About auto-locking topics.

[Luciana]

Ok so, I know TDN has a rule about replying to a topic after 21 days. What really bugs me though is that this isn't the most... active site. On some forums for example, Artistic Expressions: Drawings and Writings There are topics from last year still on the front page. Wouldn't it be less confusing to just lock the topic once it hits 21 days of no replys?

It's just a thought I had. I hope that's ok to post here.

[Hannah B.]

I can see your point. What's the point of having a thread open (i.e. not locked) if all it's going to do is sit there with nobody new posting in it?

 

And if someone were to start a new thread with the same topic, would that topic get locked because one already exists? Hmmm...

 

When I first joined I made the mistake of posting in the help forums in response to someone asking for help with the Altador plot, and I got really excited because I had just finished it, and I was eager to help someone... but it had been posted over 21 days prior to my response :guiltysmiley: and the thread was promptly locked. At least when a thread is locked, we can still see what people said (as long as it wasn't deleted for being inappropriate).

 

Either way... a locked thread isn't really hurting anyone I guess. It would help if maybe there was a user option that let us remove/select certain threads we weren't interested in to reduce clutter? Not sure if that's even possible lol :laughingsmiley: but hey it can't hurt to try.

[Luciana]

Hah. That last idea is interesting. I don't think there's any way to do that though.

 

I think the rules said somewhere that if the last post of a topic is older than 21 days, but you want to continue talking about the topic you have to make a new topic. I don't see why we can't just respond to the topic. I mean, if our post is contributing something thoughtful or interesting, why not? Why does it matter if the topic is old?

[dasbif]

I agree, I haven't quite understood this rule. The post is already there, why do we need to create a new one if we have something to contribute?

[Batman]

I think the rules said somewhere that if the last post of a topic is older than 21 days, but you want to continue talking about the topic you have to make a new topic. I don't see why we can't just respond to the topic. I mean, if our post is contributing something thoughtful or interesting, why not? Why does it matter if the topic is old?

 

I think the idea of it is that it is old information. If it is over three weeks old and someone was to only read the first few posts in the thread then they could be getting inaccurate information. They want us to start a new topic so that way it is all current. I know it can be annoying but what can you do.

 

I have always wondered why they didn't just lock after the 21 days though. Maybe it could happen.

[Luciana]

But what about topics like this? Ok, it's pinned so it might not be the best example, but that topic is currently 2055 pages long and was started in 2006. Def. some old posts and discussions in there. I'd hope someone would have enough common sense to read the last few pages instead of the first.

It just kinda bothers me that some topics don't even get replys sometimes and just sit there and rot, i guess. :-(

[Crusher]

Hey guys! Cameron form the moderating team here. :D

 

Firstly, it's great to see discussion like this. We encourage people to understand our rules and why we have them as opposed to just following them 'because we said so.' (although we still ask that you do listen to us when we make judgements). They've all been developed and implemented so that the forums can be a safe, efficient community for users that like to post here. (Now I'm going on a tangent... I do that a lot XD) I digress.

 

Firstly, all topics are locked manually. The amount work it would take to track and lock each topic is huge, and when our time would better be spent dealing with more serious problems swiftly, this becomes impractical. We lock topics because they are outdated and the information is no longer relevant or the discussion has died down. When a single user posts something that is a short reply to a topic long-dead, we generally respond by locking the topic because we want to promote new ideas over old ones to keep the forums alive. In some cases, even if a post is in a topic over 21 days old, if it generates renewed discussion the topic may be left open, but this is done on a moderator-by-moderator basis. This can be solved by asking people to please check the timestamp of the last post, directly above the post in question, before replying. Posting in an old topic is not a serious infraction. We won't be angry with you if you just make the odd slip up here and there on small things like this! Just please do be careful to not do it consistently.

 

If you would like to see whether a topic is outdated or contains new information, there is a section directly to the right of the topic's listing in the boards that mentions the last post's date.

 

All topics can be reopened - and we encourage this, as seen in the notice posted when we close a topic. Simply PM any of the moderators and we will reopen the topic for discussion. We would prefer this to starting a new topic, in fact.

 

Hope this helps! I, or the rest of the team, will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding this.

 

tl;dr? Summary of the above:

 

*Topics are locked manually. We don't have the time to lock every single one. Please check the timestamp.

*Don't be worried if you accidentally post on a dead topic; we don't mind all that much as long as you don't keep doing it. We don't bite...promise. ;)

*Check the Last Post Info box on the boards for quick information on how active a topic is.

*PM us to reopen any topic - don't make a new one exactly the same. We're more than happy to do this for you. :)

 

 

=Cameron=

[Ian]

Hi,

 

I can also offer some more information to further clarify this rule. The reason it is in place is to cut down on unnecessary spam and to keep the discussions relevant and current. However, if a topic is still relevant and it is after the "21 day cutoff" -- we don't mind.

 

I hope this clears things up. :D

 

Best,

Ian

[frivolouschaos]

When I read the 21 days rule, I assumed that meant no posting short messages (e.g. 'bump!') in order to bring one's thread back to the top of the page, which, I think, is kind of what Ian said.

 

But a lot of topics seem to get locked when users post legitimate, on-topic responses maybe a month after the last post. This is a little strange to me, and I find it kind of annoying, since it shuts down some very interesting threads :(

[Luciana]

Ohh I didn't know we could revive topics if it's still relevant. That makes the rule a lot more better.

So topics about tv shows would be ok to revive, right? How about topics for dailies? Sometimes they're very active and then just die down for some reason.

frivolouschaos- Maybe if you really wanna contribute to a topic you could ask the person who locked it if it's ok the reopen it?

 

Can we ask any moderator to unlock the topic?

(I'm asking a lot of questions aren't I? ahah...oops)

[Anime]

Reopening a topic is always a case-by-case basis, regardless of it's topic. It also has a lot to do with what the topic was originoally supposed to be about. If, for instance, the topic is mainly to complile data on how often people win at Tombola and they have all they need, it's not likely to be reopened. If the topic is just to post what you got from Tombola that day, chances are higher.

 

And yes, any mod can reopen a topic, regardless of who closed it, thoguht we prefer you contact that one as they'll be able to better explain why it was closed.

[CAV of Gang Green]

But a lot of topics seem to get locked when users post legitimate, on-topic responses maybe a month after the last post. This is a little strange to me, and I find it kind of annoying, since it shuts down some very interesting threads :(

 

This is why I've revieved some old topics, like the Snowager and Neoboards topic. Usually I do this since there's new people, therefore by reviving a topic, it opens more oppertunities for others to continue the disscussion from long ago, and add opinions of their own.

 

So I think it's a good idea that they don't immediately lock the topic, and like said above, it would be harder work. Because the mods have lives away from the computer, and auto-locking would require them to be online at all times.

[Luciana]

For some reason, I assumed there was some way topics could lock themselves after 21 days of inactivity...

But since we can bump old topics if they're still relevant then that wouldn't be a good idea.

Anyway, thanks for explaining everything to me!! Knowing a bit more about how the whole 21 day rule thing works, it makes more sense why we have it.

[ditosmom]

very interesting info, certainly made the issue a little clearer to me too :)

[CAV of Gang Green]

No, there's not a single board on the internet that can auto lock it's own topics. The Mods and Admins always do it.

[hrtbrk]

No, there's not a single board on the internet that can auto lock it's own topics. The Mods and Admins always do it.

That is not true at all. There are many boards that are able to do it. :yes:

[Ro-]

I can understand topics where the subject becomes irrelevant or solved with time, but what about the debate section? There was a topic on people with disabilities just closed, but why? People had more to add on it, and the subject isn't out of date.

[Hades]

What Ro said, what was wrong with that topic?

Another thing: I was reading random threads, forgot which of them were locked and got really excited about posting my two cents in some, only to realize they were locked :( Maybe it would be more useful if some sections had an extended reply period? For example, the Debate section could allow for another 7-15 days before it's too old... Some people don't visit this forum every day and some forget to post for a bit.. -_-

[Stephé]

Just clarifying Ro and Hade's questions about the Debate and Discussion topic that they were referring to.

 

There was nothing wrong with the topic itself- the reason the topic was locked was because it was 4 months inactive. During this time, no one has contributed to the topic at all, however, if you contacted me (as advised from Crusher or Anime's post), I might have reopened it. :)

Hades, that's a good suggestion, however I'm not sure if it'll just cause some more confusion towards the forum rules and how most members would remember them. Staff have reviewed these rules quite regularly, and have always thought that 21 days (3 weeks) would be a sufficient amount of time to think over something to post. Besides, most of the topics that I've seen that have been bumped in the past at the Debate & Discussion forum have been inactive for 1-2 months. ;)

 

I understand that the topic was still relevant when you had posted on it, but for it to take 4 months later for someone to post again(referring the timestamp from the last post), that was one reason to close the topic. Feel free to PM me to open the thread again. :)

[Ro-]

Yes, but I was just wondering why a non-time sensitive topic needed to be locked at all, if people had more to say. What is the benefit of locking or the anti-benefit of having a topic revisited with new opinions?

[CAV of Gang Green]

That is not true at all. There are many boards that are able to do it. :yes:

 

Really? I didn't know any. I guess I don't look very well.

[Cornflakes]

Plus I'm all paranoid about dates now whenever I want to add my five cents to something...kinda sucks the fun out of posting on the forums. I've only posted like 4 things and I've already been in trouble 3 times (twice for not observing the dates of the threads I was replying to, and once because I forgot the seven word rule).

I imagine this is probably why there isn't a ton of activity here.

 

I'm new and such, and y'all don't know me yet, so please don't think I'm being critical or rude. I'm just making an observation. ^_^

[Anisha]

I'm new and such, and y'all don't know me yet, so please don't think I'm being critical or rude. I'm just making an observation. ^_^

Don't take us wrong. No one would think you are rude. :laughingsmiley: In fact it's good that you are sharing your views with us.

Auto-locking topics became a problem for me too. You know, at a topic, I got so excited that I couldn't control myself, and I did post a reply. After that, I realized the topic was 25 days or so old.

But I have got used to it now. Before posting anything, I make it ultra sure that I am following the forum rules.

[CAV of Gang Green]

After that, I realized the topic was 25 days or so old.

 

It's not 25 days before it gets locked. It's 21.

[Luciana]

Yea, I'm pretty sure what she wasn't saying the topic expires in 25 days, but that the topic she posted in was 25 days inactive.

 

Oh, and the 7 word rule bothers me too. Sometimes I have something to say that's useful and helpful and only like, six or five words. I'm always like "gragghh" and spend the next 5 minutes trying to rephrase my sentence to make it longer. And for no reason. My sentence doesn't feel any more important because it has another word in it.