Repeat Threads - Can we please have some official rules.

[Insanum]

At the end of the day, they're not your forums, don't like the fact that a similar thread has popped up after 2 days? Heres an idea, don't post in it.

There are many threads that pass through the pipes so to speak before a lot of people even see them, which is why there is always repeat input and discussion within them (and a small minority crying 'Repeat!'), if it just so happens to be a topic ou discussed last week, fine, move on and let other people discuss it.

Perhaps it's an indication you're on the boards too much scanning the topics, in which case it might be time to go spend your time doing something else. Likewise if a topic appears and the first thing you do is search to see if it was done before, methink you should go search for a life.

So basically go get a life?

Just FYI i post at work, im getting reply[/I] to it saying "OMG Nubz! ZEIG HEIL ZIEG HEIL" Which a lot of people seem to be doing lately.

Im generalising here.

 

[manaman]

i wonder how many people would have a brain aneurysm if i started another thread about repeat threads, or would the world turn into alot of happy little bunnies.....

Nothing would happen. Cause these things pop up about as often as "I used the search bar" and "Use the search bar" does in a thread. This is an extremely active forum and people are kidding themselves if they think they have had a original idea about something broad enough to start a topic with. That only leaves current events to create topics over, or wait for a new game to come out and try to be the first to make a topic about it.

That said, I could care less, necro or start a new thread if I have something new and interesting to say, or if I think someone is wrong and I have to point it out, I will say something otherwise... What is the point? Just be cool to each other.

Edit: I am of course saying it matters not until a rule is made, then just follow that. If you want one why not PM a mod to get the ball rolling, rather then hoping one will come across the thread and like the idea?

 

[JWAN]

I really don't have issues with necroed posts, i like the ones that were pretty good then died off (maybe someone missed them) and they are brought back, what we should to is unite against people who throw a pissy fit every time a topic is brought back.

 

[Skreeee]

It seems like a good plan, but I haven't even been hanging around here for two full months yet so I'm not really sure how much room I have to be talking about the issue at all here. All I know is that within the first two days of joining I couldn't help but think, "Wow, there are a lot of repeat threads happening, and everybody's really touchy about them one way or another."

That's not verbatim obviously (add some swears and it would probably be a lot closer), but you get the idea.

I still think it would be a good idea to try and reward the ability to use the search bar by awarding some badge for not creating a repeat thread within X amount of months. Of course, not everyone one on the boards is a badge whore like me, but it could go a long way to clearing up some of the clutter if it's creation is publicized enough. How exactly such a thing could be monitored is beyond me, but I'm sure it could be done with a little creativity.

Of course I could be wrong, I suggested it not too long ago in another thread and instantly got lumped in with the search bar Nazis for trying to come up with a solution, though I've never actually taken part in bitching over repeats, and don't intend to in the future (by the way, all those who get sarcastic/flame the Nazis, you're no less annoying).

 

[dalek sec]

Can we just have a rule about making so many damn zombie threads please? It's truely getting out of hand in the worst way.

 

[Zephirius]

Can we *not* have an official rule on repeat threads?

If you feel like someone is trying to cover your thread, than that's different. However, if you just don't want to see another thread on the same topic, guess what--don't click on it!

I mean really--can anyone seriously argue that the improvement to the community by coming up with a rule on repeat threads will be worth it when we take into consideration the effort of making an official rule? Think of the kind of drama determining what is and is not a 'repeat' thread is; in fact, that is what prompted this post

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/jump/18.127683.2719033



I mean, I've got more time on here than...I think all four posters on this thread so far as I write this put together. If *I* don't have a problem with repeat threads after all this time on here, well...

Fact is, repeat threads often take entirely different directions. Different people will show up, people will have different things on their mind, and like taking one path on a tech tree as opposed to another, the end results will look very different as people sort of focus on certain aspects of the topic while ignoring others.

Besides--none of this will solve the real problem: people not READING the old thread and just repeating an argument that was put to rest on three pages ago. I'd much rather see a repeat thread with a new take on the situation than some yahoo running into a ten-page thread to say something five people have said before, and five other people have discussed with them for five pages a month ago.

Not that I can blame someone for not reading pages and pages of a thread--yet another reason to prefer a new topic to a necro'ed thread.

I concur. Lately I've been getting tired of the low-quality generic "what's your " threads so I have gotten impatient with reading threads in general. I have now given up on even posting in anything larger than 3 pages because I can't be arsed to read it all and there sure as hell will be someone that will whine at me for saying something that was said before on page 7 , post 227 by Randomdude McMynameiscleverton.

Honestly, people are simply retarded and this whole badge thing, while I do love them, is just going to encourage more empty threads as people try to get those goshdarnly nice shiny thingummywuts for making a "Hot Thread" or some such rot.

So to summarize (tl;dr): I REALLY, REALLY HATE "your " threads!

 

[scotth266]

I mean, I've got more time on here than...I think all four posters on this thread so far as I write this put together. If *I* don't have a problem with repeat threads after all this time on here, well...

So says the man who called ME out for grouping the senior Escapists together. As you put it yourself:

Also let's not make the senior members out to be some monolithic group. Many of us differ on what we think The Escapist should be, and the same behavior that will get you bitten by one senior member will get you praised by another.

I'll say here what I said in my Threading Taboos thread, [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.126913#2680801]

To be clear, the LAST post in the thread should be about three months old. There are certain threads (like this one [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.72805]) that tend to be necroed fairly often, so check the date of the last post, not the creation date when deciding to make a thread that's similar to an old one.

It's especially infuriating to the thread creators whose creations are copied: around E3, I made a thread that covered all the press conferences, only to have a swarm of threads pop up around it that had THE EXACT SAME THING as their subject.

 

[Gaderael]

How about when you click post when starting a thread, a pop up or something asks whether or not you used search first? Just click yes or no.

 

[HentMas]

i dont agree with people pointing out about others making a repeat, why?, because some other person might have missed the previous tread and making a new one is a great way to catch the eye of other people, if you have already discussed it, just move on, dont go ruining the experience for others, you dont like the repeated tread?? dont participate in it.

Also, the post count and badges for a successfull tread make it even more unfair to "necro" another tread, perhaps the other tread got derailed or perhaps making a new point or asking for a different oppinion (like the "having a child" tread where this came from) is a better way to get people involved, i would not have posted in a tread that start with "i hate kids" but i would post in a tread that asks for my oppinion on why i do want kids.

the argument you make in some "repeated-not search bar approved" is bad, mainly because the same "topic" is not equal as the same "tread" and putting up more "laws" on how a tread should be handled would be more difficult for people to find othes people that want to have a different point of view and discussion on the matter.

i have seing "pirates" and "ninjas" treads, and i also saw a "pirates vs ninjas" tread, and also a "i hate pirates" or "i hate ninjas" tread, they are all about pirates and ninjas but the different perspectives change the tone of the discussion at hand, making it a valid point to post different treads with different oppinions over the same article.

even more when it is in the "off-topic discussion" forum, because that forum is to "Discuss" and it makes it an open world for different points of view even if they do are from the same topic.

sorry if my oppinion insults anyone, but i find it rude that people like the OP go in and derail another person tread, even more when there was a really great discussion at hand.

 

[KeyMaster45]

Well i suppose, but then again what is a non-vocal user? Seniority around here is bullshit none the less. So what this really leaves us with is exactly the way things are now. Some will take exception to a repeat and others wont and life goes on.

I would consider myself a rather non-vocal user, but that is mostly because I don't feel like wasting my breath on a topic if within the first few posts someone has already stated what I'm going to say.

I quite often just read the opening post to a topic, see what the first 10 or 15 people have to say then move on to another one. Occasionally I go into short bursts of activity, but those times are quite rare. So if it came to pass an official discussion was held to determine the moratorium on repeat topics I would probably look at it go "Huh, that's interesting" then go watch a few episodes of Doctor Who or Star Trek.

As for the "Better forums=more users=more traffic" statement. This is one of the...excuse me... the best forum community I've come across in my lengthy interweb travels. The occasional repeat post is nothing compared to the ridiculous amount of spam, trolling and lack of moderation found on other forums(If I might point you to the World of Warcraft forums as Exhibit A.) that keeps you from getting a word in edgewise. I'm not quite sure we can make this place any better than it already is to be quite honest.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

*snip*

...

It's especially infuriating to the thread creators whose creations are copied: around E3, I made a thread that covered all the press conferences, only to have a swarm of threads pop up around it that had THE EXACT SAME THING as their subject.

Please don't troll me and start following me around the forums. Like I said--it's best if we just steer clear of each other, and have our say independent of each other.

Especially if you're going to ignore the things I *do* say:

Trying to avoid you on The Escapist is like trying to avoid oxygen in water. As you said yourself (paraphrasing here, because I'm not going to go look for the exact wording), you're on here probably four times as much as most people. Ergo, you post more. Hence, your posts are going to be almost everywhere there's controversy (because you like it, apparently).

Maybe it's "best" in your opinion that you and he not debate points, but anything more than that and you become one of the "elite veteran" group that you dislike so much, telling people what they can and cannot do or say (when it's not in violation of the guidelines).

That said, I don't disagree with you on the subject of repeat threads. Not entirely, anyway. Simple topics shouldn't be repeated over and over, because everyone already has had their say. There's nothing to discuss. Likewise, list and versus threads should not be repeated (if they should even be posted at all), for the same reasons.

I can see wanting to give more people a chance to post something unique on complex subjects, like religion and politics. Still, I'm not personally in favor of repeated religion or political topics. Some opinions may be new and well-presented, but the majority are usually the typical flamebait/obnoxious generalizations I've come to expect around here when discussing religion/politics. But that's my personal view. Some would prefer to give such threads the benefit of the doubt.

A while ago it was said that religious and political threads around here are "mostly civil." I do not agree with that statement. I don't think the majority of posters in an average religion thread around here are even somewhat civil. Therefore, repeating such threads seems to be inviting trouble.

 

[vampirekid.13]

Right people, This applies to everyone so please sit listen for a moment, please[/I].

Recently ive been getting involved in increasingly hostile conversations with the anti-search bar brigade. Its now starting to get silly, as im beginning to turn into a search bar nazi (which i have been trying not to be).

We need official rules when it comes to repeat threads, and what classifies a repeat thread.

Something which i do when posting a new thread is;

1) Run a quick search through the bar, a few key words, etc. If its been done within the past 4 weeks, Necro. [/B]

And if i think a thread is a repeat thread i:

1) Check the search bar, using the keywords in the title
2) Check the dates if it has been done previously [/B]
And admittedly i dont always post links (im working on that!)
3) Post the most hated "please use the search bar" with the links.[/B]

Does it HONESTLY take that much longer just to click search?

So, My question to you, and probably to the escapist mods are:

What are the current OFFICIAL rules on thread repeats?
What can be done to rectify the current repeat thread problem?
Can any punishments be put in place for users that refuse to use the search bar, And likewise to users that false call when it comes to repeats?

EDIT[/B]
Please refrain from flaming as i dont really want this thread locked until we get somewhere with it.

i generally go with if its older than 2 weeks or not on the first 4 pages im not bumping it back up. im making a new one.

 

[gentleben]

I don't think it really matters. No one on these boards actually reads what anyone else posts, they just dump their knowledge and leave.

 

[Wyatt]

whats it matter? it takes us less time energy and effort to ignore a repeat post than it would take a mod too actualy DO something about them.

and really what kind of a forum do you want? 6 posts 800 pages long? id rather scan 800 post titles that are 1 page than have to wade through 1 post and its 40 pages myself. atleast you can be pretty sure that if the title says 'what kind of music do you like' and its 2 pages even if its a repeat its going to be on topic if nothing else. how many posts ahve you see with a title about 'what kind of music do you like' with 30 pages only too wade through too the end and find the topic has jumped to waht kind of socks are the most comfortable?

Jesus its a forum , relax and hit your scroll wheel if it bothers you so much.