Is there a way to 'follow' a member? If not, can there be?

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I recently "discovered" a member whose work I really like. Thing is, he posts to a genre (sub-forum) that I rarely ever visit. So it would be so easy - even likely - that I forget all about him and his wonderful photos, simply because months & months could go by with me not visiting the particular sub-forum to which he posts.

If there is a way to "follow" a member, then I would add this guy to my "follow" list, and any time he posts I would see those new posts of his in my "notifications" list. I've looked to see if there's a way to follow him, but haven't been able to find it. At the bottom of each members signature page, it gives "actions you can do". The actions are:

Add member to your friend list
Add member to your ignore list
Write private message to member

It would be great if, right there in the "actions you can do" area, it would also say, "follow member".

Then, if you follow a member, perhaps you would get a choice of what shows up in your notifications - any new posts by the member, or just new threads that the new member starts. That would be a very useful option to have, and it would keep me from forgetting all about someone whose work I enjoy.

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When I joined POTN and saw the option to add a member to one's friend list, I thought I would get exactly the kind of updates you are now proposing. Of course that was and is not the case and apart from being able to find one's friends easily, I always wondered what the use of that particular list is. I have a number of people on mine but as it is I never look at it...

Over at:
https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17986771

PhotosGuy said he would "bring it up". I love the idea.

travisvwright wrote in post #18122310
Over at:
https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17986771
PhotosGuy said he would "bring it up". I love the idea.

Here's PhotosGuy's response, for those who are interested:

PhotosGuy wrote in post #17986800
I'll bring it up, but for now we have something almost like that. If you click on the members username in any post, about half way down there is:

Search for travisvwright
SEARCH: for threads by travisvwright
SEARCH: for posts by travisvwright
SEARCH: for posts with images by travisvwright

Yes, that works. And of course, we can always just click on a member's member page to see their started threads and posts. But to do that you would have to remember that there is that member. In other words, the ability to search for Travis Wright's posts does me no good if I don't even remember that there is a Travis Wright! And it is extremely likely that I will completely forget about many members, especially if they don't frequent the sub-forums that I do.

A follow list would remind me about people whom I would never remember or think about otherwise. The follow list on Flickr works great in that regard, as there is no way I would just happen to remember 100's of different members. Many of the folks over on Flickr would have been long forgotten if it weren't for my ability to "follow" them.

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Click on a members name.

A profile page opens.

Near the bottom of their profile page, you will find "Actions you can do"

The first is "Add insert name here to your friend list"

Neat idea. Specially since many members have a different or awkward screen name than they are known by. A Follow Member option would be ideal.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #18122321
Click on a members name.
A profile page opens.
Near the bottom of their profile page, you will find "Actions you can do"
The first is "Add insert name here to your friend list"

Jake, I kind of mentioned that in my initial post (quoted below), but then explained why I thought that a follow list may work a bit better.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18122132
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At the bottom of each members signature page, it gives "actions you can do". The actions are:

Add member to your friend list
Add member to your ignore list
Write private message to member

It would be great if, right there in the "actions you can do" area, it would also say, "follow member".

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Oops, must have misunderstood. I always thought that that would = "following"
But I have no friends!

I like the idea. It would probably provide more value than following threads.

So now I have to friend someone to find out exactly what it does...


So that's what friends are for! (Hello Marylin)
Now I have two friends.

Actively searching for their posts now is easy, but I totally agree that the follow idea would be a great addition!

I think it's easier to address PMs to a friend than to find the person in the member list, but sending a PM to someone whose post or profile page is in front of you is pretty easy, too.

Excellent Idea. As it stands the "friends" list is just a phone book. Much better to have a "Followed Friends" list.

For anyone following me, get the code for filtering stupid comments--especially anything posted after 10:00 p.m.. It's in your best interest. I'm just saying.