Add room permission to limit event to thread replies

[noantiq]

Your use case

What would you like to do?

Since we have the ability to create threads now, it would be really neat to have dedicated thread rooms in which you are only allowed to reply in an existing thread or open a new one.

Why would you like to do it?

This would allow for somewhat forum style rooms and could be utilized for job postings, community sell and buy rooms or similar use cases where want to take discussion about details away from the main timeline.

How would you like to achieve it?

The easiest step (from my point of view) in this direction would be to introduce a distinction between thread replies and other messages or replies and add an option to remove the permission to send replies outside of a thread. Then the only remaining "problem" would be that new threads naturally start as normal messages, so one could not disallow sending normal messages without removing the ability to start new threads. Although for some use cases it may be desirable that only moderators can start new threads but everyone should be able to reply in threads; this scenario would already be satisfied by my proposed change.

Have you considered any alternatives?

No response

Additional context

No response

[ple1n]

It resembles telegram channel too

[sandstrom]

I'd also add that with Twist/Zullip style threads, there is a "max thread-level of 1". In other words, the room contain many threads/topics, but within these topics there is no [further] threading.

Also somewhat related, it's quite useful to mark threads as closed (or archived).

This 'state' on a thread can then be used to e.g. delete all threads 6 months after they were closed, or to only show recently closed threads by default (and hide the others behind a 'show all' toggle).

[frandavid100]

I'm not sure I understand. Is it being proposed to implement this feature at the client level? Wouldn't it be better to implement it at the protocol level?

[matthijskooijman]

This looks like a duplicate of #209?

[sandstrom]

@matthijskooijman They sound similar, but there is a difference:

• This one: Force everyone to either open new threads/topics, or answer in existing threads. In other words, force the room to be a thread-only room.
• The one you linked (209): Allow only certain people to start new threads, everyone else can only reply in existing threads/topics.

[matthijskooijman]

Thanks for clarifying, re-reading the original request I agree with your distinction. I guess that means that this issue is more about distinguishing between posting a message and starting a new thread, rather than just adding a permission to (dis)allow something that already exists.

[panosda]

Is there any update on this? I'm torn between Zulip and Matrix for an online community, and Zulip's threading is great, a sort of chat/forum hybrid. This would allow matrix to cover the same use, but unfortunately the last reply is almost two years ago, so I'm wondering if there is any chance of seeing something like that say sometime in 2024. Thanks!