Expiration Date on threads?

[Jack_O'neill]

This may have been suggested before, but how bout an expiration date on old threads? Not one that makes the whole thing go away, as there may be good stuff there. This would just give people a chance to realize that they may be answering someone that hasn't been around in a long time.

 

There have been a number of 2 or 3 year old threads that have suddenly come to life in the last few days. I admit, I'm pretty bad not to look at the dates, and have even started to reply to some of the old ones myself.

 

I wouldn't want to completely prevent someone from resurrecting a discussion, but here's the idea. I'm no programmer, so I have no idea how hard this would be to do, but on a thread that has expired, when someone hits a reply button, if a dialog box popped up that says something to the effect of "The last activity on this thread was more than "x" months ago, do you wish to continue?" with a yes or no button. By activity, I mean the last post, not the last time someone read it.

 

Thoughts, comments, yea or nay appreciated.

[Cad64]

Yes, we have discussed this matter previously, but it was decided that doing this would not be beneficial to the forum. We realize that people do sometimes dig up very old threads and reply to them, but it doesn't happen often enough to warrant locking them. Besides, sometimes new ideas come from reading through old posts.

[Jack_O'neill]

Yes, we have discussed this matter previously, but it was decided that doing this would not be beneficial to the forum. We realize that people do sometimes dig up very old threads and reply to them, but it doesn't happen often enough to warrant locking them. Besides, sometimes new ideas come from reading through old posts.

 

 

Actually locking the thread wasn't what I had in mind, simply a dialog box that would advise the person that it was an old thread. No intention of preventing someone from reading or replying, just a signal that it had been a while. Like I said, I'm no programmer, so I have no idea how hard it would be to do.

 

On another note, I just want to say thanks to all the administrators and indeed everyone who participates in keeping this site going. I used one of the others for a long time, and still look in on it from time to time, but this one is by far the best!

[Strix]

but if you were replying to it after somebody had posted on it already today (which sounds like the scenario you're describing as you don't usually go digging old ones up yourself), then the pop up box you describe won't be triggered as its last activity would have been earlier today (and presumably the person who dug the old thread up had to dig about a bit to find such an old thread so already knows)

 

besides, if you've already typed out a huge great long response only to be met with the pop up, would you post anyway incase it's of use to somebody else? :wink:

[Jack_O'neill]

but if you were replying to it after somebody had posted on it already today (which sounds like the scenario you're describing as you don't usually go digging old ones up yourself), then the pop up box you describe won't be triggered as its last activity would have been earlier today (and presumably the person who dug the old thread up had to dig about a bit to find such an old thread so already knows)

 

besides, if you've already typed out a huge great long response only to be met with the pop up, would you post anyway incase it's of use to somebody else? :wink:

 

What I had in mind was that for the pop up to appear when you hit the "reply" button, in hope of saving the person from typing out a "huge great long response" if he gets reminded that its a year or two old.

 

Or am I the only one who hits reply first then types the response? I guess you could type it in word or notepad or something, then copy it, hit reply and paste it in, but....why?

 

As for digging about, just for illustration purposes, I did a search just now for "extend polyline". I try to find answers before I ask a question by searching for what I hope are relevant terms. This search turned up a lot of information. The newest thread it found was from the 17th of February, and the third one in the list is from December of '08. About halfway down the page, we're into '07. Maybe I'm the only one, but the search results are presented in exactly the same format and appearance as clicking the "forums" button, so I can see where someone might not think to look at the date, especially if you're doing several things at once. If I search for something, and the phone rings or the UPS guy shows up, it may be a half hour or more before I get back to this. While looking for my answer, I may stumble on a question that I can actually help someone with, only to discover that they asked that question a long time ago (if I look at the date, otherwise someone will reply saying "hey, this was a couple years ago, but thanks").

 

Maybe I'm just getting old and forgetful. Anybody seen my glasses?

[Ritch7]

no why put an Expiration date on a thread when someone 5 years on can possibly look it up and find a soultion to their problem, that's what history is for. for past infomation/soultions

[dbroada]

once apon a time I was about to ask the same thing that Jack has. I sometimes see a "ticked" thread and wonder why I can't remember replying. I then realise its because it is from long ago.

 

I find the big problem of old threads is that the advice given then may no longer be appropriate. I know a lot of people still use old releases but many of the people reading this forum have the latest release. We then get follow up questions as the first solution doesn't quite work where had they asked afresh they would have received an answer suitable for their release.

[Ritch7]

once apon a time I was about to ask the same thing that Jack has. I sometimes see a "ticked" thread and wonder why I can't remember replying. I then realise its because it is from long ago.

 

I find the big problem of old threads is that the advice given then may no longer be appropriate. I know a lot of people still use old releases but many of the people reading this forum have the latest release. We then get follow up questions as the first solution doesn't quite work where had they asked afresh they would have received an answer suitable for their release.

 

 

what about some kind of history vault for say threads over 5 years old or something? where you can still search for something either way.

[dbroada]

we (me) are not proposing that the threads be locked or hidden. Its just that we often get a question dragged up from 5 years ago with a "me too" added to the bottom. Or, as I tried to indicate a "I tried this and it didn't work - what do I do now?"

[Ritch7]

we (me) are not proposing that the threads be locked or hidden. Its just that we often get a question dragged up from 5 years ago with a "me too" added to the bottom. Or, as I tried to indicate a "I tried this and it didn't work - what do I do now?"

 

 

Yeh Dave I see your point I can't really see anyway to sort that problem you are always going to have people bring old threads up from 3/4/5 years ago if they still can't work it out, I think the threads from yonks ago that have a question and it's not answered or doesn’t have anything CRUCIAL that helps should be deleted because theirs a few threads where no-one has gave an answer and that still goes on unsolved!

[skipsophrenic]

I think the threads from yonks ago that have a question and it's not answered or doesn’t have anything CRUCIAL that helps should be deleted because theirs a few threads where no-one has gave an answer and that still goes on unsolved!

 

I've been hunting those to see if I can find answers for if they ever get resurrected - no luck so far though (for the answers that is)

[GE13579]

Yeh Dave I see your point I can't really see anyway to sort that problem you are always going to have people bring old threads up from 3/4/5 years ago if they still can't work it out, I think the threads from yonks ago that have a question and it's not answered or doesn’t have anything CRUCIAL that helps should be deleted because theirs a few threads where no-one has gave an answer and that still goes on unsolved!

 

Are you proposing to go through all of the threads on the site to filter these??? That would be some task, and would be down to the checkers point of view...

 

Along these lines, I have a post not from years ago but a few weeks ago to which I've not had a reply. I still need a reply so will leave the thread up. If I get a reply outside of CADTutor then I'll post the answer so others can gain from it. I agree to an extent to posts which are very old and have no replies being deleted, but at the same time wonder what is "too long" for a thread to have been posted?

[Jack_O'neill]

no why put an Expiration date on a thread when someone 5 years on can possibly look it up and find a soultion to their problem, that's what history is for. for past infomation/soultions

 

You didn't understand the post. I'm not asking for them to go away or be locked or become in any way inaccessible....please read the whole thing.

 

Obviously, I made a poor choice of words with "expiration".

[Strix]

maybe the posting date on each post should just be more visible?

 

having said that, we'd get used to mentally filtering it out no matter what it looked like!

[skipsophrenic]

having said that, we'd get used to mentally filtering it out no matter what it looked like!

 

Change it's colour on a wekkly/bi-weekly basis pehaps?

[Lee Mac]

Change it's colour on a wekkly/bi-weekly basis pehaps?

 

Haha, thats maybe going a bit far.

 

I can see what Jack and Dave are saying - after seeing a "resurrected" thread and typing some code for it - only to realise after posting that the thread is a few years old is a bit disheartening as the OP probably won't return to read it - but then again, the answer is there for everyone else to search, so all's not lost.

[Jack_O'neill]

This is obviously a source for much debate and confusion. Just goes to show what seems like a good idea to one person may not make sense to someone else.

 

Have a good week everybody!