Forum Rules Updated

[Duncan Edwards]

They mentioned putting a 2 or 3 year limit on a thread or something, but not all old threads are completely dead.
For example, the one about sinking locations is over 5 years old, people still post on it (I have too). Not to mention that it is a very useful thread, and in my opinion, it gets better with each post. (Specifically that thread)

Great point and we have several just like that. I don't think the issue of "dead" threads being resurrected is problem enough to support the trouble of locking old ones.

While it might be a bit too much work for Moderators, a sub-forum which lists which users have been banned and for what reasons is actually a good idea.
It'll give us a picture of past users behaviour, ...

I'll raise the prospect as an idea here, minds sharper and/or more invested in the subject than my own can discuss and decide for themselves.

It would be a very short list here. To my knowledge it's generally the same very few people who get it over and over again under different names.

[Viridian]

While it might be a bit too much work for Moderators, a sub-forum which lists which users have been banned and for what reasons is actually a good idea.
It'll give us a picture of past users behaviour, so perhaps to alert us collectively if or when such a user might be making a return.
Other forums do this as practice and overall it does seem to 'raise the bar' on user behaviour.
It is however creating more work for Moderators.

Given the volunteer nature of this site, I'd not envy the task of moderation nor of creating such a thread or sub-fora.
I'll raise the prospect as an idea here, minds sharper and/or more invested in the subject than my own can discuss and decide for themselves.

I'd rather not give forum trolls a place to venerate their legacy. Trolls feed off attention. It is better that they are forgotten.

[dlodoski]

....They mentioned putting a 2 or 3 year limit on a thread or something, but not all old threads are completely dead.
For example, the one about sinking locations is over 5 years old, people still post on it (I have too). Not to mention that it is a very useful thread, and in my opinion, it gets better with each post. (Specifically that thread)

I think it's important to make a distinction between a five year old topic, and a topic that hasn't been posted to for five years. We're talking about the latter.

While it might be a bit too much work for Moderators, a sub-forum which lists which users have been banned and for what reasons is actually a good idea.
It'll give us a picture of past users behaviour, so perhaps to alert us collectively if or when such a user might be making a return.
Other forums do this as practice and overall it does seem to 'raise the bar' on user behaviour.
It is however creating more work for Moderators.

Given the volunteer nature of this site, I'd not envy the task of moderation nor of creating such a thread or sub-fora.
I'll raise the prospect as an idea here, minds sharper and/or more invested in the subject than my own can discuss and decide for themselves.

I'd rather not give forum trolls a place to venerate their legacy. Trolls feed off attention. It is better that they are forgotten.

Exactly.

Even the Cesspool at Deep Sinking was programmed for topics to evaporate automatically after two weeks of inactivity.

[Jon Smith]

I think it's important to make a distinction between a five year old topic, and a topic that hasn't been posted to for five years. We're talking about the latter.

If someone were to post on a thread maybe once a year?

[kham]

I think it's important to make a distinction between a five year old topic, and a topic that hasn't been posted to for five years. We're talking about the latter.

If someone were to post on a thread maybe once a year?

That would be just no different than blatant bumping

[Boggy Man]

....They mentioned putting a 2 or 3 year limit on a thread or something, but not all old threads are completely dead.
For example, the one about sinking locations is over 5 years old, people still post on it (I have too). Not to mention that it is a very useful thread, and in my opinion, it gets better with each post. (Specifically that thread)

I think it's important to make a distinction between a five year old topic, and a topic that hasn't been posted to for five years. We're talking about the latter.

Other examples of long lived threads are my dramatic sink videos thread which I started back in 2010, my bg pix thread which I started back in 2012 (both threads have dead periods lasting months until I resume my adventures and have time to post about them), and the yet more comic book sinking scenes thread, which Dave started in 2009. There are many others, and as mentioned, it is only the ones that have been dead for years and have been resurrected that are the issue. While it tends to be annoying, I can easily understand why this happens, because new people that have just joined the board start exploring the various threads, and even threads that have been dead for more than half a decade are new to them, and they sometimes feel the need to respond. While I don't resurrect old threads, once one has already been resurrected by someone else, I do sometimes post to it if I have anything relevant to post, since it has already been brought back to the forefront.

Regarding locking long dead topics, a quick search turned up this, but at first glance, while I see that it sets a time limit to how long a post/thread lasts, I don't know whether or not it can also be configured for period of inactivity:

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/post_expire/

[Nessie]

I can easily understand why this happens, because new people that have just joined the board start exploring the various threads

Well, yeah, I see that happening too and they're so pleased to be here and so happy to have found us, I hate to say anything.

Nessie

[dlodoski]

I can easily understand why this happens, because new people that have just joined the board start exploring the various threads

Well, yeah, I see that happening too and they're so pleased to be here and so happy to have found us, I hate to say anything.

Nessie

Yea, we'll leave it be for now.

There have been some pretty awkward episodes lately. Maybe it will pass.