Locking old threads

[Nebulous]

I was just on a couple forums and saw one with an add-on/plug-in installed that automatically locked all threads that haven't received a reply in 3 months. Another forum locked all threads that weren't posted this year (threads made in 2022 and below were all locked).

What do you think of this? Should all old threads be locked? Should they stay open forever?

 

[Katrina]

I hate when threads get locked. I never really saw the benefit of doing that, I mean, sometimes you need an update on threads. For instance, on a Christian forum, maybe someone would like to request an update on a prayer request thread? Locking it wouldn't benefit the site in that case.

 

[Ravenfreak]

Sonic Retro used to lock threads after a while, I didn't really like that approach. However they also didn't really like when people bumped old topics either... These days they're a bit more lax so they don't really lock threads anymore unless they break rules. I don't like threads automatically being locked, you just never know if someone wants to join a forum later on and wants to reply to a thread that already exists rather than starting a new one.

 

[zappaDPJ]

Forums are like libraries in that they both contain a wealth of information created by multiple contributors. If you think it's OK to stop people borrowing old books then by all means lock old threads or better still just delete your entire forum and go to a more disposable platform like Facebook.

I have no problem with members bumping old threads even if it means on some occasions guiding them elsewhere e.g. to start a thread of their own. Old content is the one thing that sets forums apart from all other social media and anything that can be done to preserve it and make use of it should be encouraged.

You can probably tell, it's something I feel rather strongly about 🙂

 

[Page]

I do not lock all threads unless it's on going open topic that never gets old

 

[Chev]

One of the biggest forums I’ve been a moderator for locks/archives threads after 14 days of inactivity. My personal view, I don’t see a problem with keeping a thread open unless it has zero replies in over 6 months.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I don't like the practice of locking old topics.

I also don't like the practice of a necro-posting guideline.

Every time I've seen people necro-post, it was quite innocent. Yet, the one doing it usually gets warned or publicly shamed.

I've never understood doing it.

 

[Page]

why close it when people just going to restart it again.

 

[Ja sa bong]

Locking threads should be done when the discussion have been exhausted and only off topic replies made or when members are repeating what's been said before frequently in another way. Apart from this, old threads should be left open for whoever wants to contribute to it.

 

[Shortie_]

I am someone who only feels a thread should be locked if you do not want any discussion within that thread such as for threads with rules or even threads with an announcement that doesn't need a conversation. Other threads that I feel should be locked are ones that may get out of hand and need to be locked.

Locking a thread after so many months since it's last reply can be a real killer on a forum, especially if people see the thread and have something to add to it.

 

[Page]

I am someone who only feels a thread should be locked if you do not want any discussion within that thread such as for threads with rules or even threads with an announcement that doesn't need a conversation. Other threads that I feel should be locked are ones that may get out of hand and need to be locked.

Locking a thread after so many months since it's last reply can be a real killer on a forum, especially if people see the thread and have something to add to it.

Well, I'm like that unless it's always an open discussions s end of the day we do not want to see 50 threads talking about cats 😛

 

[Henrywrites]

This is simply dependent on how active that your forum is. If you run an active forum, then taking the issue of locking the old threads seriously won't matter much because you don't know who is joining the forum next. So, activity, for me, is the parameter that should be used to make decisions on this.

 

[Heatman]

I wouldn't lock an old thread in my forum. In a situation where there's something left to be discussed on the thread, I will leave it open for as long users are willing to discuss on it.