Can we PLEASE implement a rule against bumping old threads?

[Bannanasketch]

I've noticed a lot of newbies bumping ancient threads like 5 to 10 years old. First of all, I don't know how they even find these threads, but it is quite annoying to see a newbie bump a thread with nothing productive to say.

I don't think necroposting should be outright against the rules, but I feel that unless you have something valid to contribute to a conversation, it should be considered spam. For example, this would include people quoting things as if they just learned how to quote, with a simple response like "Yay!" or "I dunno."

Threads that are a bit more personal should just be locked if someone revives it. Example, a thread from 8 years ago about a member concerned with their social life and someone bumps it. Obviously if it is 8 years old, the member is either not around, or the problem has been long resolved.

This is the only forum that i am on that has no form of necroposting rule. And I think we need to be stricter about it.

K

 

[Bannanasketch]

Haha, just kidding. Yeah, I agree with you. It just gets annoying after awhile.

 

[MuppetsRule]

Can't wait to bump this thread in about 3 years.

 

[Hubert]

Yeah, if the thread is something like "The What Will You Eat For Lunch Tommorrow Thread," I think it is perfectly fine to bump it up and start it up again. If you have something to contribute, it's OK. However, you may have the answer to some question someone asked 8 years ago like, "What Do the Snowths Look Like?" You may be able to help, but in the past 8 years, there's a pretty good chance that with Muppet Wiki and the forum the person already figured it out. Therefore, even though you are contributing, the answer is still 8 years late. The only thing is, though, many times I don't know if people realize how old the thread is, so LOOK AT THE DATES ON THE THREADS.

Here is an example that I encountered the other day:
I clicked on a thread, with a recent reply called, "Who is the Hugest Muppet?" I looked at some of the most recent comments, and a bunch of people (including Beauregard (you're the one I remember)) didn't know who the Bossmen are. And I was thinking, why don't these people just time in Bossmen on the Muppet Wiki page and find out who they are. But anyway, I decided to go to all this trouble to put on a picture of the Bossmen to show who they are, then, right before I posted it, I realized the people didn't know who the Bossmen were in 2002.

 

[D'Snowth]

You know, while I too have been somewhat annoyed by n00bs bumping centuries-old threads as of late, some forums out there FORCE you to do this: they make you search through the whole forum, thread after thread after thread, to make sure your question has already been asked and answered before you can start a new thread, and if you do end up starting a new thread that's already been covered, you get in trouble for it.

 

[Beauregard]

*trying to remember a time when I didn't know who the Bossmen were*

*how much my life has been enlightened since then*

 

[Sgt Floyd]

Really? I was not aware of that. It seems kinda stupid to me

I can understand not wanting to have tons and tons of threads of the same topic, but that seems to be going to the extreme.

The other forum I am active on basically has a rule where if you create a duplicate thread of one that is currently active (on the first page of the list), it is locked, but that really wouldnt work here since that forum displays like 50 threads per page :/

Even still, thats not really an excuse to make a bunch of double posts quoting something and replying to it with one word.

 

[Muppet fan 123]

Even still, thats not really an excuse to make a bunch of double posts quoting something and replying to it with one word.

I %100 agree with you on that. It is annoying to see new threads pop up for no reason at all. But some people like to bring back great old threads that haven't been looked at in years, so post something on it so that the conversation can continue there.

 

[KermieBaby47]

You know, while I too have been somewhat annoyed by n00bs bumping centuries-old threads as of late, some forums out there FORCE you to do this: they make you search through the whole forum, thread after thread after thread, to make sure your question has already been asked and answered before you can start a new thread, and if you do end up starting a new thread that's already been covered, you get in trouble for it.

I belong to another forum that is kinda like that, really glad it's not the case here at MC! Though it is a bit ridiculous that there are 3 threads about the Muppets at Build-a-Bear, all current, and all in the same section! Ha ha. I just keep posting in all three, to keep the topic fresh and try and help sell 'em. Thought they woulda been merged by now, but some threads slip under the radar for whatever reason.

I completely agree with Sgt Floyd about the "okay's" and "yeah's" and similar replies that add nothing to the conversation. It's a quick and easy way to build your post count, that's it. I would suggest that those people take the time to add something constructive and thought out if they want to further discussion or get replies. Otherwise, yes, it's spamming, and nobody wants that. They'll find themselves banned in no time, and I'm sure the mod doing the banning doesn't feel good about that either. This is a cool place to be, whether you're a regular poster, or just visiting to read about Muppets and the people who like them.

I'd encourage all noobs to jump in and be a part of the group, and to the poster who was used as an example above:don't leave, please! Rather take all this as constructive criticism, learn from it, and join in the conversation!

 

[Sgt Floyd]

yes, I did not want to use a real example, as that just makes people feel bad, but no one was getting what I was saying (and in this case I don't get what wasnt clear )

And at the same time, stupid little threads like Hubert was saying "What Will You Eat for Lunch Tomorrow" type threads are ok to bump with a word or two since there isnt any real conversation going on anyway.

I also want to be clear that there is a lot of muffining going on in active threads and sometimes one word replies tend to fit, so one word replies themselves shouldnt be considered spam exactly, just ones bumping ancient threads...