Suggsted addition to community rules

[NomadicMedic]

- No "necro" behavior -- posting replies on very old (dead) threads which have not been locked. We only allow "necro" replies in VERY rare circumstances, all other cases will find your reply removed. If you feel strongly enough about posting a reply, please discuss with a Moderator whether to start a new thread of discussion.

Stolen from another forum, but sums it up well. Thoughts?

 

[TransportJockey]

I like it. Some forums I've been on auto lock dead threads after something like nine months or a year with no activity. Any chance of something like that?

 

[DesertMedic66]

I think as long as the information is relevant to the thread then it's fine. In the thread that brought this topic up the info was relevant and answered the original question. So if other users use the search feature (when we adamantly tell people to use) they will get the info.

Now if it's asking a question on a thread that is old then yeah, I think it should be brought up to the mods to find out if they should post the question there or make a new thread.

 

[Akulahawk]

I like it. Some forums I've been on auto lock dead threads after something like nine months or a year with no activity. Any chance of something like that?

My vote is to auto-lock inactive threads after 9 months. The auto-lock message should say something to the effect that unlocking the thread requires contacting an admin/moderator first with a reason to unlock the thread to allow a new post to it. This way the info is all still there for people to see, search, and read without causing necrothread resurrection problems.

 

[STXmedic]

Is there a way to put up a pop-up when someone tries to reply that just let's them know when the thread has been inactive for greater than X amount of time? "This thread has been inactive for 9 months. Please reply only if contributing relative insight." Or something like that. Bugging a mod to unlock seems like some potential good feedback would be deterred. It seems like most necro posts are just because the person didn't know the date.

But I know absolutely nothing about programming or the finer points of computers, so I don't know what is possible without too much effort.

 

[MMiz]

Is there a way to put up a pop-up when someone tries to reply that just let's them know when the thread has been inactive for greater than X amount of time? "This thread has been inactive for 9 months. Please reply only if contributing relative insight." Or something like that. Bugging a mod to unlock seems like some potential good feedback would be deterred. It seems like most necro posts are just because the person didn't know the date.

But I know absolutely nothing about programming or the finer points of computers, so I don't know what is possible without too much effort.

That's what we have now. In order to post to an old post a user has to read the following and check a box:

This thread is more than x days old. It is very likely that it does not need any further discussion and thus bumping it serves no purpose.
If you still feel it is necessary to make a new reply, you can still do so though.

(Check Box) I am aware that this thread is rather old but I still want to make a reply.

 

[MrJones]

Seems like a solution in search of a problem.

Or has there been a dramatic increase in replies to old posts that is threatening the tranquility and useability of this forum?

 

[NomadicMedic]

In many cases, spammers will reply to very old posts to get a post count up before they can add links. Or, a newbie will show up and add a flurry of replies to long dead posts.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

I think it's a non-issue. There are always the people on here that whine when someone posts a question that has been asked and answered elsewhere, even if the new poster has a slightly different question. But if the new poster added onto the thread he got in the search results, the same people would tell him not to do that.

It doesn't matter to me if someone posts in an old thread or starts a new one, it's all the same to me, and I help them if I can. I've added on information to a thread years after the fact when I discover the answer, especially if it was something we sat around for a long time and couldn't come up with an answer about. Next time someone searches for it, now they'll have an answer!

 

[medicsontheball]

I'm kind of with WuLabsWuTech on this one, for much the same reasons. Oh wait...did I just wake up a thread on life support???

 

[planetmike]

Old posts need to be automatically locked after x number of months after their last comment.

 

[ffemt8978]

The problem with auto-locking posts after a certain amount of time is that some members will inevitably tell members they need to use the search feature to find answers to a question that was posted before. At least with the necro-posting, there is proof that the member with a question did attempt to use the search feature to find their answer before posting a question.

 

[samiam]

I don't think this is necessary, echoing what others have said, as well as the fact that people seem to get upset when you start a post about a topic where we already have one. I think it is better to just continue on a old post with new information. The medical field is constantlt evolving and this will allow all the info new and old for one topic to be eaisly found in one place.

 

[MonkeyArrow]

I disagree with @samiam in this case. I think threads should still be searchable (obviously). If you have nothing new to add, why do you want to post on a 5 year old thread? If you have something new to post, then it is worthy of a conversation different than that of the original, which dictates its own thread.

 

[teedubbyaw]

I'm just here to agree to disagree to agree

 

[Angel]

I just don't see the point in replying to a post 10 years old when the OP is either no longer having these issues/questions, OR is no longer active on the site. its great they can use a search function but what does a "Yea me too" do to serve the conversation? Appears to be nothing, and as long as that doesn't matter, why does it matter that we comment on it? That doesn't serve the conversation either.

How much relevancy can exist 5-10 years later?

 

[Chimpie]

@Angel I've moved your post here as it's more relevant here. We appreciate all feedback and we do take everyone's comments as we continue to grow our community.