'Most Recent:' isn't always correct

KeithP

When looking at the board index page - forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories - sometimes the information given about which thread has received the newest post and who made that post is not correct.


Here's an example...

this is currently the most recently updated thread on the Public Transport & Cycling board... 

 
...we can see that spenderdave made the most recent post on that thread, at 7:17pm and if we were to read that thread we would find that that is indeed correct.


However, if we look back at the categories page, we see different information...



The software has reported that the thread starter, On-the-coast, has made the most recent post, but the time attributed to that post is the exact time that spenderdave made his reply.

I should say that this is not an isolated example. It can be seen on other boards - probably all other boards - but on the busier boards it may be more tricky to spot.

Not the end of the world of course, but a bug nevertheless.

KeithP

Here is another example on this very board - the Site Feedback board.

This is currently the most recently updated thread on that board...

...we can see that thingamaBob made the most recent post on that thread, at 3:22pm today and if we were to read that thread we would find that that is correct.

However, if we look back at the categories page, we see different information...

The software has reported that the thread starter, lr1277, has made the most recent post, but the time attributed to that post is the exact time that thingamaBob made his reply.
In fact lr1277 has not made a post on MSE forums since 15 July at 9:45AM.

thingamaBob

KeithP said:

Here is another example on this very board - the Site Feedback board.

This is currently the most recently updated thread on that board...

...we can see that thingamaBob made the most recent post on that thread, at 3:22pm today and if we were to read that thread we would find that that is correct.

However, if we look back at the categories page, we see different information...

The software has reported that the thread starter, lr1277, has made the most recent post, but the time attributed to that post is the exact time that thingamaBob made his reply.
In fact lr1277 has not made a post on MSE forums since 15 July at 9:45AM.

I read this post then went straight to the Categories page where the Latest Post was showing as your post above, which is was correct.
ETA: After making this post it was showing this post as the Latest Post.

KeithP

thingamaBob said:

KeithP said:

Here is another example on this very board - the Site Feedback board.

This is currently the most recently updated thread on that board...

...we can see that thingamaBob made the most recent post on that thread, at 3:22pm today and if we were to read that thread we would find that that is correct.

However, if we look back at the categories page, we see different information...

The software has reported that the thread starter, lr1277, has made the most recent post, but the time attributed to that post is the exact time that thingamaBob made his reply.
In fact lr1277 has not made a post on MSE forums since 15 July at 9:45AM.

I read this post then went straight to the Categories page where the Latest Post was showing as your post above, which is was correct.
ETA: After making this post it was showing this post as the Latest Post.

Yes of course.
As soon as I made my second post on this thread the information regularised itself - simply because the 'Missing the (advanced) forum search' thread was no longer the most recently updated thread on this board.

It was silly of me to try and show this phenomenon on a thread/board that is actively being updated at the same time, but I was really just trying to show that it can occur on any board.

Just like to point out that because the board mentioned in my opening post has relatively low usage, that particular situation remains unchanged - i.e. the most recent post is still attributed to the wrong person.

KeithP

If one is looking for a really static example - and I imagine that would be useful to the forum's trouble-shooters - then can I suggest the Debate House Prices & the Economy board? That board has been locked for well over a year so the situation remains as static as it can be.

This is currently the most recently updated thread on that board...

...we can see that Getting_greyer made the most recent post on that thread, at 5.03pm on 27 March 2020 and if we were to read that thread we would find that that is correct.

However, if we look back at the categories page, we see different information...

The software has reported that the thread starter, AG47, has made the most recent post, but the time attributed to that post is the exact time that Getting_greyer made his reply.

KeithP

Over a year later and we are still seeing the same thing.

On this board a few minutes ago we could see that the 'most recent ' post was being reported as being made in February - i.e five months ago...

...and it lists the author of that post as the person who started that thread.

But when looking at the thread index list, we see that the actual 'most recent' post was made just two days ago - on 27 July - by someone entirely different...

BootsMullery

KeithP said:

Over a year later and we are still seeing the same thing.

On this board a few minutes ago we could see that the 'most recent ' post was being reported as being made in February - i.e five months ago...

...and it lists the author of that post as the person who started that thread.

But when looking at the thread index list, we see that the actual 'most recent' post was made just two days ago - on 27 July - by someone entirely different...

There is a long thread with recent posts about this here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6315635/latest-post-column-randomly-showing-posts-from-early-october#latest

MSE_James

@KeithP just to confirm both issues are known and are with our suppliers for resolution. I'll post an update on this board when there's progress.