Bumping Old Threads

Discussion in 'Feedback & FAQ' started by cstebila, Sep 27, 2010.

  1. #1
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    Understanding the prohibition on bumping old threads is simple, yet I want to propose it be re-considered.

    Its immediately apparent every time I see an old thread that a very good case can be built against the ban. The entire draw of an online community / board is discussion on topics that would be far too obscure for casual fans, LPA has quite the number of these threads.

    When I first noticed the boards were set to only display threads "1 day old," I was very surprised, as I'd never seen a community do such a thing. However I soon considered its benefits (ie: limiting user's who may be prone to spamming, keeping discussion fresh, etc) but since have not only had my share of doubts, but started realizing the cost of doing such.

    Numerous time out of genuine interest in conversations, I've wanted to reply but can't. This interest may be more widespread then we think, yet since whenever a reply is offered in a thread it is warned, no way for it to manifest itself exists.

    Esssentially LPA becomes limited to a community, by and large revolving around the current, then the past. While this is natural, since old threads are both prohibited from being responded to and "invisible" the past is to a small degree forgotten. This self-censorship potentially costs LPA user registrations from those who may be looking to discuss the merits of Hybrid Theory yet see 1 thread on it's board.

    In addition to eradicating any potential barriers to potential new members, it has the potential to spark life into the boards as a whole, as the community gets re-involved in the sub-boards. Conversation in these boards would work to not only instill a good history of Linkin Park but LPA as well. (hell there's even the potential for an old user to see his/her thread still receiving posts and decides to rejoin)

    It can be suggested that the my proposed "problem" is already dealt with as currently user's can create new threads for whatever topic they want on these sub-boards. While true, in reality we're not seeing much activity on these boards at all. In fact they're all but dead. In addition, conversation in older threads may serve as a catalyst for newer threads being opened.

    Since its impossible to predict the exact outcomes of getting rid of the restriction, why not a 2 week probahionary period (if things seem to be going well, rules can potentially be revised, if it does harm (doubtful) or nothing for community vitilization, re-instate the ban. (A newsfeed post could even be made, saying something along the lines of wanting fan's to get active in some of the older sub-boards)

    While I realize I'm essentially working agaisnt that which is currently in place, I just wanted to share the idea.

    Thanks for listening,

    Camaren
     
  2. #2
    Minus

    Minus ohai LPA Addicted VIP

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2003
    Messages:
    18,575
    Likes Received:
    1,002



    It's set to 1 Day Old? Mine are set to a month.

    The necroposting thing is an issue, the problem I see is that there ARE certain threads that would be OK to revive (say, the NIN thread for example). I think the issue about necroposting was that either 1) users wouldn't bother looking for the old threads or 2) users would search for a thread that was a year old to post an 'I liked this album.' and be done with it.
     
  3. #3
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    The problem is essentially there's no point to the sub-boards as they work closer or mimic a sticky thread. There's 2 threads on Meteora (1 entitled "Let's Simply Appreciate") while on the Hybrid Theory there's 1 thread (How did you feel listening to Hybrid Theory for the first time?) Essentially the boards have been reduced to a very basic conversation, and despite the album's being older, I feel it doesn't have to be limited to this.

    And "necroposting," as soon as the threads are revived they're no longer dead :) I know I'm not the only one who goes from ATS to Reanimation and would love a thriving board dedicated to it!

    Just a thought,

    Cam
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2010
  4. #4
    Tim

    Tim My perversion power is accumulating LPA Super Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2007
    Messages:
    7,033
    Likes Received:
    142



    I don't see the correlation between necroposting and livening up the forums. Why post in an old thread -- where a topic has likely been discussed to death -- when you can simply create a new one? Wouldn't that be more interesting?
     
  5. #5
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    8,769
    Likes Received:
    333



    That does make more sense than bumping back an old thread.

    More often than not you'd really have to go back to the 1st page of an old thread to find out what it's about and then post in it, so doing that with a really old thread is kind of pointless when you can just make a new one and refresh the topic in everyone's minds. It's a system that works and honestly no one really has a problem with just making a new thread about a topic that hasn't been discussed in a while.

    Necroposting, like Minus said, is a bit of a complicated issue because with certain threads, it is okay. Official this or that threads are ones that seemingly work in terms of necroposting, and ones that are stuck and pinned are good too. However, there are just some threads where bumping it up is really pointless and it's more beneficial to discuss it in a new thread. New threads tend to be better than old ones because then sometimes you can alter the course of the discussion a lot better, whereas with old threads you're pretty much starting a-new....in the middle of a thread. That's silly.

    So, I personally think it's fine, but policy-changing is something the administrators have more of a part of than I do, so hopefully Derek or someone will come in here and voice their opinion. As for me, though, I think the necroposting rule is fine as it is.
     
  6. #6
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    Its not that people can't make a new thread about a topic, its that they aren't. We have boards that house a whole 2 threads, or 1 (available for reply). The statement "the system works" can easily be seen as the opposite.

    Honestly it's not for me that I propose the idea. There's no post I have the desire to respond to that bad, and if I did, I may just do it with a disclaimer (hoping mods are kind enough to see an exception here or there). Its that I can envision a LPA thriving even more so, where all boards are receiving regular activity.

    There's a lot of assumption here, primarily with it being that user's are incapable of discerning what's a proper post and what's not. While in many cases this is true, lets not forget we're looking at a blanketed ban.

    Even if this was always the case, right now the ban restricts responding to old threads at all. This is the hinderance in discussion, as sometimes it wouldn't make sense to create a new thread, as you want to reply to what was being said, or contribute to a list.

    Either way I appreciate your thoughts, thanks!

    Camaren
     
    Last edited: Sep 27, 2010
  7. #7
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    8,769
    Likes Received:
    333



    Honestly, regardless of whether or not we remove the rule, I do not think it'll help us thrive anymore than we do. It's such a small thing that people usually don't have a problem with that removing the rule or adjusting it won't really do much of anything. That's my personal opinion, anyway, and I'm sure others can agree.
     
  8. #8
    Benjamin

    Benjamin LPA team LPA Super VIP

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2010
    Messages:
    6,398
    Likes Received:
    7



    Yeah. If people wanted to talk about Hybrid Theory right now, they would make new threads for it. And if people wanted to reply to old threads, they would. Personally, I like the way it is.
     
  9. #9
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    Thanks for the input :)

    I haven't as its against the rules. For example there's a few threads I wanted to contribute to, thought the contribution might even spark more discussion, kinda re-liven sub-boards like Hybrid Theory.
     
  10. #10
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    8,769
    Likes Received:
    333



    Just start the threads over again, man. I'm actually pretty sure that after A Thousand Suns, people will offer different opinions and thoughts for those kinds of threads. It makes for interesting conversation.
     
  11. #11
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    How realistic though is it to start over a thread every time you want to contribute to it, in fact that seems to be going out of the way even more. I'd have remade 4 threads already. Essentially as it is now, any old threads are off limits. O well, its all good, just thought I'd ask opinions...
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2010
  12. #12
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    8,769
    Likes Received:
    333



    Honestly, it's realistic if a thread dies and isn't posted in for several months, sometimes years.
     
  13. #13
    Joe

    Joe I'm tried LPA Administrator

    Joined:
    Mar 20, 2004
    Messages:
    18,901
    Likes Received:
    1,071



    Hmm, I'm slightly confused. When you're using terms like "blanketed ban" do you honestly think we will warn / ban anyone who does this? No chance in hell. The rule is there to simply prevent newbies signing up and going back to a thread made in 2003 about how "somewhere I belong was in Pankake Fesival!!!" and replying with "cool :mike:", and then doing this in 4 other topics. It's one of those rules that never gets issued because we will always contact the member if they progress to do it.

    As for necroposting itself, we condone our members to make new threads to keep the discussion relevant and up to date. Using a thread that is a few years old may not be relevant as there may be more information on the topic or the members in there may not be around anymore. The archived threads are basically a source of research.

    Louis also touched on the "official" Thread exception which is enforced a lot more leniently around here. None of the staff are going to care if someone posts in a thread and it's relevant, especially if the thread was made in the last few months. Sometimes it's good to keep all information in one thread and we understand that and hope our members can think for themselves and have the common sense to know if what they are posting is actually adding to the previous discussion. As long as the member can acknowledge they are "sorry for the necropost but...", we will overlook it if we think it's ok, which in most cases it is.

    You raise a lot of good points and maybe we do need to revise our 30 day rule, and go back and look at how we moderate "exceptions to necroposting", so thanks for bringing this up, but this has not overly been a problem for us and the only time it is, is when newbies go to a 7 year old thread and write "awesome" and do this 5 times on their first day, which does happen, haha.

    Like I say, this is a very lenient rule and we trust our members to necropost accordingly. The rule is in place for the newbies more so than the members who know the rules and will necropost when they see fit. We will discuss it and look at writing up the rule a little better to include the "exceptions" part, however, it's pretty much an unspoken rule that necroposting is subjective and we hope our members can have the sense to know if they are really adding to the discussion with their reply. Like you said, if you're necroposting, put a notice or simply PM one of us. The other day Daisy PM'ed me asking if she could post in a thread that was over a year old and I obviously said yes because it was relevant to what she wanted to post now. I hope this helps, and we will look into clearing up the rule, acknowledging the "exceptions" sub-rule and re-evaluating the 30 day time limit. :)
     
  14. #14
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    Thanks for the thoughtful input Joe, really appreciate it. Wasn't entirely sure of the quasi-subjective nature so its cool to know that its not 110% off limits, but is allowed with discernment. Thanks for the advice! (also agreed, they do make well for research and just fun)
     
    Last edited: Sep 28, 2010
  15. #15
    Gloomy Mushroom

    Gloomy Mushroom Absolute Zero LPA Super VIP

    Joined:
    May 13, 2008
    Messages:
    8,909
    Likes Received:
    12



    How about put the uber old threads into an archive, read-only?
     
  16. #16
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    That would only be futhering the restrictions, Joe was just saying that there is a little bit of le-way, as long as discernment is practiced. This does make me wonder though as far as archiving, does LPA have a backup? I would imagine the answer is absolutely yes. :p
     
  17. #17
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    8,769
    Likes Received:
    333



    I like how you necropost in another forum right after this...

    I guess that particular instance isn't a big deal, but, I found it kind of funny. :lol:
     
  18. #18
    cstebila

    cstebila an emerging paradigm

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2010
    Messages:
    636
    Likes Received:
    0



    I actually had to look back to find what post you were referring to at it wasn't on purpose by any means, but it wasn't a necropost as its not only stickied, still relevant, and had replies as of last month, but pertains to future ideas for the group.

    IDK! :p
     
  19. #19
    Louis

    Louis Message me if you need to talk. We love you all. LPA Team

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2005
    Messages:
    8,769
    Likes Received:
    333



    I must have not seen the replies from August 27th. :lol: My bad.
     
  20. #20
    hawk

    hawk because the internet LPA Super VIP

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    Messages:
    7,681
    Likes Received:
    32



    I think you should be able to bump old threads as long as you are continuing the discussion (as long as it sort of came to an end), and making a decent post.
     

Share This Page