work!!!
?
Hello Patriots !
The Last Refuge of the Rebel Alliance.
I would buy that T-shirt
The Truth Has No Agenda
Me too
(5) XXXLT, please.
Testing your bits, bytes and maybe a nibble now.
One thing I miss: after commenting I jump to the article, not to my place in the comments.
Waiting for that “LIKE” button.
Maybe should have started with a larger “PIPE.”
As Jackie Gleason used to say, “And, away we go!”
What! An edit feature???
Checking out the reply feature and options, but not seeing an edit button yet.
Trying bold here. Italics. Underline.
Double spacing for paragraphs appears to give an extra line, as I write in the comment box.
My PJ avatar has disappeared, will it show when I post?
Checked the bell and will see what happens.
Wow! Everything’s perfect! What a great way to start my day off! Thanks, CTH team!
Now, I see the “manage comment” icon (for editing) appears to the lower right of your comment, if you hover over it.
Not so sure I like editing. It can permanently change the history of conversation, and people are better stewards of their own words when they must take some care before posting.
I’ll back you on that, PJ. Depending on replies to a comment, you can go back and get rid of whatever it was that generated the replies and it’s like it never happened.
I don’t mind the typos. Most of the time they are one-letter-off typos or reversed letter typos. And some are not typos, but the product of Auto-Corrupt changes.
If something really has me puzzled, I’ll ask what was meant in a reply. I’ve only had to do that a half-dozen or so times.
The future is certain. Only the past is uncertain.
Agree completely. Minor typos not a big deal. People posting hastily because they just have to be the first to reply, is. Knowing one’s comment is permanent has kept CTH comments cogent and thoughtful.
The ability to change comments after the fact can alter the entire meaning of a comment string. More importantly, it impacts what others have written in response.
Elsewhere, I’ve seen where older threads no longer make any sense after editing, and people replying look foolish. Not fair. If there’s something offensive, the moderators have the power to clean it up or remove it, or even ban said poster.
Sundance has gone to great effort to preserve our words for history. We should continue to use care, also.
I get your all’s point on the edit feature.
I wonder if it would be possible to set the original comment from being edited and only allow you to add to your own comment as a p.s. kinda like we used to use reply to our own comments to edit them.
We do get a timestamp of an edit taking place.
However, I want to thank the CTH TEAM for the effort it took to come up with and add this feature.
Hmmm. I really don’t like to post comments then review and see a silly typo. Its a personal thing based on my Perfect Melancholy character trait. I feel bad whenever that happens.
That said, I agree about changing the meaning of the responses. I post on another conservative forum. There comments cannot be edited after 10 minutes. That could be a solution.
Yes, but bright side, there will be fewer posts blaming spell checker.
The ability to “edit” a comment disappears once someone has replied underneath it.
However, I’m not sure what happens if one is in the process of editing ones own comment and someone replies under the comment being edited.
Once the post button is pushed (on the comment being edited) does the edit go through or does the edit fail as the person replying prevents the edit from going through.
Also, I noticed that even on one of my own comments with no replies, the ability to edit disappears after about 15 minutes.
Thanks, that would actually be a perfect solution for edits. (Time limit, and not after replies.) Will check and see how it’s responding for me. 🙂
Thank you for this information; that was a “concern” of mine, where the meaning of replies would not make sense due to the original comment being edited.
Your welcome ~
I’ve seen trolls abuse the edit feature on another site by verbally attacking a user; that user then responds in anger; the troll then edits the “attack” out of their original comment so that the trolls original comment appears reasonable and the user (who was attacked by the troll) appears to have unreasonably lost control.
Trolls also like to do the same thing while debating a user except when the troll has lost an debate, the troll edits their out their own disproven points or case they(the troll) put forward in prior comments.
Fortunately, the current CTH edit function prevents this sort of abuse by trolls.
Wow… Amazing what these cretins invent!
It is unfortunate that trolls exist, like evil that is always around us. Thank you for being on the watchtower keeping us safe and aware.
Agreed about not liking the edit feature
Hi PJ
Here’s a bell test.
PJ – The edit is in the “manage” symbol (the little gear over to the right)
It works!
How ’bout that!
“We’re in the money, we’re in the money
We’ve got a lot of what it takes to get along
We’re in the money, the skies are sunny
Old man depression you are through.”
It looks like that “quick” time-limited edit feature sundance mentioned. I noticed an icon that looks like a gear on a previous comment – but when I pressed it, I got a message that it was no longer editable.
A time-limited edit would be just fine for that one pesky word one frequently notices just after pressing Post Comment.
I’m going to give it a try, and if it works, the following question mark will become an exclamation mark.
!
Yes, it works. Fantastic. But I recommend we use it sparingly to avoid overwhelming the system!
Love that the typography emphasis (ha…had to look that up) are built in!
For now just hit bold at the bottom of the comment box and your text will come out darker.
No offense, but improving readability is not really the purpose of bold text in a forum – it’s for emphasis, or maybe even headings in a slightly longer piece. Using it for entire posts is lot like using all caps letters.
I’m sure that, once a whole lot of worldwide dust settles, sundance and team will enhance their posting guidelines concerning the new features.
Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*
Thanks, Elrond. We need more of inspirational messages these days.
The hour of doom; it is not our doom.
One of the best movie moments EVER!! This day we fight!!??????
Thank you for the updates, CTH is very important to me.
Thank you for everything.
.
I do not like the gray type color. Black is much easier to read.
Agreed. Nor sure why anyone ever went to gray.
Gray is difficult for me as well.
Love it. Tuesday 12/7/20 is going to be an awesome day! #MAGA and Long Live CTH 2.0
oops 12/8/20 my bad
You can edit your comment. You don’t have to do an additional correction post like in the past.
Good morning everyone and I hope all have a Blessed day!
Reporting for duty.
What happened to my avi…
hmmmmmm
gosh.. it was there all along… woot woot.. pretty nifty
A few curtains, a couple plants here and there.. I’d say you have a winner..
? ?
God bless you, Sundance
Okay, I’m playing too. We all have to learn!
Mornin’ Menage!
Wow, y’all are here! 😀
So you know if the edit function has a time limit? That would actually be VERY good.
My “manage comment” icon for my two posts above has now disappeared when I hover.
The edit option has been replaced with “Hide Replies” in my first comment. My second one still has the option, so I think there is a time limit, although not sure how long. SOme have no limit. Others 5 mins.
Same here. Some do, some don’t.
Yes, great to see you both, and what a fine new user interface you’ve given us to play with – I’m like a cat in cream over here…
One question – any word from Grandma C or a chance of contacting her?
Hey there, Menagerie! (And Ad rem below), Peoria! The more I walk around the Treehouse, the more excited I am.
Fantastic Sundance! Love this place
Yea!
The box to post an original comment (not a reply) is at the top for me, instead of the bottom where it always was.
Not sure that’s good. Makes it too easy for people to post without even trying to look at comments. For those of us who do read comments before posting, we must then scroll up to make an OP.
(Please keep the rules about reading content before posting. It has been one of the most important reasons CTH comments stand apart from other sites.)
Per the post, the theme will eventually be updated/replaced, I plan to lobby for a top of page button to be put at the bottom of the page which would be helpful in many ways.
(no matter where the comment box ends up)
I was pulling for a link to Home Page at the bottom, but your idea makes better sense. Returning to the top of article would make it easier for referencing, and from there a simple click to return to Home Page or newer/older comments also.
On Firefox, Ctrl-Home takes you back to the top of the page. Probably works with other browsers too.
Jeff I am bamboozled that I never checked for an iOS keystroke to do that in all these years. I just tested command+up arrow and it works! Many thanks!
And a compliment I neglected to make to sundance and team – the new page numbering at the bottom is a dream come true for me. No more editing URLs. Love it!
Morning PJ and all others!
PJ, where did you find the ‘post an original comment box? I can’t seem to find one at top or bottom of page.
It’s the big “join the discussion” box at the top of the comment section.
OK, never mind, I figured it out–point and click in the “join the discussion box”.
Love the new look and functions. You all have done an awesome job in a very short time frame.
I agree that the original comment box should return to the bottom to encourage everyone to read the comments prior to posting.
It would also be nice to have the Older Comments and Newer Comments functionality at the top and bottom. I frequently use these functions at the top so I don’t have to scroll all the way to the bottom. Scrolling is pretty slow on my phone and tablet.
Hmm, what happens if I push this button here?
Testing scar tissue…
??Ok,
strikethroughdoesn’t work on emojis, I was curious.Looks pretty nice, all considered. Trying black default text might be worth a try.
I understand the need to add features slowly to test the pipe and appreciate your cautious approach, we certainly don’t want to burst it. Looking forward to the mobile formatting down the road a bit.
Bold, not bold.
…Building a home in the wilderness. (A hostile wilderness, “within a big tech ecosphere that wants to see us removed”). Well, here we go, posting this scrap now…
And…off to “awaiting for approval”…hmmm
I like the setup. Still figuring out different functions. Will I have to sign in again with each device? That looks like a yes.
I check in here several times a day; the transition was very smooth. Congrats and thanks!
Sundance
The treehouse is looking better each day, as you and your staff work out the kinks. I am just so glad that we are no longer under restraints with word press
prefer black text for comments.
find the grey hard to read.
grateful the tablet issues are being addressed.
p.s.: with each tech update post, i marvel at the hours of work behind the scenes.
do you folks have time to eat??
absolutely convinced the deplatforming was specifically timed to divert sundance and crew at this critical juncture, perhaps even to take the treehouse offline entirely.
yet, here it is – bigger, stronger, and faster!
nice work!
(with apologies to the six million dollar man.?)
The grey is a little harder on older eyes. Guess we just get stronger glasses! If it preserves space in the pipeline, I can live with it (at least for the time being!)! Thanks for the new and improved CTH2.0.
At least the articles are in black font. It may mean a little less time spent reading comments but be that as it may, the articles are the more important things here!
this is a test.
Brilliant! CTH Rocks!
And rolls… So happy we can now reply but dang I miss the “like” button. Call me crazy but it was such a simple pleasure — a quick acknowledgment and kudos to the brilliant, unexpecting poster 😉
After reading these posts, then going through the Presidential Daily postings, I think the fonts should be changed to black and maybe a little larger. But all in all, this is a fantastic accomplishment and a great start. Thank you for your hard work and efforts.
I am viewing this thread and commenting on a laptop.
2nd edit: The font color (Black) and font size in the articles we are posting to are perfect and easy to read.
Agreed. The old font style was easier to read – both darker and larger:
color: rgb(51,51,51);font-family: Georgia, ‘bitstream charter’, serif; font-size: 16px;)
than the current which reduces text size by 2px and fades color by 27% (68/255):
color: rgb(119,119,119); font-family: Georgia, ‘bitstream charter’, serif; font-size: 14px;)
Thanks, Sundance. Excellent work, all round.
DancesWithWolverines,
On my Samsung Notepad, am able to expand the lettering by the two finger spread. Whatever it is called, not that tech savvy anymore.
Makes it easier to read, with the lockdown finding some new doctors is problematic.
Added an edit after problematic, Sundance etal. This is GREAT
Dances with Wolverines, You can hit [Ctl] + [+] and it will increase the size of your type. That’s a windows feature.
And keep the drinks coming.
is there a way to change comment display order? Like “Show Newest Comments First”?
No, but you can jump to “hottest thread” or “most reacted comment.” Kinda cool!
What counts as a reaction? And if we are notified of a reaction, how are we notified?
Not sure exactly how “most reacted” is calculated, but would assume it is the number of replies to a comment. In other words, you can click to see the comment which has generated the most replies.
This is not something you’d be notified about, it’s interactive. You click the button to see them.
The “Hottest Comment Thread” is the one I have yet to figure out. It will surely involve algorithms.
Comments are now listed by page number (at the bottom of each page.) I like that new feature.
Great!
No party can benefit from their own fraud. Once fraud is established, the election is void.
Woo hoo!! You all are amazing!!
Like one of my favorite posters next door at Stellas, this site is Lovely!
Like the new timestamp feature, gives the time from when the post was made instead of an actual time, that was somewhat unclear with the different time zones. And the edit function!
Thanks for all of the time and energy spent to keep us all together.
I can’t wait ’til all the bugs are worked out, but in the meantime, I’m a patient man.
Bravo! Trying to figure out how to get my Avatar back.
If you were already registered with Gravatar, then you must use that username and email in the boxes here when you comment. Your avatar will automatically appear when you post.
https://en.gravatar.com/
I looked at that website but the “how to use gravitar” tab is Greek to me. Is it easy to get one after you log into it?
Go to the “Help” tab at the top. It will pop down instructions and info for the basic user. (The other info is for site developers.)
Good morning PJ! Unfortunately I deleted my WP a/c when we thought our avatar would follow us here. And even tested it once and it did before I deleted my WP a/c. So now I think I have to open another a/c there with a new username. I like my username but considering adding a ‘1’ after it. Do you think that’s a problem here? Thank you PJ.
Thanks PJ ! I just picked a new one, I don’t see it yet but I am posting to see if it shows up. Maybe it takes time.
Oh awesome! There it is, thank you very much : )
I like it… a lot!
Sundance, I appreciate all your efforts into making this a wonderful place to spend my time. You are doing a fantastic job. Thank you.
You are doing such a great job
test
Comment to see if I can actually log in
Maybe CTH can become the new Deep State…the Third Wave…the Shadow Government…
…you know…it’s the “scale” thing, seen from 30,000 feet…much is possible, Grasshopper…but pick up your feet, you must not tear the rice paper, remember…
test test
It is awesome. Thought you guys might have sold out to the Oligarchs in Palo Alto but I know better.
Well done
But the end is now the beginning and the beginning….
Actually took me several days to figure out how to post back in 2016-17. One reason I always do replies. Having Post at top of blog is intuitive and logical.
Having the comment box at the top discourages people from reading through the comments before posting. Many of the questions posted in this thread have already been answered, if people would just read.
It’s like people who talk all the time, but never listen. Makes for lousy conversation. 😉
I agree 100%. As a retired teacher, how many times have I had to said Just read it to my students. But that takes time and even as adults some of us did not learn that important lesson.
Thank you Sundance and everyone involved!
Ditto