Alternative is an independent desktop workspace for browsing and reading a live ThreadShelf server, with full-thread reading, search, pins, saved searches and appearance controls.
Tags: Alternative
ThreadShelf Local Alternative 1.4.5
Alternative is an independent desktop workspace for browsing and reading a live ThreadShelf server. It combines a conversation shelf, full-thread reading, prompt outline, server search, pins and saved searches. The warm paper/teal visual design offers System, Light and Dark appearance modes.
It reads the server through supported read APIs. It does not import provider exports, ingest into the server, reindex conversations, edit archived messages or create Reader’s Local database. Use Local Reader for a persistent offline archive and Local Analytics for captured statistical analysis.
Follow the manual
A first successful session
Start your server, connect Alternative, choose a nonempty collection and open a conversation. Check the title and message content. Run a short Text query, then return to the whole thread from a matching passage. Pin the thread, close it and reopen it from Pins. Finally set your preferred reading size and color mode in Reading & appearance.
A pin or recent-history entry is a saved reference. The server must still supply the conversation when you reopen it. Use explicit Markdown export when you need an independent copy of one conversation.
The screenshots in the Alternative gallery show the actual public renderer with invented demo records.
 | Alternative: connection and workspace If your installation serves ThreadShelf beneath a URL prefix, retain the required prefix. Do not paste a web UI page URL, a search URL or a conversation URL in place of the server base address. The address must be reachable… | markdown |
| Alternative: browsing, search and filters Select Library, clear the search box and use Filters to choose the collection. With an empty query, the shelf lists conversations. The available browsing sorts are Recently updated, Oldest first, Title A–Z and Longest first.… | markdown |
| Alternative: reading, rendering and export Open and navigate server conversations, use the prompt outline and Find controls, read supported rich content, and export a conversation. | markdown |
| Alternative: pins, saved searches and recent work Open a thread and select Pin conversation in the reading toolbar. The active icon indicates a pinned thread. Select it again to unpin. Open Pins on the navigation rail to revisit the saved references for the current server. | markdown |
| Alternative: settings and local data Set appearance, image loading and optional speech preferences, understand automatic saving and maintain Alternative’s independent local profile. | markdown |
| Alternative: guided offline demo Choose Explore the demo on the welcome page or in the connection dialog. The visible DEMO WORKSPACE banner distinguishes invented content from a connected server. The built-in library contains 13 authored demonstration… | markdown |
| Alternative: troubleshooting and shortcuts Check whether you are in Demo workspace or connected to a real server. Confirm the server address, current collection, selected navigation view, query and role filter. Pins, Recent and Library intentionally show different… | markdown |
| Text-to-Speech Use Alternative’s automatically saved speech settings, provider choices, audio test, playback bar, encrypted keys and protected audio cache cleanup. | markdown |