I see a lot of people that have to point out the age of a thread when someone comments on an old thread. I don’t see a problem with it at all.

Many people are doing searches on this forum or with a search engine looking for information about a problem they are having or information about a topic they are researching. If people add comments to an old thread, it may be new helpful information that was not known or discussed when the thread was new.

Adding information and sharing knowledge are never a bad thing. Thanks to everyone that contributes to this forum. I’ve learned much here and been at least pointed in the right direction by the experience’s of others.

 

I only point it out to the new poster when they ask the OP a question, so they're not waiting for an answer.
Adding helpful information is great. But should be noted as it's added info. with results.
There's a difference.

 

IMHO....I think it's counter productive when someone asks a new question, at the end of a multi-page thread..... I've yet to read one of those questions, where 4 pages of discussion was needed to ask or understand that new question..

I think it is more beneficial to take what you have gleaned from your search and any older threads, and use them to formulate a title that exactly explains your issue, and ask your new question on a new thread...

Then it will attract people with knowledge/experience of that specific issue. You will get the current information/fix for that issue, and people wanting to help don't have to read through pages of stuff that has already been asked and answered to find the question..

Too often I've opened a thread, because I have some experience with the title, only to read through many pages to find the original question has been completely answered, and/or there is a new question at the end about a similar issue, that didn't need 4 pages of prep for their question...

Unless I'm not paying attention, I just don't bother opening threads that were started more than a couple months ago...


Additionally... on the practical side of operating a forum...

This may have changed over the years, but..... bandwidth used on a forum costs somebody, somewhere, to provide it... A few forums I used to frequent on other topics, had rules about resurrecting old threads... Posting a question at the end of 4 pages of an old thread, uses unnecessary bandwidth. Per the rules, the moderators on those forums would automatically lock any thread with a last response older than 90 days, to control bandwidth usage/costs...

We get to use this forum for free... So whenever possible, I like to support the Forum Sponsors and whoever is providing the forum...

 

Some people know how to use a Forum, some don't. Some people attempt to make those that don't know look stupid. But in doing so, only make themselves look stupid, and it's generally those that think they're better than everyone else. You know who you are, and you're not at all cool.

 

I point it out as well. Mainly for 2 reasons. One as mentioned above for the new guys. Second people will post their problem at the bottom without even reading the previous posts with their answers already stated. They want to be spoon fed without putting in the effort to read. They want their specific question answered. I also love love when they post a fix to a problem in the thread 9 years after said problem was already solved

 

I get what you’re saying. I know what you mean about people getting too lazy to read through it and then add redundant comments or ask questions on an old thread. Sometimes people do make useful comments on old threads though and those I don’t mind reading.

As far as proper forum etiquette, I could probably use a lesson in that. I can also see how to many redundant comments can eat up space. I choose to be a paying club member because I like this forum and I’m trying to do my part to support it.

Anyway, I’ll try not to resurrect old threads or even comment on them if that’s the proper thing to do on a forum.

 

I'm no forum expert, but no forum newbie either... Been leveraging forums for sharing information and learning from others experience well before the WWW became "the thing" it is today.

Two distinctions that I thing we may all agree on re: thread resurrections that originate from questions / folks seeking solutions to a problem:

Answering an OP's question on a seriously old thread that has already been addressed and answered in the thread: Bad

Providing additional useful information and/or answering a question on a seriously old thread that has not been completely resolved: Good

 

Every time I replied to an old thread was because I inadvertently scrolled into a "related thread" served up by the forum at the end of the posts. My mouse skills are improving...

 

I've done that many times.

Personally I don't care if an old thread resurfaces. There's a good chance I haven't seen it before, and the reason I'm on this forum is to kill time between rides. Old or new, it's something to read.
What gets me is people preaching "Search, search, search" while whining when someone replies to an old thread because they did just that.

 

Hijacking threads with a new/different question is unhelpful and confusing and should be discouraged regardless of whether a thread is old or new. Expanding on information provided is a good thing, regardless of whether the original poster is still around to see it.

Bandwidth is consumed every time a person clicks a link and loads a page, doesn't matter if it's old or new, so bandwidth consumption is more a function of time spent perusing a site--though I suppose forum posting practices that significantly lessen a user's ability to efficiently locate information could generate more clicks and page loads. That said, unless it's loaded with pics, typical forum content would require less bandwidth than the advertising inserted by site operators (who are happy to have ads seen and clicks generated regardless of content age). In fact it might be argued that (a la social media) efficient forum design which generates fewer page loads and less advertising viewed is the opposite of what site operators want to see.

I only ever scratched the surface of database maintenance/operation, but I would guess that was the reason older threads were (or are) locked on some forums--in order to condense and archive old data or something such, though these days storage and cpu cycles are so inexpensive I'm not sure if there's much incentive in that regard either.

Yeah, I'd just add that providing additional information or clarification on an issue can be helpful even when it's considered to have been resolved.