Create a feed of journals that match an interest search

[stepps]

Title:
Create a feed of journals that match an interest search

Area:
feeds, entries, search, interests

Summary:
I'd like for there to be a feed of public posts from journals that have listed an interest that I've searched for or clicked the link of from my/someone's profile page.

Description:
Of cause currently searching for an interest or clicking the interest link from a profile produces a page with a list of communities and journals that have the same thing listed as an interest.

I think it'd be useful to also have a link on that page that goes to a feed of the most recent public posts in those journals and communities. This would allow people not only to see who likes the same things you like, but also what they're posting about, if they're still actively interested in the same thing. This would make finding people of like minds to friend easier (currently I open a bunch of comms/journals in tabs to read through), and also an easier way for those not dedicated to a particular interest to browse posts related to it without having to subscribe to those comms/journals (similar to the Latest Things feed, but more selective).

Poll #2393 Create a feed of journals that match an interest search

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 35

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This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
18 (51.4%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
2 (5.7%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
3 (8.6%)

(I have no opinion)
12 (34.3%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[mllesays]

I'm all for this (and I assume it goes without saying that these interest feeds would respect the choice to opt-out of being included in the latest thing feed).

[feathertail]

Maybe we could combine the opt-out from this with the opt-out from sitewide search? Because they both involve public exposure.

Anyway, I'd love this idea. >.>b Custom feeds auto-populated by interest would be a great way to discover new people. You can learn a lot more by skimming over someone's writing than by just seeing their default pic.

[mllesays]

Maybe we could combine the opt-out from this with the opt-out from sitewide search? Because they both involve public exposure.

Yes! That's what I was thinking of.

[msilverstar]

As profiles are public and clicking on an interest shows all the journals with that interest and public posts are public, it would almost be misleading to allow them to opt-out.

[lanterne_rouee]

I'd love this. Was just thinking the same thing recently, how handy it would be if it worked that way.

[msilverstar]

just curious about terminology, as I think RSS when I see the word "feed". Interest Reading Page perhaps?

[pseudomonas]

If we do it, why not implement both?

[stepps]

Well yes, I meant a reading page or Latest Things-like format... but with the discussion of getting a "feed" of your LJ friends into your Dw reading page, I just went with that to simplify it for myself. I don't think a RSS feed of an interest would be of any use, but the principle of getting posts in one place is similar to a RSS or ATOM feed? IDK.

[noracharles]

I would like for paid users to be able to read a latest things feed for all public, searchable entries tagged with a certain tag. All entries in journals with certain interests listed seems less useful to me, but why not?

Basically this would be the same thing we can already do with journal searches, tag tracking and interest searches, but quicker and easier.

And of course it should only be possible to do with searchable journals.

[stepps]

I think the problem with searching or subscribing to certain tags is that everyone tags differently. If you could set tag parameters, perhaps, but I know of many on my reading lists that use inside jokes, lyrics, or even just something funny they've made up to tag all posts on a certain fandom or topic. Interests on the other hand tend to be fairly conventionally listed. (My original thought was for more tags for the latest things feed page, or for users to add their own tags of interest when they use it, but the tagging issue is just what decided me against it's usability, though I still think it'd be a good option if it could be made usable).

[noracharles]

Yes, subscribing to tags would mean missing out on a lot of relevant posts, but searching journals means getting a lot of false positives. I search journals every week for a newsletter I edit, and I've often wished I could restrict the search to tags or to tags + subject lines.

I suppose the difference is, do you want to find journals to add to your reading page, or are you looking for information? I don't need to know absolutely everything people write about every subject I'm interested in, for me fewer but more relevant results would be preferable.

[ciaan]

I like the tag view idea, too.

[sorchasilver]

I wouldn't use it, but I have no objection to the feature provided it respects the journal's existing privacy settings - preferably the setting on inclusion in the Latests Things feed.

[cesy]

I'd rather just have more tag options in the Latest feed, which I think is being done anyway, rather than confusing things with another feature that is basically already covered.