Closing non-review threads because > 30 days? Why?

[LazurusLong]

I understand some staff members and also the members of the board may have forgotten, but unlike ASPD, the OWNERS of ECCIE decided that the blanket 30 rule was for reviews only.

So what if a good discussion thread happened to slip for a few months? The way the members come and go and life happens, it can be FUN to have threads pop back up with people making good contributions.

For example, this thread:
http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=311960 -
The one you've always wanted.

It was last bumped 2 months ago and when bumped this time, SO WHAT? Nice fun comments, compliments and no insults. Sort of thread this forum needs more of and WHAM it got locked most likely because someone FORGOT that non review threads are not subject to the 30 day rule.

This one was even more of a tragedy that it got closed.
http://www.eccie.net/showthread.php?t=11909
"One of the many reasons I like "providers"

I'll bet it got closed for the same reason yet that reason does not apply except for REVIEWS!

Yes I could have hit RTM on them and pointed it out but what good would that do?

I want to make sure that people understand that this site, per the owners, does not lock non review threads that happen to have been bumped more than 30 days!

[Prolongus]

I actually read the first one earlier today (The One You Always Wanted). Thought it was one of the more thought-provoking threads...and who knows...a Provider and Client who thought they might not ever get together may have found each other...

Beats starting a new thread with the same subject...which happens a lot here.

[Guest082216-1]

As long as the bump to the old thread is on topic and ads value to the thread, there should be no reason to close the thread because of the bump. As I did not close either thread, I cannot know if there was some other issue involved with the two threads. I wll post a reminder about this in the staff area.

FYI the BEST thing to do is RTM. That is the fastest way to get a mods attention.

[guest043013-2]

Best thing they ever did was the sticky post in main forum for BBFS and NBA threads. Then they can just merge all of the useless dribble that comes up over the years.

I think ISO threads and reviews need the 30 day lock. Alerts as well. Other threads, I am not so commited to a 30 day lock.

Heck, some days I wish we could comment on ads, but I know that would get way out of hand. At least a good ad you can rate or give a like to.

[chipper]

As Bubba said, "As long as the bump to the old thread is on topic and ads value to the thread, there should be no reason to close the thread because of the bump."

Ads value is in the eye of the beholder. I didn't close them but didn't see much value either. Maybe we should just leave them open until they get hijacked and then close them.

[pyramider]

Why close a thread due to a hijack? The natural flow of thought can take a thread in different directions. That is not necessarily a bad thing.

[Guest070413]

Originally Posted by chipper

I didn't close them but didn't see much value either.

Wow, I am gonna tell myself that surely you don't realize how that came off. I barely engage in the discussion on this board, but one of those little bumps was in reference to me which was kind and on topic so it seemed. The last little bump was my crappy attempt to say thanks to those who mentioned me. As a somewhat shy person when it comes to compliments I realize that my reply may not have been as in depth and entertaining as others have been, but you just basically said they have little value.

[LazurusLong]

The "value" is simply that someone felt they wanted to post to the threads and I think that my choosing those 2 as an example should illustrate the point.

Bubba and Chipper, I'm sorry but no where in the owner's statement about not closing non review threads after 30 days was there a caveat or restriction about any "value added." Sorry but that was never part of what the ECCIE owners decreed so it appears from Bubba's statement that was agreed to by Chipper that it may be the Dallas modertor staff's opinion that it needs some sort of value, BUT that was never implied or required by the owners. Period.

If the thread bump appears to have no value to the moderator who is responding to the RTM, that doesn't detract from the original value of the thread and the bump might just allow others who may have missed it the first time around to contribute even more positive things to a board lacking in positive things in Co-Ed right now.

And I'll bet anyone on staff that the SOLE reason for the original RTM was simply someone doing hit the RTM because it was more than 30 days old.

PERIOD.

Nothing more.

And whatever staff member locked the thread didn't even bother to look at the thread except to note the last posted to date and locked it without even understanding the ECCIE Owner's policy on non review closing. Nor bothering to post WHY the thread was locked in the first place.

Anyone on staff care to take that bet?

I'm making this an example not to get into anyone on staff's business but to emphasize to all members that just because a thread is "old" does not mean it needs the RTM button hit and reported.

Report RULE violations and not shit that is not a violation of a rule or policy on this board and the Staff needs to understand those rules even better than the members so this sort of thing doesn't happen. It has happened twice in less than 36 hours which would tell anyone looking in from the outside that some training of staff might be in order or a refresher of the site policy as decreed by the OWNERS might be in order.

[bobcatalpha3-6]

It appears that the two threads in the OP example have been unlocked

[johnnylongcaulking]

Originally Posted by pyramider

Why close a thread due to a hijack? The natural flow of thought can take a thread in different directions. That is not necessarily a bad thing.

+1

[TBONE]

I just spent 20 minutes typing a response to an 11 page thread that was started 2 months ago.

Very excited..have some new info that adds to the thread that no one has thought of.

About to post it..WHAT!! The F**kin thread was closed???!!!

Sucks right? And shouldn't happen!

Those two LL mentioned were opened.Keep adding to the info cause that's what this place was created for

T

[guest061212-1]

T, why not just make Lazarus a mod?

[LazurusLong]

Originally Posted by J.G. Wentworth

T, why not just make Lazarus a mod?

Do it next December to insure hell freezes over as the world ends.

[Guest082216-1]

One point I would like to add here is LL took the time to RTM the threads. They were reviewed and reopened. Reguardless of who or why they were orginialy closed, action was taken based on the merits of the threads and they were reopened. There are times when we may close as old thread for any number of reasons. However, if you disagree, the proper thing to do is RTM it and we will review it. Opening a new thread to complain without also RTMing the old one will most likely result in little or delayed action.

The threads we are really concerned about are ones that have dated info in them. Something that may become non-relivant or in error after enough time has passed. Reviews and alerts are two great examples. Anyone bumping a 6 month old review may be bring up info in the thread that simply is no longer accurate. Hince, the 30 day rule for reviews. There may RARELY be times when other threads pose the risk of misleading or confusing the membership because the info is outdated. In those rare cass we may indeed close a bumped thread but those should be the exception, not the norm.

It is good to remind folks, including staff, that hinderring the flow of information is not to be taken lightly. Thanks LL for the reminder.

[Guest082216-1]

Originally Posted by pyramider

Why close a thread due to a hijack? The natural flow of thought can take a thread in different directions. That is not necessarily a bad thing.

This is true but noting to do with bumping old threads. The forum rules require you to honor the orginial intent of of the OPs post. If I post "why is the world round?' And it somehow morphs into why water floats when its frozen, both may be good topics but the 2ed has nothing to do with the 1st. By the time the staff finds out about it, it may be impossible to rediect the conversation back to the orginal topic. Or the orginal topic may have been answered and now its a totaly different thread. We will close that. The person wanting to know about Ice is free to open a new thread and talk about frozen water all they want.