Allow old threads to age out? Lock after a certain time passes...

[oshunluvr]

Browsing new posts today and someone resurrected a thread from 2009. Frankly, I'd rather see a new thread started if the previous thread is more than 1-2 years old except for wholly non-technical topics like casual chat stuff.

Anyone agree?

[claydoh]

Actually I do agree. Locking topics for old and now unsupported versions is a great idea. So good I wonder why I didn't think of it myself



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[life0riley]

Actually I do agree. Locking topics for old and now unsupported versions is a great idea. So good I wonder why I didn't think of it myself

I Agee also for posts on unsupported versions. Why post about an issue in that exists in an unsupported version when it was most likely resolved in a later supported version?

[Snowhog]

Boards under EOL Releases have been 'closed' to further posting.

[Buddlespit]

I Agee also for posts on unsupported versions. Why post about an issue in that exists in an unsupported version when it was most likely resolved in a later supported version?

Because, in other forums, it's hammered into users to use the search functions and find something that comes close to your problem and ask questions there. Then the poor user gets blasted when they necro a thread. Personally, I don't see what the problem is. It would take a someone all of 2-3 minutes to state that the problem was resolved in newer versions and point them to the fix.

[life0riley]

Because, in other forums, it's hammered into users to use the search functions and find something that comes close to your problem and ask questions there. Then the poor user gets blasted when they necro a thread. Personally, I don't see what the problem is. It would take a someone all of 2-3 minutes to state that the problem was resolved in newer versions and point them to the fix.

You are correct. Users have been hammered to search for threads for posts about there issues, and it only takes 2-3 minutes to state the problem was solved in a later version. It really isn't a problem. This could be useful information at the end of a thread.

This is definitely worth discussing further. All things should be considered especially from the user's perspective. This is one of the better forums mainly because members have been polite and gentle when directing users. I'd like it to stay that way. This is one of the main reasons I joined this forum. We'll need to be extra careful when directing users now that the boards under EOL Releases have been closed to further posting.

[oshunluvr]

Well, locking a thread doesn't prevent searching for and reading it, just adding to it. I think it would really need to be a flexible policy - a mod would have to decide what should be locked or not. I have frequently seen noob's following advice from a 4 year old posting and then emit surprise when the solution is no longer valid. Having threads that fall into that category locked might help indicate that the information is too old to rely on. It might even prompt a further search helping the searcher find a more current thread.

Anyway - it was just a point for discussion. Obviously, one need not respond to any post if one deems it unhelpful to do so or in poor form.

[Teunis]

Would it be possible that a reply to a thread of a certain age would automagically spawn a new subject?

[woodsmoke]

Well,

this is stating the obvious but,

a) one of the points behind posting in an old thread was to "save server space".

Point, I don't think we have to worry all THAT much about server space nowadays.

b) possibly also to increase response speed of the hardware/database.

Point, again I don't think we have to worry all THAT much about speed nowadays.

c) Either it will be a blanket thing, as shown below

Point, easy to do.

d) Or, it will be one by one which will take the time of a mod whose labours could probably be better used monitoring miscreants.

dunno....

but, I would agree with the question of.....why?

If it is to increase server space, or speed or whatnot then delete them.

just some thoughts

woodsmoke

b)

[claydoh]

Woody, no space and speed are not currently issues, so deleting old stuff is of no real use from that standpoint. However, old, outdated and no longer relevant information might be better left behind for posterity (and user post count levels ) , even for a "just in case" situation.

A decent compromise might be to allow read-only viewing of these posts, which hopefully push someone to pose a new question on a subject, thus getting more up-to-date responses.

Also, while it is fine and dandy proper to strongly suggest using various search tools available, we forget to take into account the knowledge or skill of each poster, as well as the relative suckiness of search in general.

I recently replied to a post concerning running Adobe Acrobat in 13.10. Using various search terms and phrases both here and in search engine land brought me a whole lot of garbage

You'd think

how to install adobe acrobat in Ubuntu 13.10

and similar variations would make it nice and easy, wouldn't you?

The article I found that contained this exact title was nowhere on the top few pages of google hits. I found it as a link on one of the many pages with old outdated instructions.

Granted, this research did not take a huge amount of time out of my day, but it did exercise my patience skills a little bit, and put a new perspective on not only my lack of knowledge (ie reliance on search engines), but also that of a new user trying to hunt the same information.

egads! (and straying off-topic, lol!)

[woodsmoke]

REMOVING POST COUNT!!!

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

lol

woodpostcountwho@#smoke

[claydoh]

REMOVING POST COUNT!!!

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

lol

woodpostcountwho@#smoke

Hmmm I kinda figgered that

[woodsmoke]

you are SO harsh!!

woodkeepingmypostcountincreasingexponentiallysmoke

[Snowhog]

One must understand that we will never please all of the people all of the time. It simply cannot be done.

Nothing prevents the EOL boards from being accessed, searched and read. One can provide the URL to any post in these boards in a new post under Help the New Guy or Social/Casual Talk.

[oshunluvr]

One must understand that we will never please all of the people all of the time. It simply cannot be done.

Why not ? ? ?

Ok, then - just please ME!