Check the date

[Phil Ambrose]

I have noticed lately a few cases of old threads being given the kiss of life, usually threads which died a natural death some months ago.

Today I came across one which was brought back after over 8 years.

I can see how it happens, a newbie searching back decides to tack their question onto the end of a thread rather than start a fresh thread. While there is some merit in doing so it does rather mean information that is no longer relevent is brought back into discussion with people answering questions posed some years ago, its quite possible the OP is no longer with us.

So please just look at the date of the post you are replying to.

Phil

[Henhouse]

I wasn't going to reply to this for a year or two, but as I am enjoying a late night whisky I will. Hang on. a spider has just crawled up my trouser leg..............

[Ange]

My son calls it grave digging

 

I must admit I feel the opposite - it makes me chuckle when -

 

someone wades in argumentatively to point out how wrong someone else was 6 years ago

someone tries to give advice to a dilemma that happened 6 years ago, and, my favourite

someone who says "hey, I can sell you the perfect product / service to your dilemma" when that dilemma was 6 years ago.

 

I have mixed emotions when I see posts by former members whose contributions I enjoyed - it's good to see their posts again, but sometimes I don't look at the date and think "oh wow they're back" then realise that it's an historic post and they're not

 

There have been revived threads that have introduced me to regular member from before I joined which has been interesting.

 

Also I don't think any information is ever old and irrelevant - it's good to see how the issues have changed, and also funny to see how they've stayed the same.

 

Grave digging is fine by me

 

ETA just thought of one other thing - you can find some humdinger arguments that make everything nowadays seem positively tame!

 

Sorry Phil - I disagree

Edited August 17, 2014 by Ange

[Phil Ambrose]

Thats fine Ange, I don't have a issue with gravedigging but for a newbie it could be confusing that's all.

Phil

Edited August 17, 2014 by Phil Ambrose

[Ange]

Thats fine Ange, I don't have a issue with gravedigging but for a newbie it could be confusing that's all.

Phil

Blimey Phil how much sleep do you get!

 

Seriously my post was just meant as another viewpoint - is all good my friend

 

Sorry 1am here and several glasses of wine to put over familiarity into context!

 

Time for bed for me maybe!

Edited August 17, 2014 by Ange

[cotswoldsman]

I think this might be partly caused by when a newbie comes on and asks a question they are told to use the search facility as the subject has been asked many times, they then find a thread covering the topic and then ask another question.

[Murflynn]

perhaps the moderators should arrange for all threads to be automatically closed and archived if there has been no new post for say 3 months.

Still available for reference, but not for responding.

[John V]

Morning All, I think I tend to agree more with Ange, although sometimes it might be irritating,to change it, would also mean that wonderful threads like Starry's might end up on dusty shelves and that would be a sad loss

 

 

edit to add some punctuation !

Edited August 17, 2014 by John V

[Dave_P]

In many other online forums, it is the norm for threads to run on for years and years. On this forum it the norm for new threads to be started which go over the same old ground.

 

Neither system is inherently better.

 

Why shouldn't people resurrect old threads? What harm does it do?

[bassplayer]

Googling can bring up an old post on here, it's quite easy to respond to that post without realising the date...I've done it myself...

[mango]

I'm not going to get worried about old topics resurfacing. A more common problem seems to be people duplicating recent topics, sometimes when there is one on the current homepage for General Boating. A little thought would avoid the mods having to deal with parallel discussions.

[RLWP]

I am fairly relaxed by grave-digging, I often bung in a post to point out how old a thread is.

 

Richard

[Phil Ambrose]

Blimey Phil how much sleep do you get!

 

Seriously my post was just meant as another viewpoint - is all good my friend

 

Sorry 1am here and several glasses of wine to put over familiarity into context!

 

Time for bed for me maybe!

Sorry Ange if I gave the impression that I was a bit miffed, I'm really not. I do agree that as others had said, there is a place for old threads but in my opinion bringing up a thread which is many months or years old could confuse newbies reading it, that was all.

Phil