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I realize many times people bump up really old threads (like, 5, 10 or 12 years old) on purpose, but it seems to me that about 3/4 of the time, somebody replies to a really old thread or post without realizing that it was a really old thread or post. They then give advice to somebody who is no longer around, or whose issue has long been resolved, abandoned, or is otherwise no longer relevant.
Some sections of this forum seem to be really plagued with this issue - often times by somebody whose first (and often, only) post was to bump up some ancient thread. The section then gets littered with all these threads being bumped up for the first time in 10 years. Soon, other people, not noticing somebody bumped up an old thread, begin replying to other 10-year-old posts in the thread.
Sometimes it's OK that old topics get resurrected, even if by accident, but I think the majority of people who accidentally reply to 10-year-old posts would not do so had they realized the post was that old.
So I was wondering if it might be possible to devise a system to warn people that they're replying to some really old post? Something like, if a post is more than, say, 2 years old, if somebody replies to it, a popup message pops up telling the person that they're replying to a post that's X years old, and then if they press OK they can continue their reply, or if they press Cancel the reply action is cancelled. Or something like that.
I don't know the degree to which this forum software can be customized with something like that, but if it can, I think doing that would cut down on a lot of needlessly bumped up ancient threads.
And, there is no harm to the replies. Actually the search engine benefits CD enjoys are good reason for posting to old threads, and why that activity is encouraged by ownership.
I would not pester people with popups.
"Keeping CD Free!"
Usually at the end of an older threads is a note, like here (at the bottom of post #9). City Data.com chat
So, anyone trying to write posts #10 should see it quite clearly.
Of course, after that post is posted, the note will disappear. So the next person, the one who will write posts #11 will not see it.
I responded to old posts myself many times, mostly after someone already resurrected the thread and that note was not longer there.
A good habit is to go to the first post and read what is it about anyway, then you can check the date. . Longer threads tend to go off topic a bit, and people are responding to stuff that is often not relevant anymore.
If it is relevant info or conversation and it adds to the topic and spirit of the thread I see no harm in it. The other alternative is creating multiple threads on the same topic. Which can result in some folks being told there are already threads about their topic and to use the search feature.
I realize the posts are dated and whatnot, but I'm just saying, many people don't seem to notice or pay attention to those dates, especially newbies. Since a lot of people reply to posts and threads not being aware as to how old they are, it seems there should be something to more forcibly remind people that they're replying to a 10-year-old post. It looks pretty silly if somebody is giving advice to somebody from 10 years ago, and I'm sure that, 90% of the time when that happens, they didn't notice it was such an old post.
many people don't seem to notice or pay attention to those dates, especially newbies.
I'm not sure that it's obliviousness to the date of the thread as much as relevance to their interests that leads people to post in old threads.
Way back in 2007, an old thread on a topic I was searching for information on is what led me to join this forum. I'm sure the same is true for many members. If an old thread appears to be the best online source for certain info, it makes perfect sense that folks would post in the specific old thread that includes that info.
This thread has been viewed 61 times, but only 5 different people (not counting the author) have bothered to reply... What does that tell anybody, if anything...
I realize the posts are dated and whatnot, but I'm just saying, many people don't seem to notice or pay attention to those dates, especially newbies. Since a lot of people reply to posts and threads not being aware as to how old they are, it seems there should be something to more forcibly remind people that they're replying to a 10-year-old post. It looks pretty silly if somebody is giving advice to somebody from 10 years ago, and I'm sure that, 90% of the time when that happens, they didn't notice it was such an old post.
This is true & sometimes the new post will start a new page, so if you look at the date of the last post, it is not readily apparent that it is ancient thread.
It's a default option in the VBulletin forum software.
The question is only about choosing to use it as most forums will.
Yeah, that's a good idea. Just did a test on an old thread and it doesn't show up, so it's clear the option isn't implemented here.
It would still be nice if the warning was a little more obvious, but it would be better than nothing.
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