The FetLife Epic Thread user script makes reading long, passionate discussions on FetLife.com easier and less painful. To accomplish this, FetLife Epic Thread:

  • adds comment threading for @-replies, a “previous/next” link for related comments, and visual highlights. Instead of needing to scroll past a bunch of unrelated comments, simply click the “Next in thread on page” link to go to the next comment in the thread. Rather than having to scroll up or copy-and-paste to see what a comment is replying to, click the “in reply to” link to see the original comment right under your cursor.
  • disemvowels comments when they load (until you request otherwise). Disemvoweling reduces the likelihood that comments will be able to trigger you by making them illegible except through significant effort.

System requirements

The following software must be installed on your system before installing the FetLife Epic Thread user script.

Mozilla Firefox

If you use the Mozilla Firefox web browser (version 12.0 or higher), ensure you have the Greasemonkey extension installed (at version 1.0 or higher).

Google Chrome

If you use the Google Chrome web browser (version 23 or higher), ensure you have the Tampermonkey extension installed.

Installing

To install FetLife Epic Thread, go to http://maybemaimed.com/playground/fetlife-epic-thread/ and click “Download and install” near the middle of the page:

Download and install FetLife Epic Thread

If you enjoy this script, please consider tossing a few metaphorical coins in my cyberbusking hat. :) Your donations are sincerely appreciated! Can’t afford to part with any coin? It’s cool. Tweet your appreciation, instead.

If maybemaimed.com is censored where you are, you can alternatively go to the Userscripts.org page for FetLife Epic Thread and click on “Install“.

Using

To use FetLife Epic Thread, log in to your FetLife.com account and go to any discussion page on the site (such as group discussion pages or user writings). By default, all comment threads will be disemvoweled to protect you from potential triggers, such as the blatant racism, transphobia, misogyny, domism, and any other general assholery often found in FetLife comment threads.

  • Before disemvowelment: Screenshot of insulting comments on FetLife.
  • After disemvowelment: Screenshot of insulting comments disemvoweled.

To write a comment in reply to a specific other user, start your comment with @OtherUsersNickname where OtherUsersNickname is the other user’s nickname.

Screenshot showing example of how to reply to another user.

After you post your comment, other users will be presented with an “in reply to” link in your comment.

Screenshot showing what a comment with an @-reply in it looks like.

Clicking on the “in reply to” link will show the comment you’ve replied to, as shown below:

Screenshot showing result of clicking on "in reply to" for a threaded comment.

A “Previous in thread on page” link will also be added to your comment, allowing readers to jump back to the previous comment. Additionally, a “Next in thread on page” link will be added to the comment you replied to, allowing readers to quickly jump to your reply from the other users’ comment.

In this way, readers will be able to view comments in threaded format more easily, and you will be able to more quickly find and read relevant comments in a long page.

Screenshot showing threaded debate with multiple in-reply-to's revealed.

Change log

  • Version 0.1.1
    • Add disemvoweling support.
  • Version 0.1
    • Initial release.