Reviving Past Topics

[Chatsie]

On some forums, it is frowned upon if you reply to a

topic that hasn't been posted in for a while. The idea

seems to be that once people stop posting in it, then

the subject is 'done with'.



Other forums don't mind it, because it's accepted that new

members joining the forum could offer a different viewpoint

or idea and get the topic going again.



I personally would go with the second group. I've been

on many forums where I've found topics of interest to me

but haven't replied to them in case I got told off. I think

it can be good to have topics revived with fresh ideas.



What do people here think ?

 

[McConnaughay]

We've already had a thread regarding this, maybe you should have revived it.

I don't see a problem with it, in fact I've done it numerous times here on Off Topix, (Nebulous has never told me off) just because a topic dies out doesn't mean it can't be brought back for discussion over time, and garner more opinions as they come.

 

[Chatsie]

Oooops sorry

, I found that thread you were referring to,

it's almost 2 months old, on some forums that would be one

of the threads that is considered 'done with' and not to be

revived.



I can copy my post over to that one if it's preferred then this

thread can be deleted.



My apologies if I shouldn't have started this one.

 

[McConnaughay]

I was just kidding, it's no big deal to me, I was just pointing it out.

 

[Chatsie]

It's probably as well that you did Orion, I don't want

to go breaking any rules there might be on this or

go 'treading on toes'.

I'm glad you pointed it out and I'll try to be more

careful in future.

 

[Evil Eye]

Well, to quote Nebulous:

How ironic of me to grave dig this year and a half old topic about grave digging.

We have no problems with necromancy here

As for me personally, I don't mind, it preserves some sort of order.



PS, if you want the two threads merged you need only ask.

 

[Chatsie]

I don't mind either way, if it's OK as it is for the Admins

that's fine.

 

[McConnaughay]

I've slowly or surely developed a certain code for my digging, whenever I bring back a topic it doesn't matter how old it is to me. I try to bring back threads that are either popular enough to continuously have discussion for years to come or for threads that got overshadowed in the past and really deserve to have their moment.

 

[Chatsie]

On some forums though, you would get told off for doing it.

I've been on a couple where it is actually in the forum rules

'not' to post in old threads. I can't remember the time frame

though for deciding how old is too old.



Which brings up the question - how old 'is' too old regardless

of how good the topic is ?

 

[McConnaughay]

No such thing, if it's something like Icon What's the longest you've ever studied for in one period? which is something that I basically bumped in the Life section, that didn't get too much discussion than it can most easily be brought to life as aside to making a new thread about it.

 

[James]

On my forum, I don't consider topics old, unless they're six months or older.



If a necrobump happens in a six month old topic, I'll usually just tell the member, that the topic shouldn't have been revived and I just lock the topic.



I do revitalize topics, that might be popular later on.



I give those topics, a year at the most and if there's no more replies, after a year, the topic is locked.

 

[McConnaughay]

On my forum, I don't consider topics old, unless they're six months or older.



If a necrobump happens in a six month old topic, I'll usually just tell the member, that the topic shouldn't have been revived and I just lock the topic.



I do revitalize topics, that might be popular later on.



I give those topics, a year at the most and if there's no more replies, after a year, the topic is locked.

Why shouldn't the topic be revived? If it's something serves a relevant purpose and could formulate any possible discussion than there is really no reason whatsoever for it to be given the moniker as old or that it should be locked, it doesn't matter if it's six months or six years if it means the guidelines of serving relevance in my opinion.

 

[Chatsie]

If I had topics on my forum that I didn't want people to post in anymore,

I wouldn't leave them 'open', in fact I would probably move them to an

'Archive' section.



However, I don't see a problem with reviving old topics. The way I see it,

if I want members to be as active as possible, then 'restricting' where

they can post seems counter productive. If someone, especially a

'new member' has something of interest to say in a topic, why should it

matter how old it is ?

 

[Bluezone777]

The only topics that should be restricted from bumping are ones that are related to a certain time period such as a post count milestone thread or a birthday, etc. Thankfully most people are blessed with enough sense to know this so I doubt you would find many if anyone willing to post in a thread such as those types.



Otherwise there is really no point in stopping people from posting into an old thread which only serves to anger members and lose them due to you trying to enforce idiotic and counterproductive rules.

 

[James]

Why shouldn't the topic be revived? If it's something serves a relevant purpose and could formulate any possible discussion than there is really no reason whatsoever for it to be given the moniker as old or that it should be locked, it doesn't matter if it's six months or six years if it means the guidelines of serving relevance in my opinion.

It's really just to keep order in the forum.



And it's a difference in the opinions of forum owners and managers.

 

[Chatsie]

Well I personally can't see how someone posting in

an older topic can disrupt the order on the forum.



I do agree though that it it's one of those things that

comes down to the personal preference of the forum owner.

I don't think there's any right or wrong about it.

 

[Shini]

I find it interesting when you revive a topic. When I owned my own forum, I encouraged it. Keeps activity up when there is more subjects going on.