I'm in the habit of using the 'back' button of my browser after reading a post rather than using the links to retrace my steps (the links usually require scrolling to find them or would not get me where I want to go)

However, when I do this, the previous page is displayed 'as is' and no changes are applied (posts visited, added). I realise that this (slightly) increases loading time, and maybe server usage, but it would be nice not to have to use the 'reaload' button so much in those cases.

This especially happens when checking MyLQ or page ? of 'New Posts' or '0 Posts'

I'd have to disagree with this suggestion. Often when I'm scrolling through the 0 posts I want to do the list as it was. Of course since I use Firefox with tabbed browsing I don't go "back" anyway. I open the post in a new tab then close that tab and see the original list in the prior tab. I'd be somewhat annoyed if the updates were happening automatically so I couldn't find my place in the list quickly.

But you would, because the page scrolls down to where you were before anyway, and the link would show as visited... now I see the snag - updating might have to be selective, updating only your visiting stats, which is really what I want, not necessarily the fact that a post has just received an answer, but the simple fact that I have visited it.

Clicking "back" should not reload a page - IMHO that would be broken (unless the browser sent a request for a refresh, but I'd consider that a browser bug).

--jeremy

Hmm, that's stadard behaviour when I visit fedoraforum.org though, with this very same browser. Is thre a way to get this behaviour by making a personal css for the site?