Anti thread resurrection idea

connorlindeman · Jul 17, 2022

Recently I have noticed a small uptake in the amount of resurrected threads. Do you think that it would be prudent to add something like this on threads that are very old?

WhistlingBadger · Jul 17, 2022

@Slaphppy7 used to do this pretty regularly on the other forum. I nominate him to be in charge of torpedoing threads that have been resurrected after lying dormant for over a year!

connorlindeman · Jul 17, 2022

WhistlingBadger said:
@Slaphppy7 used to do this pretty regularly on the other forum. I nominate him to be in charge of torpedoing threads that have been resurrected after lying dormant for over a year!

There must be a way to automate that.

Stan510 · Jul 17, 2022

Some sites just close the topic with "there will be no more responses" or something like that. People sometimes discover a site by some old thread on google. Yet,it could be to a closed topic and that would be ok to me. Most of the time the OP has already left the hobby and the country!

Alice B · Jul 17, 2022

I often search for the problem I'm having on my tank instead of starting a new thread and I've been known to resurrect. Putting the warning up would deter me from commenting. I would still search.

TwoTankAmin · Jul 18, 2022

Believe it or not on asome fish sites I have added a post to a thread I started. I might have posted about a tank or a species of fish I began keeping. I usually have posted in the thread a number of times and then stopped and so did new replies. And then a year or two later something relevant to the thread and whatever fish/tank/project it involved had something new worthy of being posted.

I have to admit this has not occurred for me much, if ever here, but it has on other sites. Here is a perfect example on planetcatfish.
Original post: Nov. 11, 2015
My most recent Aug, 11, 2021
Total posts in thread: 14
If you are really curious https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42699

I think if you want to close a thread for inactivity time, there needs to be a way to reopen it when doing so is for posting something new which is both material and relevant to the topic.

Essjay · Jul 18, 2022

I usually make the comment in connorlindeman's post.

People 'google' something and one of the hits is an old thread on here. They don't stop to read the date on the thread, just post in the thread which matches their question. Sometimes it's just to say 'I agree' or words to that effect in which case I just make the comment about it being an old thread and they won't get a reply as the OP hasn't been on-line for however many years. But if it's a new member with a problem I usually move their post to start a new thread - and tell them what I've done and why, and where they can find the new thread.

connorlindeman · Jul 18, 2022

You don't have to manually send messages, I was thinking more of a message at the bottom of old threads. They don't inhibit you from posting but they make you think twice. Some people might not realize that the thread is old.

Oblio · Jul 18, 2022

I would also post a link to that thread in the message so that if a new thread was created, a link could be made back to the original for context.
FWIW, I usually look for New Posts, so even resurrected threads will be seen.

Essjay · Jul 18, 2022

The mods have brought this up before in the staff area and the admins are happy with the way things are.

DragonScales+Doubletails · Jul 18, 2022

I literally left another forum due to thread resurrection and betta disrespect.

Sanityassassin · Jul 23, 2022

Stan510 said:
Some sites just close the topic with "there will be no more responses" or something like that. People sometimes discover a site by some old thread on google. Yet,it could be to a closed topic and that would be ok to me. Most of the time the OP has already left the hobby and the country!

...or is dead!

Colin_T · Jul 23, 2022