Necroposting?
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Gemberkoekje
- Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:42 pm
Necroposting?
Can't you make a script that deletes all posts where there hasn't been replies on for - say - a month or so? Or at least lock em... Just thinkin
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Arigatomina
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 3:04 am
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No! 
If we didn't archive old posts, we'd never be able to so much as peep at new members who ask questions without searching first. Older members would forget things they've asked in the past and be forced to ask them again because they can no longer just look up the threads. Previously debated topics would continually be on the front pages of every forum because we wouldn't be able to say "we've already discussed this, read 'this' thread". It would be a continual rehash of things we've already gone over - like now - except on a huge scale.
If even one person uses the search function to read old threads, they're worth keeping around. It's one fewer repeat thread on the top of a forum.
/and there are two kinds of necroposting, useless and useful, not all are useless
If we didn't archive old posts, we'd never be able to so much as peep at new members who ask questions without searching first. Older members would forget things they've asked in the past and be forced to ask them again because they can no longer just look up the threads. Previously debated topics would continually be on the front pages of every forum because we wouldn't be able to say "we've already discussed this, read 'this' thread". It would be a continual rehash of things we've already gone over - like now - except on a huge scale.
If even one person uses the search function to read old threads, they're worth keeping around. It's one fewer repeat thread on the top of a forum.
/and there are two kinds of necroposting, useless and useful, not all are useless
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Gemberkoekje
- Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:42 pm
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Arigatomina
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2003 3:04 am
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Ah, but if he makes a new thread he'll get yelled at for starting a thread when we already have a thread about the exact same subject. It's the old "can't win" situation. Either you necropost (and get yelled at for adding onto something others have already gotten tired of discussing), or you start an identical thread (and get yelled at for not simply adding onto the existing discussion of that topic).
Either way, people are going to complain. Me, I'd rather have useful necroposting so we keep the place organized instead of having a few dozen duplicate threads all talking about the same topic. I actually wish they'd just tag the duplicate threads onto the old ones and keep them all together.
When people do make duplicates, they get locked. When they reply to the originals, they get flamed for necroposting and the threads get locked. All these locked threads, it's messy and disorganized and there's no hope of anything new being said about old topics.
Encourage useful necroposting and new thoughts can emerge. Lock everything in sight and we get nothing. We'll be stagnant, look but don't touch. I hate museums.
Either way, people are going to complain. Me, I'd rather have useful necroposting so we keep the place organized instead of having a few dozen duplicate threads all talking about the same topic. I actually wish they'd just tag the duplicate threads onto the old ones and keep them all together.
When people do make duplicates, they get locked. When they reply to the originals, they get flamed for necroposting and the threads get locked. All these locked threads, it's messy and disorganized and there's no hope of anything new being said about old topics.
Encourage useful necroposting and new thoughts can emerge. Lock everything in sight and we get nothing. We'll be stagnant, look but don't touch. I hate museums.
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Gemberkoekje
- Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2005 11:42 pm
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paizuri
- Joined: Mon Sep 24, 2001 7:15 pm
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There is nothing inherently wrong with necroposting except for the fact that if the original poster was asking a question about something and the thread is, for example, 50 years old, that poster might be dead and his grandchildren are squabbling over who inherits his anime collection.
What IS wrong is when people necropost for no reason other than to revive a thread. At that point, it just becomes thread bumping with weirder name.
And then there are people who take it to the other extreme and use the necropost as an excuse to flame the hell out of the poster, regardless of whether or not it was intentional.
To a new user, EVERY thread is new, no matter how long ago it has been since the last reply. Anyone with a shred of common sense should be able to tell when a necropost is intentional or not. If someone adds something useful and interesting to a thread, who cares how old the thread is? We shouldn't block the possibility of stimulating conversation just because it's been a while since someone has spoken about it.
If you want to regulate necroposting, start by regulating yourselves. Don't jump on people just because they happen to post to old threads if they actually have something worthwhile to say. But also, don't jump down their throats if they're new here and are enthusiastically posting 60 times an hour. A gentle word about being more thoughtful and less excited goes a lot further than screaming at them.
Just my two cents.
What IS wrong is when people necropost for no reason other than to revive a thread. At that point, it just becomes thread bumping with weirder name.
And then there are people who take it to the other extreme and use the necropost as an excuse to flame the hell out of the poster, regardless of whether or not it was intentional.
To a new user, EVERY thread is new, no matter how long ago it has been since the last reply. Anyone with a shred of common sense should be able to tell when a necropost is intentional or not. If someone adds something useful and interesting to a thread, who cares how old the thread is? We shouldn't block the possibility of stimulating conversation just because it's been a while since someone has spoken about it.
If you want to regulate necroposting, start by regulating yourselves. Don't jump on people just because they happen to post to old threads if they actually have something worthwhile to say. But also, don't jump down their throats if they're new here and are enthusiastically posting 60 times an hour. A gentle word about being more thoughtful and less excited goes a lot further than screaming at them.
Just my two cents.
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I ain't 2 proud 2 beg! haha school rumble is great
Why do I always have the most preposterous sigs???
My current favorite thread. I'm a huge fan of GA-JAMMING.
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Bulghod
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Lyrs
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