New thread starts, and bumping-up old threads (necrobumping)

Post Reply New Topic

Wrongplanet will produce a list of related topics at the bottom of the page. There are four at the bottom of this very page (threads about threads). The youngest is 2013, the oldest is 2008.

Someone reading this thread is prolly noticing that list, but is at the same time NOT noticing the dates on them, and is checking those conversations out as we speak, and is now eager to respond to some post made eight years ago.

That seems to be the main mechanism that causes necrobumping. The "related topics" list.

One solution could be to simply automagically lock all threads if nobody's posted on them for over a year. I don't like necroposting either, and believe it should suffer the same fate as The Necromancer.

locking old threads should be ok. I always want to be able to find some of my old posts and other posts as well. I often copy/paste some of my old posts when I need to write articles about certain topics. I also like referring to some things that people like Willard and Kingdom of Rats and other members have written when I am writing about certain subjects as well. And don't worry, I always give the credit to the people who have originally written those posts. As long as we have access to old threads, I think it is fine to lock them.

Yes, the older threads may contain valuable content which can periodically be timely; hence the necessity of reviving a given thread.

I like the idea of color coding the older threads to make it easier to recognize them.

I have seen before, I think it was romhacking.net or somewhere similar, where when you try to reply, it'll warn you that the thread is old, and ask if you're sure you want to reply. I think something like that would be a fair compromise.

I'll check later and try to screenshot it.

I really like that idea

Quoting previous posts (instead of clicking on the 'REPLY' button) in a discussion thread can help maintain continuity, and reduce confusion in a discussion thread.

In discussion threads of one to two-dozen posts, it's simple to read, and decide which of the posts to quote, or how to best add a new reply.

When discussion threads go over two-dozen posts, it becomes too cumbersome to decide which posts to quote. With threads containing dozens of posts, we might just quote the previous post, or decide to click on the 'REPLY' button.

ADDENDUM:

Deciding whether to 'Quote' a previous post OR 'post a new reply' OR start a new thread?

When in doubt don't.

OR

'Quae modica' "everything in moderation, including moderation."

I also have zero objection to necrobumping. I've found some good stuff that way, though mainly in quiet threads about minority interests. "Oh, cool, someone HAS posted about that before!" and a few fellow obscure-subject nerds usually join in the revived conversation.

Proliferating new threads don't bother me at all- I skim-read topic headings, rather than feeling any obligation to check out each and every one properly. Personally I find skim-reading is an essential sanity-preserving measure for ALL forums and social media. (Though Twitter defeated me.) I feel wary of trying to police activities that aren't actually malign, particularly in a way that might put newcomers off.

The content of these two discussion threads were incorporated into this discussion thread.

The discussion threads are lengthy.

Limit New Thread Starts to 1 Per Day, Per Member?
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=177640&start=30

How do you regard the NECROBUMPING of old threads on WP?
viewtopic.php?t=293228

The solution to stop necrobumping would be to stop displaying old threads at the bottom of each page. People may click on them and reply without realising they're necrothreads. Only newish threads should be displayed at the bottom of each page.