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Old 23rd Oct 2017, 9:13 pm   #1
Sinewave
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Default Keeping a thread ongoing

Hello,

I have in the past posted about one or two Avo 8 Mk5s I have which may need a little tinkering with. After a time, the thread is locked leaving my unable to either comment further or update the progress. Should I create further threads and quote the previous threads?
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Old 23rd Oct 2017, 9:22 pm   #2
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

No, contact a moderator and the thread will be reopened. You can do this by sending a PM to an individual mod of your choice, or by clicking on the Report Post icon in the thread in which case the first available mod will deal with it.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 3:08 pm   #3
Techman
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

I personally think that this thread closing after three months is a very bad thing and that it is very unhelpful to the cause.

I know that it can be 'asked' for a thread to be re-opened, but I tend to think that most people won't bother, so therefore important knowledge is possibly lost.

Speaking for myself, I often think about continuing a thread but on finding it's been automatically closed, I don't bother.

I agree that people dragging up 'graveyard' threads with, for the most part, pointless comments is a bit of an irritation, but not nearly as much of an irritation to keep finding fairly recent threads closed!

The problem is people not looking at the 'date' of the original posts when responding after a thread has been 'brought back', or not taking a moment to wonder where a complete thread on a previously unseen discussion has suddenly appeared from.

I don't particularly post on other forums, but I do sometimes browse a few and I've never known this thread closing to take place anywhere else. Remember, in the 'vintage' community, 3 days is equal to 3 months, and 3 months is equal to 3 years, so if threads have to be archived, then closure, if it has to take place (which I don't think it does) should be no less than 3 years, and at the very least no less than a year.

This sort of thing gives the impression that members are old 'fuddy duddies' who can't be trusted to know when a thread is current and whether a response to such a thread would be sensible or not.

I know it could be argued that folk who are not on the forum every day (and that often applies to me) may not notice a thread with several pages that suddenly appears out of the blue is ten years old, but I don't think it's a huge problem that the odd thread is bought back to the top in this way. I think it's definitely more of a problem that threads are closing after a relatively short time and that some of them have to be re-opened - if folk can be bothered to ask.

Am I the only person that thinks this?
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 4:07 pm   #4
paulsherwin
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

The mods are currently discussing this issue.
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Old 25th Oct 2017, 11:47 pm   #5
Paul Stenning
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

Following our discussion we have increased the auto-close period from 90 days to 180 days.

This won't reopen threads that are already closed, but will allow currently open threads longer. In practice this means no threads will be auto-closed for the next 90 days.

As always, if you would like a thread to be reopened just use the Report Post option or PM a mod and we will do it for you.

The reason for the auto-closing is to prevent old threads being revived by new queries that would be better as a new thread. It was always difficult to decide where to set the cut-off point. We initially thought three months was long enough but with experience and the number of reopen requests we get it is clear that it needs to be longer.

Obviously it will be a few months before we really start to see if the longer period is better, but we will keep an eye on it and review it in few months.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 4:17 pm   #6
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

Once a closed thread has been re opened how long before it is closed again? I requested a thread was opened to add service info not available on the net. It was opened, I had trouble processing the info, before I could get to a working scanner the thread was closed again, IRC after just 24hrs.


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Old 26th Oct 2017, 6:26 pm   #7
Paul Stenning
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

If you request an auto-closed thread to be reopened you need to post in it the same day otherwise it will auto-close again at midnight. So it is best to ask on the day you are ready to post.

The auto-close system, which runs once every night, just uses the last post date.
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Old 26th Oct 2017, 6:43 pm   #8
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

Thank you Paul.


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Old 26th Oct 2017, 9:08 pm   #9
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

After we noticed that, we now make a post, something on the lines of "reopened by request" to keep it open. It can be deleted when no longer required.
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Old 31st Oct 2017, 12:54 pm   #10
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Default Re: Keeping a thread ongoing

This is great news regarding the thread opening cut off period being extended to six months rather than just three, and a good compromise.

Often something is started during the winter and then put to one side over the summer and then returned to over the next winter, so six months takes it nicely over the season for a re-start - just.

It's also good to know that a moderator post on the thread being opened then keeps the thread open for the 'full' period if the requester doesn't manage to post in the thread immediately. Speaking for myself, I think that rather than not being bothered to request a post being re-opened, it's more of a case that I realised that there was a very short 'window' available for making the post before the thread would close again. I often find that when I intend to make a post that I get side tracked by something - the phone rings or someone calls round and the post doesn't get made that day.

So all in all a good compromise and many thanks for extending the 'time out' period and agreeing a review of the situation in a while to see how it's working out - I've a feeling that there's a good few folk who are quietly pleased with this revision.
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