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 Automatically closing topics
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| Author | Topic: Automatically closing topics |
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Steen SuperBlabberMouth!     
Posts: 1162 |
posted January 11, 2002 12:59
   
How about a routine that automatically sets a topic as closed when it's opened after a reasonably long amount of time (perhaps 30 or 45 days) has passed since the last post was made to it. If someone just -has- to make a related comment, they can start a new topic and provide a URL referencing the older, closed topic. IP: Logged |
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LifetimeTrekker Alpha Geek  Posts: 326 |
posted January 11, 2002 13:31
Hear, hear! IP: Logged |
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Evilbunny Highlie 
Posts: 614 |
posted January 11, 2002 13:53
Yeah! Great idea! IP: Logged |
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quantumfluff Highlie
Posts: 672 |
posted January 11, 2002 16:01
It should not be that hard. We need a tool which spiders the forums, opens each topic and finds the last post date. If it is old enough, it invokes the "close topic" page, passing snaggy's name and password. Question. Does "close topic" remove it from visibility, or just lock out new posts. I think we want the latter. IP: Logged |
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CrawGator Alpha Geek Posts: 326 |
posted January 11, 2002 16:11
An excellent idea Steen. Closing the topic won't render it invisible, just prevent new posts. ------------------ A common mistake people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. Douglas Adams Mostly Harmless IP: Logged |
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Snaggy Moderator 
Posts: 1399 |
posted January 11, 2002 16:27
Just wondering... what is so bad about having a topic open forever? I think it far more likely a post will get a reply if it isn't closed and replies are good, even if late, aren't they? IP: Logged |
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Steen SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1162 |
posted January 11, 2002 20:20
I can't speak for anyone else, obviously, but seeing ancient topics dredged up annoys me when it's done too frequently, particularly when the post that brings it back up isn't really meaningful or worth reading in my opinion (no examples provided, but it's not hard to find them of late). As for why it annoys me... it just feels like a breach of etiquette somehow, though I can't specifically say why. It's like when Angelina Jolie said she loved her brother on that awards show. There's nothing wrong with saying that, exactly, but something in the way she said it just creeped everyone right the heck out. Anyway, it's just an idea I had that would eliminate a small thing that annoys me. If it's never implemented, I obviously won't go off in a huff or stop posting or anything (my post count alone is proof of that). I just thought I'd toss it out and see what everyone else thinks of it. IP: Logged |
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Bregalad Super Geek 
Posts: 203 |
posted January 11, 2002 23:42
I'm all for having old topics closed automatically. I only registered here a little while ago so almost all the threads are new to me, but I have tried to avoid old ones even if they sound really interesting. I feel that if somebody has something significant to add to an old discussion they should start a new topic for it. IP: Logged |
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zooz unregistered |
posted January 12, 2002 12:39
Why lock the thread to prevent new posts in the first place? It's very frustratring when you come across a topic of intrest, and want to reply to it only to find that you've been gagged :\
IP: Logged |
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Steen SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1162 |
posted January 12, 2002 21:36
Let me offer one example of how bringing up old topics becomes annoying. A newbie comes to the forums. Rather than scanning through all the active topics in all the forums, the newbie proceeds to read farther and farther back in the topics in, say, the Your News section, posting occasional witty and deep responses such as "ha ha" to numerous topics. A few hours later, all the regulars show up and we see the top 15 topics are all old threads with no meaningful new posts in them, but unless we remember the topic title, we wind up opening them and skimming them to find out that we just had our time wasted. (it's useful to note that I'm exaggerating what has happened in the past to make a point, not telling the facts of a real example) Having to generate a new topic and reference the older, closed topic with a link would vastly reduce the tendancy for people to post non-meaningful messages to an ancient thread because they're unlikely to take the time to make the link if they're just going to post "ha ha". Also, even if they do just that, the new page loads quickly, we see nothing of interest without having to scan a lot of text and much less of our time has been wasted. IP: Logged |
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Tau Zero BlabberMouth, the Next Generation.
Posts: 1685 |
posted January 16, 2002 08:21
I'm not sure I support this idea. Suppose I had some time to go back and re-open the orbital mechanics thread. I'd like to put new material in context, instead of being on the other side of a pointer (and with no ability to put a pointer to the new thread at the end of the old thread). Would I be able to do that? Something like a nag-screen between an old topic and the posting screen would probably be a better idea. I'm sure that lots of these "revival" postings are due to newbies not looking at the dates on things (it's all new to them) and not having a really good idea just what's going on. Until gentler methods have been tried, I think the more heavy-handed methods should be left on the shelf. IP: Logged |
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Angry Rooster Assimilated 
Posts: 376 |
posted January 16, 2002 10:54
I also find it very annoying, I think closed topics would be a nice solution... Tau, I see what you're saying, but I really don't think the post loses it's effectiveness if you start a new thread on the subject and link to the old one. Its even better in some ways, instead of having to drudge through the 3 pages of posts we read several months ago, the regulars can focus on the newer posts to the subject, and anyone looking for context can read the older, closed thread. In addition maybe we could create a netiquette page for the forums? Citing such things as single word(or <cringe> punctuation mark...) postings as being a no-no, and placing emphasis on the all important rule, "Lurk before you leap." I like Steen's solution, it's much better than mine which I came very close to implimenting several times: "Just let this thread die already!!!" ------------------ IP: Logged |
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Ti Super Geek
Posts: 156 |
posted January 16, 2002 16:39
quote: It's like desktop cleanliness, a dirty desktop drives me nuts. And i'm not talking about the wooden "Real" Desktop, I could care less about how messy those are... But Icons strewn all over the place, or even any icons at all drive me nuts. I keep my desktop as clean as possible, call me wierd but I know other people do it to ;-P Kevin IP: Logged |
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supaboy SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1242 |
posted January 24, 2002 09:54
quote: On a few occasions I have posted messages with no actual text content. Mostly, it's to express my sympathy or condolences to someone who's just shared a loss (a pet or other family member for instance) with the community, where I post a sad face because it sums up my feelings pretty well without having to resort to words. I'm no Shakespeare, so me using words to express how I feel is kludgey at best. IP: Logged |
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Angry Rooster Assimilated
Posts: 376 |
posted January 24, 2002 12:26
That is definitely an exception supa... I'm referring so posts such as: ! Followed by another post by the same individual: ?? ------------------ IP: Logged |
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webby Neat Newbie 
Posts: 14 |
posted January 29, 2002 07:59
good idea .. there should be time limit for every topic .. older topics just keep space regular geeks loose interest in them after some time ..as new topics take there place IP: Logged |
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webby Neat Newbie
Posts: 14 |
posted January 29, 2002 08:04
I am agree with idea , as normally regular geeks loose interest in older topics because newer one take there place .. there should be time period for every topic lets say 3 months .... ------------------ IP: Logged |
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theJacob Super Geek
Posts: 141 |
posted January 29, 2002 18:57
I'm for it. Old topics are just that...they belong in the arcives. If there are no new additions for a lenthy amount of time, consider the topic closed by mutal agreement. Make it offical if you have to. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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newbie unregistered |
posted March 02, 2002 17:43
me too IP: Logged |
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ZorroTheFox SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1117 |
posted March 03, 2002 07:38
sigh, case in point ^^^^^ IP: Logged |
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quantumfluff Highlie
Posts: 672 |
posted March 05, 2002 11:57
I got it! Just set the default 'view pages from last N days' to 5 rather than 30 (? is it?). Then newbies will see a smaller list of active threads, and there will be less inclination to post to dead ones. IP: Logged |
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Charisma Super Geek
Posts: 100 |
posted March 06, 2002 06:25
Yeah, good idea. I don't even read too many posts with the little flame folder icon. People need to start new posts instead of adding to old ones. Good idea! ------------------ IP: Logged |
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macadddikt18 SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1126 |
posted March 06, 2002 06:58
i think we should keep them open for when we get bored. sometimes when nothing new is happening they are nice to go and re-open. Nayt ------------------ IP: Logged |
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Tau Zero BlabberMouth, the Next Generation.
Posts: 1685 |
posted March 06, 2002 09:24
A wise man speaks because he has something to say; a fool, because he has to say something. IP: Logged |
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TechnoGram Super Geek
Posts: 245 |
posted March 06, 2002 13:05
quote: i wish you'd take your own advice some of us actually like nayt's posts flame, ------------------ IP: Logged |
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ZorroTheFox SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1117 |
posted March 06, 2002 17:14
quote: I got the same line in a fortune cookie at the House of Kee the other day. I wish I would have saved it. You don't by chance work at a fortune cookie place do ya?.........Z IP: Logged |
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Swiss Mercenary BlabberMouth, the Next Generation.
Posts: 1461 |
posted March 07, 2002 07:30
Am I seeing double or did I not just post on this comment in another thread?  <Cleans his glasses> IP: Logged |
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The Soulgirl unregistered |
posted March 07, 2002 07:47
Ooooh Technogram.... your using my smilies 
IP: Logged |
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Jessycat Maximum Newbie 
Posts: 17 |
posted March 07, 2002 11:54
As a newbie, I know that I would be interested in a netiquette guide for these forums (as suggested by Angry Rooster.) I'm familiar with basic rules of netiquette, but every group has its preferences and  pet peeves.In the meantime, does anyone have any rules of thumb he/she could share? :-) Jess IP: Logged |
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spungo Super Geek
Posts: 212 |
posted March 07, 2002 12:31
quote: I am a fellow newbie and as far as I can tell there are no rules - well, none that I've observed, anyway. From what I can tell, most the folk here are pretty sage individuals and are ready with advice if you have a problem /issue (there's a coupla whacko's as well!) Don't sweat the trolls as there are enough bad mothers here to take care of them. err...that's about it. ------------------ IP: Logged |
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ZorroTheFox SuperBlabberMouth!
Posts: 1117 |
posted March 07, 2002 17:53
quote: no, it is double, or the both of us are in need of help >;o) ........Z IP: Logged |
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