Quote:
Originally Posted by JSWolf
Sometimes it is better to resurrect an old thread that's in your topic then to star another on the same topic. But only if theold thead is still relevant.
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I think there are three problems:
One is the "related threads" list that links to some truly ancient threads. Google searches that land on old threads are a related issue.
One is people used to some forums where established members will throw a fit if a newbie
dares to start a thread about something that was discussed five years ago instead of posting to the old one. I don't understand them either, but they exist, and I think they've left a lot of people a big gun-shy.
And one is people deliberately doing this to be jerks. With over 100,000 members we get all types, including griefers, and this is just another way of griefing.
Type 1 (which has accidentally included a lot of us, too) could be redirected by having the software automatically add an "[Old Topic]" note to every thread subject over a year old, or some other date.
Type 2 (mostly new members) could be at least partially addressed by making it clear in the rules that it's
not necessary to post to a years-old thread; you can start your own if there's no recent one. Admittedly this requires people to use common sense, which is rather uncommon, but it would be a start. (though we don't want to go too far the other way and encourage fifty threads where one would do, either)
Type 3 just need smacked and/or banned.