Thread or Topic?

Which one do you think is more significant for naming a discussion, Thread or Topic?

I have to go with Topic as I find it more recognizable. I never understood why some forum software used Thread instead of Topic. Topic makes the most sense for naming a discussion while thread makes no sense, but we have become accustomed to it.

Think about the new people just starting out foruming, im sure it might confuse them a bit when they see "Start a new thread" while im sure "Start a new topic" would be more easy to understand.

XenForo, MyBB, vBulletin use "Thread" while IPB, and phpBB use "Topic". Which phrase do you prefer and why?

 

Well I guess I am kinda used to seeing thread more often then topic but I guess that's because I am such a big MyBB user that I don't really notice. I don't really care either as I see the two as being pretty much the same thing so it doesn't phase me all that much.

However I do think that "Topic" is a much better term and for especially people that are new and don't know what "Thread" is suppose to really stand for.

 

Agreed, its not a big deal to me either as I dont have a problem with either one just that I see "Topic" as the best phrase out of the two, and that its less confusing for new forumers. But I am more used to using Thread over Topic.

 

I like Topic a lot more, but I just stick to whatever the forum software uses.

 

Yea and really it's all preference and new forumers if they really want to figure it out can either message a staff member or anymore you can simply google the term and I am sure someone has the definition somewhere.

 

I'm pretty sure most if not all new forumers learn what they mean in a couple of hours when looking through a forum.

 

Yea same here, it doesn't bother me.

Yea im sure too, but its less confusing to them when they are first posting and see "Start a new topic" as opposed to "Start a new thread" as we all know what topic means.

 

Topic seems to be the more popular phrase for new postings these days. I remember back in the day (4 or 5 years ago) that everything used to be 'Reply to this thread', 'Make a new thread', 'Thread this needle for me please', and things along those lines.

 

Haha reminds me of this pic.

 

Im used to the saying Thread than Topic

If I had the chance to use IPB reuse and use PHPBB then I would say Topic

 

Im used to saying Thread as well... but if I had a choice it would be Topic. But its not a big deal to me though.

 

Topics to discuss in,etc. Threads are more for automated stuff coming from post bots, etc. that may not have any discussion worthy content in it.

 

I say both.

Like comment on that thread or post a thread. But then keep on "topic" chatting on my topic, etc...

I say both

 

For me, it depends. Am I talking about a specific subject, or a broad subject? If it is a specific subject, I will go with topic. If it is a broad subject, then I go with threads.

Same thing when people want more boards on my forum. If they want a new board added, I tell them to start making topics based around that subject, and if it gets popular, then I make the boards.

 

Thats a good way to differentiate the two

 

I'm used to "Thread" but I like "Topic" more, and so my use of each is varying.

 

Yea I am use to thread as well, but it doesn't make much sense if you think about it. Topic suits a discussion better, and its much easier for new forumers to understand.

 

Discussions aren't threaded any longer, this isn't usenet. It's a term from the dark ages of the forum (formerly: BBS) world, and I think we shall see the rise of "Topic" rather than "Thread" in the future.

 

Didn't vB first use the term, or another software?

 

I believe it was infopop with their UBB.Threads, which vBulletin then cloned in a different programming language.