Do You Think Old Threads Should Be Locked?

[Ice_Fire]

Lock them. As has been stated already, it's easy enough to make a new thread and say 'this old thread got me thinking....' and being able to read the content means it is still helpful. I have felt such an idiot at times when I've responded to an old thread and then realised that nobody has been on that thread for a couple of years!

 

[catjudo]

I think it's amazing to see how the conversation moves through the years, and I appreciate the very specific threads/questions being able to accept new information as time goes by

if it gets the poster thinking and identifying

But a lot of the time it is a brand new person reviving an old thread that was posted by someone who isn't even on the forum anymore. They are directly responding to the person who originally started the post but that person is long gone. The OP is not here to accept new information. The person is not here to think or identify new ideas. And, yes, people's ideas on a topic can change over time but they can always start a new thread (and even reference the old one if they like).

I personally say if a thread hasn't had in any posts in the last year...lock it. JMO

 

[Deleted member 6617]

Locking makes perfect sense to me. I love the old threads and will often go back and read them. In my opinion, there is no need to reply to them, just good to learn from them.

 

[BigBear]

I wonder if there could be the ability...

The thread gets locked after long disuse. Then there is a button added to open a thread with reference to the old thread. Maybe the first post automatically becomes a link to the old thread.

No one should bother unless they thought they had something critical to say...

Bear

 

[desiderata310]

I'm fine with locking old threads. I have responded to really old threads before not realizing that was what I was doing.
oops.

 

[Eppi]

I'm new here, and I don't think it's useful or kind to focus so much attention on my mistake.

 

[rainbow1]

I think locking old threads would be helpful. Old posts that were imported (for example from my sex abuse) when the site merged here are sometimes revived by mistake as people answer the OP who is no longer even on this site.

 

[Eleanor]

I think locking three year old threads sounds very sensible. I like Bear's suggestion tho - as someone who is (ahem) technically challenged.

 

[rainy_daze]

I was in the don't lock thread camp at first, but I see the benefits of it after reading the discussions.

I vote for the 2 or 3 year lock a thread idea.

If wanting to refer to an old thread without quoting part of it or adding a link to the content, someone could just type the title in @BigBear and @Eleanor ? For example I was reading Relationship Basic Rules and Restoring Relationship With Your S O today, both threads have not been replied to since 2013. If they were locked next year, I could always start a discussion thread on a similar topic and mention the thread if that is relevant.

I enjoy the democracy here :).

 

[Ed Norton]

What about long-term ongoing threads like some of those in social? I don't think that they should get locked.

 

[digger]

What about long-term ongoing threads like some of those in social?

I think it's just threads that haven't had recent responses @Ed Norton rather than threads started at a particular time, the time is from the last response to the thread.


...oh and yeah, forgot the point of my posting! My vote is for locking them.

 

[Ed Norton]

Oh ok thanks @digger