'Thread/Forum Read Marking Type' choose not in admincp

[plcguru]

I'm now running 3.8.11 after 'upgrade' from 3.7.x and don't see 'Thread/Forum Read Marking Type' in the admincp->vbulletin options->general settings
My users are complaining about the forum read feature(I guess it's on database setting) and I want to reset it to the Inactivity/Cookie Based setting but the function doesn't seem to be in my control panel. Any ideas where to find it or why it's not there?

Thanks

[Mark.B]

That option was removed in 3.8.11. It has no relevance on the modern web where people use multiple devices. It causes people to think the feature is broken because when they view the site on a second device, the threads they read earlier on the first device are now unread again.

Now, once a thread is read, it is read, regardless of device.

The usual reason users want it back is because they want posts they have already read, to still be listed under New Posts. This is obviously ludicrous as it's supposed to be a list of UNREAD posts.
For that functionality, make "Today's Posts" available to members rather than just guests. That will achieve what is required.

[plcguru]

Would you kindly verify it's truly been removed and not some other issue I caused during upgrade as
1- I have not found found via search here anyone else complaining it gone in 3.8.11
2- why is it still selection in my 5.5.6 fresh install if it truly not relevant? Screenshot attached...

Thanks for your help!

[Mark.B]

It has been removed.

The option was taken out of vB4 and vB3.

If the option still exists in vB5 it won’t do anything. There’s an ongoing program to remove obsolete admincp options from vB5.

[Wayne Luke]

1- I have not found found via search here anyone else complaining it gone in 3.8.11

The majority of customers didn't use Cookie Based Read marking in 2015. Since cookies don't carry over to other devices, it doesn't fit the modern internet where people access sites from multiple devices throughout the day.

[plcguru]

The majority of customers didn't use Cookie Based Read marking in 2015. Since cookies don't carry over to other devices, it doesn't fit the modern internet where people access sites from multiple devices throughout the day.

Ok, but why would you remove an 'option' not a forced requirement, unless it was a security issue or something ur company needed to maintain in a future version. This is eol.
I could maybe see changing default state from cookie to db but eliminating a choice seems odd.
Anyway that's my 2cents that doesn't make a difference but I thought I'd share it lol.

You'll probably tell me to ask in the vb5 section but is what's written above, that the feature doesn't work in 5.5.6 even though it's in the admincp, true too?

Thanks!

[Mark.B]

Ok, but why would you remove an 'option' not a forced requirement, unless it was a security issue or something ur company needed to maintain in a future version. This is eol.
I could maybe see changing default state from cookie to db but eliminating a choice seems odd.
Anyway that's my 2cents that doesn't make a difference but I thought I'd share it lol.

You'll probably tell me to ask in the vb5 section but is what's written above, that the feature doesn't work in 5.5.6 even though it's in the admincp, true too?

Thanks!

It doesn't work in vB5 no, as I said. The option just hasn't been removed.

it's an obsolete option that dates back to when the internet was a different place. These days, with the way people use websites, it just leads people to assume the site is broken because threads they have already read, show as unread again.

As mentioned, if your users are saying they still want to see threads they have read, direct them to "Today's Posts", which will show unread in bold but will also list read threads.

[Wayne Luke]

Ok, but why would you remove an 'option' not a forced requirement, unless it was a security issue or something ur company needed to maintain in a future version. This is eol.

I wasn't someone who made that decision. It was made by the developer who finished out the development of vBulletin 3 and 4. I don't know what the decision was that led to its removal. I only know that it was removed and it isn't being returned.