Deletion/Locked Thread Explanations Request

[Magritte25]

Since 2012 is almost over and it's time for a New Year, can CD made a resolution to keep us posted as to why seemingly harmless threads are either deleted or locked? I've seen numerous threads disappear or locked and none with explanation. What's the point of that?

[Bo]

That's a question best addressed on a per-thread basis by sending a DM to one of that forum's assigned mods.

Often the answer to that question is in deleted posts within a closed thread, posts that members can no longer see. If you could see the deleted posts, it would be clear that members were repeatedly unable to discuss the topic in a civil fashion.

[7G9C4J2]

Excellent response, Bo (as always!).

Sometimes a thread is closed temporarily to allow a Mod to do some cleanup of problematic posts, and is later reopened for continued conversation. Sometimes threads are closed permanently, and if it is feasible to do so without creating more issues, Mods will often (though not always) try to add a final post with a brief explanation of the reason. That is not mandatory, however, and in some cases it would cause more problems than it would solve, so sometimes threads do simply get locked without a public explanation.

I always welcome inquiries from members who are puzzled by my actions on threads in the forums I moderate. While I often can't go into a lot of detail in my replies (obviously I can't say things like "Member So-and-so was making repeated off-topic posts"), I can at least give a general notion of why I took the action I did. Particularly with a relatively new member who still may be learning about how this forum is managed, I value the opportunity to share knowledge and increase understanding, as I think that ultimately increases a person's ability to make useful and constructive additions to the conversations here.

[chris123678]

I've noticed this aswell. Perhaps the Mod see's that the thread is a "Dead Horse".