Locking threads

smilisav
smilisav Posts: 1 Arc User
edited December 2010 in General Discussion
I've seen something that made me laugh:

GrimReaperHC wrote at one thread:

"... threads in which the last post is 30 days + older are considered dead. Which means that you should not post in them. If you post in them, they will get locked ... like this one."

The question here is: What is the difference between threads locked and not locked if you "may not" post on them? What is the point of locking or not locking? Why didn't you lock all threads older than 30 days already?

But the most important thing is: Why lock any thread with less than, say, two full pages of posts? No matter how old a thread is, answer may not be complete yet.

As you can see, the "30 days rule" that some people try to establish is pointless.

Some "rules" like that one have only "self-promotional" purpose.
Post edited by smilisav on

Comments

  • krittycat
    krittycat Posts: 4,187 Community Moderator
    edited December 2010
    The 30 day rule is made simply to prevent a proliferation of posts on old, out-dated threads. If a question that you are referring to was locked due to necro, and you don't feel the question was answered well enough, simply make a new thread with a link to the older thread (so that you don't get chewed out for not searching b:mischievous).

    Also, in the future, if you have a problem or question for a forum staff member, the easiest and fastest way to get an answer is by PMing them.

    Thanks! b:thanks

    ~Kritty
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  • Cantor - Raging Tide
    Cantor - Raging Tide Posts: 17 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    And then you make millions of threads for same question? Is it useful?
  • Renza - Raging Tide
    Renza - Raging Tide Posts: 1,939 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    if they had to lock all threads that were 30 days old+, that would mean a hell of a lot of pointless work, the pages could go past 10 pages worth easily, then they would have to check all them threads if there 30+ days old, just to lock them,

    i can see where you're coming from, but it would be a very bad idea to suggest they lock all 30+ day old threads
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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  • LenieClarke - Heavens Tear
    LenieClarke - Heavens Tear Posts: 3,275 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    TBH the 30-day rule here still confuses me a little; this is probably the only online forum i've been a regular on that has anything much like it, and i've never seen any really good reasoning for why it's in place. i'm guessing it's because the game changes, and old answers may become wrong after a few weeks' worth of patches --- but to my knowledge no mod has ever come right out and said so.
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  • Vetrobor - Raging Tide
    Vetrobor - Raging Tide Posts: 21 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    KrittiCat, thanks for good answer, it makes sense, but I still believe that there can be more intelligent way to decide lock or not.
  • Sarrafeline - Sanctuary
    Sarrafeline - Sanctuary Posts: 4,661 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    This 'necro' rule thing makes me never ever want to search.

    If I have a question, and search, find an awesome thread, but still have a question, I have some options.

    1) i can post in the thread, which will get it locked. Question most likely won't get answered.

    2) I can make a new thread, and a bunch of QQers will say 'search, n00b!' Question still won't get answered.

    3) I can use google instead, find the exact answer on a guild forum, information site, or something similar, and only use these forums for what they are intended because of this stupid rule: QQing.
    101 Sage Sin*/Archer
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  • Alphae - Lost City
    Alphae - Lost City Posts: 1,512 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    What this forum really needs is an auto-lock feature for threads with no replies in X days (30 is probably appropriate). An auto-delete feature after X days (perhaps 365 or so) would be even better. Right now I could just go to page 1 of this forums and bump any open thread I choose... and there are 1001 pages....

    This would not only save mods time and effort, but save forum storage space and make them run faster. Any thread that's a year old is probably outdated. Stickys (obviously) would be exempt from this rule. That is the purpose of a sticky--to keep a thread from being locked or deleted. I have never figured out why this forum is allowed to remain so cluttered.
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  • Fleuri - Sanctuary
    Fleuri - Sanctuary Posts: 1,763 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    The rule used to be 30 days for generic comments and 60 days for relevant/interesting comments, but I imagine that that distinction was hard to make judgement calls on. Still, I imagine they use their judgement and let things slide when the net effect seems positive?
  • Sarrafeline - Sanctuary
    Sarrafeline - Sanctuary Posts: 4,661 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Alphae - Lost City wrote: »
    What this forum really needs is an auto-lock feature for threads with no replies in X days (30 is probably appropriate). An auto-delete feature after X days (perhaps 365 or so) would be even better. Right now I could just go to page 1 of this forums and bump any open thread I choose... and there are 1001 pages....

    This would not only save mods time and effort, but save forum storage space and make them run faster. Any thread that's a year old is probably outdated. Stickys (obviously) would be exempt from this rule. That is the purpose of a sticky--to keep a thread from being locked or deleted. I have never figured out why this forum is allowed to remain so cluttered.

    It depends. If threads fall off the edge of the universe at page 30, then yes, it would. If they don't ever fall off the edge of the universe, then it will eventually slow things down, since you'll have a forum with 9,822,554 pages of threads, and only the first 3 pages have unlocked threads. Multiply that by the number of forums on the entire board, and you have a ton of threads, and each thread takes up space itself. Having 550 topics with 12,000 replies in each thread slows things down too. You have to find a happy median.

    I once posted on a forum that had a single thread with more posts in it than this entire forum has had in it total, and it slowed the entire server down.
    101 Sage Sin*/Archer
    100 Demon BM*/Barb
    96 Demon Cleric/Sage Seeker
    95 Demon Wiz/
    94 Sage Veno
    85 Psy/80 Mystic
    And a handful of other alts, all 79 and under.
    *Pre RB level
  • Tallain - Heavens Tear
    Tallain - Heavens Tear Posts: 93 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    KrittyCat wrote: »
    The 30 day rule is made simply to prevent a proliferation of posts on old, out-dated threads. If a question that you are referring to was locked due to necro, and you don't feel the question was answered well enough, simply make a new thread with a link to the older thread (so that you don't get chewed out for not searching b:mischievous).

    Also, in the future, if you have a problem or question for a forum staff member, the easiest and fastest way to get an answer is by PMing them.

    Thanks! b:thanks

    ~Kritty

    Which is exactly what makes no damn sense. Why the hell would we want to clutter up the forums even MORE making new threads on the same **** when we can post in a OLD one we find if it stil isnt' answered (which gets BUMPED UP to the TOP anyway.....). I understand necro'ing old threads with b/s spam that has no point, but other then that... your rules make no sense lmao

    Edit: not to mention the countless threads moved or locked or w/e that's made for GENERAL DISCUSSION about something i guess the mods think have no relevence. If i had 10 hands i still wouldnt' be able to count on my fingers the # of threads shut down the past month or two for no reason at all.
  • Alphae - Lost City
    Alphae - Lost City Posts: 1,512 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Sarrafeline - Sanctuary wrote: »
    It depends. If threads fall off the edge of the universe at page 30, then yes, it would. If they don't ever fall off the edge of the universe, then it will eventually slow things down, since you'll have a forum with 9,822,554 pages of threads, and only the first 3 pages have unlocked threads. Multiply that by the number of forums on the entire board, and you have a ton of threads, and each thread takes up space itself. Having 550 topics with 12,000 replies in each thread slows things down too. You have to find a happy median.

    I once posted on a forum that had a single thread with more posts in it than this entire forum has had in it total, and it slowed the entire server down.

    Well that's exactly what I meant I guess by autodelete. The reason I chose days and not pages is that some times of the year are busier than others, creating more discussion--for example, now, around the time of a new expansion.
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  • Tygurr - Sanctuary
    Tygurr - Sanctuary Posts: 296 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Alphae - Lost City wrote: »
    What this forum really needs is an auto-lock feature for threads with no replies in X days (30 is probably appropriate)

    I strongly agree with this.
    Somewhat retired from PWI, now playing Hellgate Global full time
  • Fata_Morgana - Lost City
    Fata_Morgana - Lost City Posts: 32 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    I do see a point in locking necro'ed threads, but I believe that should be done... with some brainz. Sure, if there already is a newer thread on topic A (thread 1), and some1 necros a thread on topic A (thread2), then thread 2 can be closed and a link directing to thread 1 should be posted. This, for some mods is just too hard.

    Also, if there is an older thread (not necessarily from 2 years back, because such threads might be outdated), which gets necro'ed, it should be reviewed. What if the thread is fun/useful, and is possibly one of a kind. Why close it just because it is 31 days old?!?!? Here however comes the preference of MODs...

    If a outdated thread is necro'ed, then sure, close it.

    If a thread is necro'ed just for spamming, close it.

    BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THERE IS NO NEED TO CALL NECRO AND CLOSE... Sadly, many don't know anything behind written rules.b:surrender
    I'm just an illusion.
  • KageYingZi - Heavens Tear
    KageYingZi - Heavens Tear Posts: 823 Arc User
    edited December 2010
    Why do we not want to post in old threads:
    Information might be outdated in that thread,so obviously we don't want some people running around like idiots calling other people noob cause they asked on Sep 2008:"Anyone level 30 yet?"

    Or maybe like before TT3-x changes someone posts "TT3-x is so doable" and someone decides to post "Lolumad,TT3-x is like so difficult.Nobody under 10x can do it" which will lead to flame wars at the person who typed the reply and multitudes of insults at PWE,China,PWI,you,him,her,religion,sex,sexuality,etc.

    Or maybe someone asks if a year ago if anyone wanted to play on another PW version which has closed and then someone decides to flame the person for ebing a total moron.

    So I believe more spam is better than flame wars.

    Edit1:BTW,there are other forums which also impose even much stricter rules(I've seen 7days before considered necro) and alot more with this necro rule.

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