old threads resurfacing

[astroNikon]

My forum software has a "hey idiot, this is an old thread, are you sure you want to post here" check box that they have to click before they can resurrect the dead.

Probably gets well used right ?

 

[JTPhotography]

The only reason I brought it up, was because the other day I had opened two different threads, both rather lengthy, thinking I might like to respond and half way thru the pages of them I realized I was seeing a post made by someone no longer seen on the forum. When I checked, I realized the OP of the thread was also no longer around and the thread was of little relevance to anyone now. One of the threads was from 2009. Not sure why a few here got a bit upset with my "suggestion" and that's all it was. I wasn't annoyed and I wasn't complaining, I was just suggesting, in the forum titled -feedback and suggestions.

Not upset at all, just making an observation that I see on all of the forums I have participated in. As to your original suggestion, what is wrong with someone resurrecting a thread that is 5 years old by adding something relevant or helpful?

 

[EIngerson]

I personally like older threads. I think todays threads lack substance. I like to grab my retro glasses, a white collared shirt, suit vest, chuck taylors and my vape and read old threads. It brings out my inner hipster.

 

[Overread]

JTP - generally speaking old threads are related to questions people asked a very long time ago. Those people might not be present now or if they are already found the answers they were looking for a long while back. As such replies to really old threads are often directly superflouus as they serve no direct need by someone.

Now you can argue that they can act as a historical reference point and that is very much true; however generally speaking if one is searching rather than asking one can often find the answer in a different thread on the same site or upon the net in general. At which point going back to answer every old question simply has no net benefit.

It's also a general rule in most sites because it means that current content by currently active and engaged members of the community remains at the top. Rather than being buried. We'd far rather have the current community engaging with each other; than have people providing answers to members of the community who might no longer be here.


You also get people who post a question into an old thread. Now what happens then is that many people read the first few posts (or only the first) only; so a question a page or so in (or further if its really long) might well be ignored by those new to the thread (ergo all those in todays community now seeing the restored thread and replying to it). As such it doesn't benefit the one bumping the thread if they are asking a fresh question (and often as not its not always the same as the one in the original post of thread - heck i've seen cases where the new question hasn't got any relation at all to it).