5 replies to this topic

[Jpec07]

I feel I must preface this by saying that there are two ideas being presented here as alternatives to one another. I imagine the first has already been suggested, but the second may not have been, and from what I gather it's relatively easy to implement. Since I gather that thread necromancy (posting in an old, dead thread) is a pretty big issue here, I have come up with two alternatives.

1. Thread Timeout This is a functionality I see in a lot of other forums. Essentially, any thread older than a given age (say, one month) will be locked. It would most certainly prevent against necromancy, as any thread dug up through the search method would be incapable of being replied in if it's old enough to gain the wrath of the general populace.

2. Age-Based Notifications The idea is that after a thread reaches a certain age, the reply form adjusts itself to include a notification that the thread is older than the cutoff age (say 1 month), and prompts the user to instead start a new thread. Such a thing could also be modified to suggest that the user send their question or comment to a moderator. While I can see that this might be seen as redundant (as the thread's age can easily be determined by checking the date on the last post), I feel it's necessary to point out that checking the date isn't exactly the first thing on a newbie's mind when they see a thread they want to reply to--especially since it is so small and isolated within a forum post. This idea would bring the information to the front, which would help more mature and attentive newbies to know that they are about to commit forum treason. See here for an example of this idea.

The advantage of the first option over the second is that the first is already built into the admin control panel as an option that can be adjusted very easily. However, the function is blind to threads that may have been set up to allow for thread necromancy. On the flip side, the second option is a little bit harder to implement, and wouldn't entirely prevent necro-posting. But the second option would be more sensitive to threads that ought to remain open.

And I apologize if I'm overstepping my bounds by coming back just to post a suggestion. I just encountered that feature while browsing the internet and thought it would be indispensable here.

[CaptainSlug]

If you are not willing to look before you post then we'll cull you from the forum. We're not interested in adding training wheels to the forum.

the first is already built into the admin control panel

Not under our current software version.

[Ambience 327]

They have a nice shiny red-lettered warning on NerfHQ that tells you if you are about to post in an older thread. People ignore it and necro anyway - all the time.

It doesn't work. Goobers will be goobers even if you smack them in the face with a notification.

[Jpec07]

So the warning message is out, because its ineffectiveness is evident. What about auto-close? So far as I can tell, there is no practical benefit to keeping threads like that open. If the only argument against it is that it's a little bit harder to implement than I'd thought (though certainly easier than the warning message), dare I suggest you all in the moderation give it a shot?

Also, a problem isn't worth complaining about unless you're going to take steps towards a solution; if you're unwilling to try and fix it, then you're just making noise for the sake of making noise.

[Blue]

The system works as far as I can tell, people who necro get banned or warned, and life moves on.

[Dragon216]

The system works as far as I can tell, people who necro get banned or warned, and life moves on.

Agreed, I read all around the forums for months before I was approved and noticed this trend. It doesn't take much common sense to look at the date of the thread before you reply. I really see no need for such a, as captain slug said, "training wheels" approach to the forum.

*edit* -misplaced comma

Edited by Dragon216, 06 November 2009 - 02:14 PM.