> It'd be interesting to have a look at that news site forum (if you have a link?).
I doubt that you will find it particularly useful (site in Russian, and I've no idea how reliably that feature works for unregistered users), but anyway: https://www.opennet.ru/forum/
> I wonder how they determine which messages are new. Maybe it's [new since one's last visit]?
It is. While not as powerful as status tracking for individual messages (can't skip some messages for future read as easily, can't mark message as unread etc.), it is enough for most users most of the time.
A bunch of interesting things going on at that forum, Opennet.ru/forum :- )
Nice to be able to "preview" a discussion directly on the topic list page, and interesting shortcuts the forum has:
Открыть первые 10. — Open the first 10. (I used Google Translate)
Открыть последние комментарии. — View recent comments.
Раскрыть ответы 1 уровня. — Expand Level 1 Answers.
Линейный вид. — Linear view.
Sth like the expand-level-1-answers button is something people have suggested for Talkyard too.
> It is [...] enough for most users most of the time
I doubt that you will find it particularly useful (site in Russian, and I've no idea how reliably that feature works for unregistered users), but anyway: https://www.opennet.ru/forum/
> I wonder how they determine which messages are new. Maybe it's [new since one's last visit]?
It is. While not as powerful as status tracking for individual messages (can't skip some messages for future read as easily, can't mark message as unread etc.), it is enough for most users most of the time.