Revived old threads on Sailnet - suggestion

[Pamlicotraveler]

This has happened alot recently...I think its a symptom of a lot of new readers which is great.

I have found myself reading threads that were several years old only to realize after some time that they were years old. On the Forums index page could Sailnet just add a column "Thread started" with date of the first post?

There are lots of cases where old threads are still relevant, but more often than not it is just a case of someone doing a search and then responding without realizing when the thread was active.

[SEMIJim]

Originally Posted by Pamlicotraveler

This has happened alot recently...I think its a symptom of a lot of new readers which is great.

I have found myself reading threads that were several years old only to realize after some time that they were years old. On the Forums index page could Sailnet just add a column "Thread started" with date of the first post?

That might work if anybody'd pay attention to it. But, like posting to the correct sub-forums , I suspect they won't.

Originally Posted by Pamlicotraveler

There are lots of cases where old threads are still relevant, but more often than not it is just a case of someone doing a search and then responding without realizing when the thread was active.

Probably the only solution that'll actually work is if the software automatically locks threads with a certain time of inactivity.

Jim

[Stryker72]

Well part of it is that when a new user asks a question he is told to use the search function. So if they do that and find a topic but it really doesn't answer their question and they "revive" it, then they are told not to revive old threads. sometimes people can't win.

[arbarnhart]

I agree with Stryker. What is the harm anyway? A really good example would be in the maintenance area. You find someon who had the same problem and try things suggested in the old thread and they don't resolve your problem. If you start a new thread, you will get all those same suggestions. If you revive the old one and say "I tried all this stuff, what would you try next?", then you waste less of other people's time reposting the same suggestions and you make the old thread more complete and valuable for the next person that finds it.

[deniseO30]

If everyone just searched and read old topics this forum would be awfully quiet except for the requlars that try to keep it alive by making up threads just to keep the readership up! Just my Opinion.

It doesn't bother me in the least to see someone new asking that whats been asked many times before... On the contrary, its refreshing to read things like "had my first sail today!" or oops! jibe shoulda tacked... lost my hat... forgot the stern line... etc. Real time example: In my YC there is a new influx of sailors or wannabe sailors. Many of them come to me for advice/help and I'm far far far from being any kind of expert. I've also found that the "Newbies" seem to be intimadated by all the perceived "experts" that sail and race and do noting but talk about tall rigs and perfs but offer next to no real help or advice. So rather then ask the "experts" they come to me. I guess because I'm not a threat to the male ego? Anyway.. I'm rambling. But I see a corelation in the thinking... "If you don't know.. go find out on your own, don't ask me dumb stuff I've heard a zillion times before!" No sail snobs here! Your just imagining things!" (again just my opinion.)

One thing I wonder about is how the builders row is so quiet.. My guess is that the Email lists have taken most owners private from the open forum/s And I love open forums!

[T37Chef]

We have discussed this before and I don't know that Sailnet offered and solutions. I remember a good idea of archiving threads older than a certain date, say 2 years, in which one could read the thread but not respond. If they did not get the answer they were looking for doing a search than starting a new thread was recommend.

I personally don't care if a old thread is revivded...with all the other irrelevant sailing stuff being discussed on this board, especially in the off topic section, why would one really care if a old thread about sailing was revived????

[Pamlicotraveler]

Originally Posted by Stryker72

Well part of it is that when a new user asks a question he is told to use the search function. So if they do that and find a topic but it really doesn't answer their question and they "revive" it, then they are told not to revive old threads. sometimes people can't win.

Good point. But often its not that type of thread. One recently revived was with this post:

My faithful old Autohelm 6000 autopilot has developed a sick course computer. Autohelm, (now Raymarine)no longer has parts, so am searching the web for anyone wanting to sell such a unit.

I was thinking if I knew where the guy might find one and then realized it was years old. I am sure he has found it by now.

All they need to do is add a "thread started" date right beside the "last post" date and it would be helpful. But I won't lose any sleep over it.

[Bardo]

I'll tell you one thing that WON't work. Testy and downright rude responses from the old salts around here. You can count on the fact that it is a newbie who is reviving the old thread (yeah I did it once or twice), and all they need is to be told the right way to do it. These are the folks that you want to attract, not browbeat into lurking shadows again, after they have gotten up the courage to weigh in on a thread. Serial offendors, flame away!

[ReverendMike]

Let's face it, this whole thing (forum or entire internet, if you will) is barely restrained anarchy. If some thing pisses you off, too bad. Deal with it or go elsewhere, or feel free to tell us all that it pisses you off, some of us might even care . As for actually expecting things to change... check out this thread:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/off-topic/34054-off-topic-faqs.html

Old salts and newcomers alike fall into thinking there's a certain way things should be done, and that's just BS.

In short, we're all correct, and we're all wrong at the same time, no matter what we do. So let's just keep the language from getting too far out of hand, don't take it personal, and don't expect me to give a rat's arse what you think about me .

Love you all,
Mike

[arbarnhart]

I am going to put a tickler in Outlook to remind me to revive thes thread in 5 years.