Thread Prefix Filter: AND vs. OR?

Costello · Sep 25, 2021

Hello,

With GBAtemp v8, we have reduced the number of categories/forums/subforums, to make it easier to browse the forums having more types of threads in one place.
On the other hand, to locate threads that pertain to your particular interests, we added Thread Prefixes to most threads and you can easily filter the thread listing by prefix:

If you click on a prefix here, the thread listing will be filtered to retain only threads that have this prefix.

If you want to filter using several prefixes, you can use the advanced filter here:

This filter can work two ways:
- "AND": the threads listed must contain both "Hacking" and "Homebrew game" prefix
- "OR": the threads listed must contain either "Hacking" or "Homebrew game" prefix

Currently we have it set to "OR".

In this poll, please let us know whether you prefer the AND, or the OR option, and if you can, let us know why

Costello · Sep 25, 2021

Personally, I prefer the "OR", because this brings additional possibilities.

- With the "AND", you can fine tune your filters and easily look for posts that correspond to your specific interests. However, it requires threads to have multiple prefixes. Until the upgrade, threads could only have 1 prefix (even so, thread prefixes were added quite late in the history of the site, only a few years back). With the upgrade, we added prefixes in bulk: some threads will now have 2 prefixes but they are rather rare occurrences.

- With the "OR", you can combine threads from different thematics into a single view. If you like Hacking and Emulation you can have both at the same time. This wasn't possible before when we had subforums.

In short, my vote is for the "OR". But feel free to discuss this issue, lets see what everyone else thinks

smileyhead · Sep 25, 2021

I think it makes sense to use ‘AND’ when searching for the average user. If I filter to the ‘Tutorial’ and ‘Hacking’ tags, I don't want to see gaming tutorials, for example.
Wouldn't it be possible to have the behaviour selectable via radio buttons?

Seriel · Sep 25, 2021

Personally I prefer that, regardless of the outcome, you don't change it from its current setting unless you make it an option on the filter (and then not change the default)
Whatever it is set to, people are going to get used to it and then extremely confused when it changes.

All that aside, I prefer the OR operator. Though I do acknowledge the potential use for AND.

Cyan · Sep 25, 2021

AND makes more sense to fine tune, but like you said some (and older) threads only have one.. or none if users don't pick one when creating a thread.
OR would help in that case to display both tags (thread with tag1 AND thread with tag2).
is there a "no tag" option to list non-tagged threads "only" instead of all of them? I already saw few threads without tags as users don't attach any when creating new threads. It could be useful to add tags to them.

If possible, adding a switch for AND/OR would be nice

notimp · Sep 25, 2021

Doesnt matter. People will not keep using them, as its not a default option.

In less then half a year, the "old systems" forum will become totally unusable.

I stress this once more - please, at least split it into a mobile and non-mobile section, while you still can. The amount of different themes/requests is maddening.

From why is my Pokemon green, to guyz - what is best flashcard, to GBA its me favourite, to what should I do with isos (without context); to cheap HDMI solution for OG Xbox to silent fan mod solution for your PS2 to - guyz I have this GBA flashcard, to my iPhone update failed, ... how...

The decision to create one "wastebin" forum for older systems, and rely on people using the correct thread prefixes, might sound great in theory, in practice, its pretty devastating. (Backspace deleted "metal" which was my first word choice.)

JuanMena · Sep 25, 2021

@Costello This is why I can't find the option to hide Forums? Or that's something totally different?

About poll:
'OR' is the best option for me.
'AND' feels like it has to have all the *prefixes in one to work.

With 'OR' feels like it's separting *prefixes individually, easier to sort.

The Real Jdbye · Sep 25, 2021

Both are useful in different scenarios, the best option would be to have a checkbox.
Or how about this. Keep it the way it is but add a prefix filter to the advanced search that uses "AND". Since people using search likely know what they are looking for, more precise control over filtering is useful there.

Thread Prefix Filter: AND vs. OR?

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