Stop locking necros :: Suggestions / Ideas

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Sex Alarm 16 Jul @ 7:21am

Stop locking necros

Generally speaking, there's no reason to do this. Why even have the search feature if every necro will get locked?

This also indirectly encourages people to repost threads rather than use existing ones because posting in an older thread will inevitably result in a lock.

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Originally posted by DarkCrystalMethod:

Valve sees the last post and can answer it, but decides to be useless and lock without an answer.
Especially annoying when its a time-based question like, say refunds. Just locking it hints that its not your job, moderators, so who's job at Valve is it to answer questions?
And if the most recent post has nothing to do with the thread just delete it and let someone else post once they have an answer.
Also, what is the time limit(number of hours, etc) between posts where you decide its officially necro? It appears that different moderators have different ideas on that time limit. Some reasonably have been locked after two weeks, but I've seen it locked when its been under two days, with the same message about preventing confusion. This is quite literally the source of confusion.
If moderators can't communicate with end users(other than locking, banning and warning) then please tell us who we can chat with about things(and stuff).

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Showing 1-15 of 24 comments

Drab 16 Jul @ 7:27am

OP is experiencing groundhog day.

The End 16 Jul @ 7:37am

I think they should auto-lock threads that has been inactive for 3 month.

Chronocide 16 Jul @ 7:45am

Originally posted by The End:
I think they should auto-lock threads that has been inactive for 3 month.

I vote to just make posts expire.

5yrs maybe? Just delete everything older than 5yrs. Threads & posts alike.

The End 16 Jul @ 7:47am

Originally posted by Chronocide:
I vote to just make posts expire.

5yrs maybe? Just delete everything older than 5yrs. Threads & posts alike.

That would hurt the threads with good and useful info.

Last edited by The End; 16 Jul @ 7:47am

Hey Im Recon 16 Jul @ 7:56am

Nah, threads which are old should be locked automatically. I’m constantly flagging such topics whenever someone bumps them from the grave.

Threads which are locked can still be viewed and found via search tools, so locking them does zero harm

Last edited by Hey Im Recon; 16 Jul @ 8:01am

Tolkien Book Fan 16 Jul @ 8:57am

From what I have seen on these forums, threads of up to two years old have been resumed with useful content. People don't add anything useful to threads older than that, so they might as well be auto-locked.

William Shakesman 16 Jul @ 9:20am

Just make a new thread. Valve is always fine with the user making a new thread even if the entire front page is about the same topic.

The End 16 Jul @ 9:27am

Originally posted by William Shakesman:
Just make a new thread. Valve is always fine with the user making a new thread even if the entire front page is about the same topic.

If the entire frontpage is about same topic, you do not need to necro or start a topic, you just post in one of the many active there already are on the frontpage. Right?

/Have a great day

Last edited by The End; 16 Jul @ 9:29am

William Shakesman 16 Jul @ 9:42am

Originally posted by The End:
Originally posted by William Shakesman:
Just make a new thread. Valve is always fine with the user making a new thread even if the entire front page is about the same topic.
If the entire frontpage is about same topic, you do not need to necro or start a topic, you just post in one of the many active there already are on the frontpage. Right?

/Have a great day

You do not have to start a new topic. But Valve is perfectly fine if you start one anyway. There is nothing wrong with doing so.

76561198407601200 16 Jul @ 9:49am

I was unaware there was an early performance today.

#10

Mr. Smiles 16 Jul @ 10:03am

Remember, searching is key.

#11

William Shakesman 16 Jul @ 10:04am

Originally posted by Mr. Smiles:
Remember, searching is key.

If it truly were key one would think they could.make the search function useful

#12

Tito Shivan 16 Jul @ 10:27am

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Generally speaking, there's no reason to do this.

There's a reason, albeit not a good one.

By locking all necros mods don't have to bother looking at context when deciding if the thread requires locking or not.

Originally posted by Chronocide:
5yrs maybe? Just delete everything older than 5yrs. Threads & posts alike.

That'd make things worse.

History time: Back in the early days of the discussions, the OP could delete a thread they started AT ANY MOMENT. It turned out to be quite damaging, because people asked for help, got their problem solved by some poster, then deleted the thread. Then the next person with the same problem did the same and then another, and another...

Forums (specially help & support sections) became groundhog day. People asking the same things over and over, people provising responses over and over just to have them deleted, unable to be found by a search from people having the same problem.

That's why now OPs cannot delete their threads after a set number of posts.

#13

BJWyler 16 Jul @ 10:34am

Originally posted by Sex Alarm:
Generally speaking, there's no reason to do this. Why even have the search feature if every necro will get locked?

This also indirectly encourages people to repost threads rather than use existing ones because posting in an older thread will inevitably result in a lock.

Yes, there is reason to lock old threads. In fact, it should be done automatically after a set time of inactivity. And searching does not equate to or imply the need to make a post in an old, dead thread.

Here's some guidelines that have been around to assist in deciding when to post in a thread:

A current and active thread is one that is continuing to receive replies with the last reply no more than a few days old. It's OK to post here!

A current, but inactive thread is one that received replies within the last couple of weeks, but NOT longer than one month. It's still OK to post here!

A current, but dead thread is one that hasn't received a reply in one to three months. It may be OK to post here, if there is actual relevant information relating directly to the topic. Relevant DOES NOT include things like the following: +1, I agree, It happened to me too, or 3 months and still not implemented, etc.

An old, dead thread is one that has not received a reply in over three months. It is never OK, nor necessary to resurrect this thread, no matter how self important you think your information is. Simply create a new thread.

You are welcome.

Sincerely,
The courteous and thoughtful Internet Using Community.

Last edited by BJWyler; 16 Jul @ 10:35am

#14