Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Old posts that reappear

Jun 27, 2007 2:14AM PDT

Occasionally someone digs up a thread thats very old....maybe several years so....and adds a comment that brings the thread back to the top. Often this is comes from a first time poster. I suspect many of those who posted to that topic are no longer active members or have no interest in that subject. The resurrection of the thread is probably rarely of value. I am wondering if it could be done and would be worthwhile for a thread to become "read only"...essentially locked...after a given period of inactivity.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Makes sense
Jun 27, 2007 4:50AM PDT

to have the older threads "read only"

The question is time limit to set regarding age of thread,e.g.,6 months,1 year,2 years,......

Tom

- Collapse -
And...
Jun 27, 2007 5:05AM PDT

There are debates, such as the 'should I turn my computer off or leave it on' thread, which have gone on for years. New threads on such discussions are routinely locked so as not to start the debate from the beginning, instead redirecting to the original thread to show all opinions of the past. Also Grif's Computer Newbies sticky and others like it are open for general posting. There would have to be a way to 'unarchive' select threads on the front end.

I'm always puzzled when someone offers advice in a 2-year-old thread, but it seems like it may be more trouble to archive the posts than it's worth.

John

- Collapse -
A question of numbers
Jun 27, 2007 10:19AM PDT

Just how often is a resurrected thread of value to the general readership vs the example(s) you stated? Not a good ratio, I am thinking. As well, how often have you seen such an old thread fool people into responding to posts whose author isn't even around anymore? just like talking into the phone when the other party hung up long ago. Happy

- Collapse -
Hey...
Jun 27, 2007 1:49PM PDT

The fights I have with my cell phone carriers concerning dropped calls are between me and them. Happy

Very true...usually the answer has already been given, and even if it wasn't I believe Grif said it best that after three years the original poster hopefully doesn't have the same problem on his/her new computer. I'm just wondering if it would be worth it for the engineers to implement such as auto-locking mechanism considering the relatively small number of old threads that are drudged up and the impact they have. It's something I wouldn't mind seeing, but there's a lot more I'd like to see added first.

On a side note, message marking has confused us, thread tracking has annoyed us, member profiles have lost us, and the forum search has forgotten us. As much as we rely on the forum software are you ready to give it the ability to auto-lock threads? Mischief

John

- Collapse -
I forgot what you're talking about
Jun 27, 2007 2:10PM PDT

I agree. Forum threads should be automatically locked if there is no reply within 90 days. That's more than enough time for someone to figure they still might have the same problem. It would even have to be automatically locked. Just have them remove the reply button from the old threads. That's it, if there is no reply within 90 days, automatically remove the reply button. Then the poster has to create a new discussion. You guys are real Geniuses


Rick

- Collapse -
Me too
Jun 27, 2007 10:41PM PDT

I think older discussions should be locked, either by mods or automatically.

I did get burned once. I locked a 4 year old thread after someone posted saying that they had been searching for ages for an answer and found it in that discussion, and just wanted to let us know.

I replied saying as it was so old I was locking it. The poster only emailed me privately and complained! Happy

Just can't please everyone. But I think these need to be locked. So often I get time outs and Page not found when i try to open these.

Mark

- Collapse -
Just a newbies input here.
Jun 27, 2007 2:13PM PDT

I've been around Cnet for only a few months and I didn't know there was a forums search. Now that I know its here I'll take a look see. Just saw the Newbie section yesterday, thought it was very long but it might help someone. I have taken a look at the profiles. It's good to know how's giving you BS when the need arises. I got clobbered as soon as I arrived. Thought maybe it was the welcoming committee.

- Collapse -
I see
Jun 27, 2007 2:21PM PDT

Sure I've used "forums search". Still don't have the names down yet. What I really like is "forum real-time activity". I check that one out as soon as I get on site.

By-the-way your moderators do good work. At-a-boy, to you all.

- Collapse -
If you're looking for something
Jun 27, 2007 7:56PM PDT

you can click on advanced search. It will take you here

http://forums.cnet.com/advanced-search-forums/?tag=advsrch

say you posted about something, you can put some of the information and your uwsername and presto, your information comes up.

Example, I put in Message author Dango517 and click on submit, I come up with this

http://forums.cnet.com/advanced-search-forums/5238-7813-0.html?messageType=1&kw=&username=Dango517&forumID=&dateRange=all&maxHits=10

Sometimes it's better to use this or if you even use google you'll find this

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Dango517&btnG=Google+Search

It's still best to use the advanced search at CNET first.


Rick

- Collapse -
Thats fine,but
Jun 27, 2007 9:38PM PDT

as noted here in feedback the older threads sometimes take a long time to load and even time out on occasion.

I for one don't understand how people find these older threads unless its by accident,such as a goggle search and they don't notice post of origin date.

There are valid points here but I see no reason to rehash a thread years old.

- Collapse -
(NT) And what wonderful posts they are.
Jun 28, 2007 2:40AM PDT
- Collapse -
My take.
Jun 28, 2007 12:18AM PDT

The sticky notes by Grif, as mentioned, and I'll add the one by Mark in this forum, I'm sure are very helpful to those who read them. But as we see there are always some who don't or won't, just as they don't read the TOS when joining. Or the appeal in red at the top of the subject line to provide info re: their systems, etc.

I had good luck recently finding a help topic via advanced search (by topic, not by author). I saw my question had been asked several times, and I was glad I didn't ask it again. Happy

Yet I can see it can be a problem to drag up ancient posts in the help forms, especially for FAQs. Except I suspect it is a convenience for those moderators to provide a link when the question has been asked many times before. However, I think it is more understandable that a member would start a new thread as they might be desperate for help with a problem. IMO, desperation does not seem to apply to those who take time to look for long gone threads.

In off-topic forums there may those who look for posts by certain members, resurrect old posts they made under a different name, dig up aged posts that were contentious at the time to perhaps fan the embers, and even some who have a special interest in a topic and search to see if it had been discussed.

Yep, I admit I have missed the dates on those brought forward, too. Most had no current value, but a few did merit updated discussion.

Angeline
Speakeasy Moderator

- Collapse -
I agree with this, maybe at some point older post should be
Jun 28, 2007 6:33PM PDT

archived, but searchable...

Let me talk to the engineers about this. If we don't do that maybe an auto lock of post after a certain period of time--as some of you have suggested.

The people who dredge up old post are usually folks who come through search engines and have no clue what's what...

Anyways thanks for the feedback. I will see what we can do about this.
Cheers!
-Lee

- Collapse -
In some cases,
Jul 1, 2007 12:10AM PDT

it is something called "follow up".

- Collapse -
I'd think in the help forums
Jul 1, 2007 12:44AM PDT

where one is looking for a solution to a problem or buying advice the useful information is traded over a short period of time. So, follow ups months or years later aren't going to be of much value to the moment of need. In some forums, perhaps one here at Cnet, a follow up is often fueled by a grudge that won't go away or a persons need to just say "I told you so". I don't see that either "follow up" is of much value to the general readership.

- Collapse -
(NT) Sometimes "I told you so" is needed
Jul 1, 2007 9:29AM PDT
- Collapse -
Key words
Jul 1, 2007 9:36AM PDT

"value to the general readership"

I don't see personal issues between members as meeting that criteria. All the more reason to lock 'em up tight. Wink