Any advantage to locking threads/request for notice on Forge.

[Kentucky 『 ＨＥＩＧＵＩ 』 James]

Is there any advantage to locking threads? Theoretically, if all the little 2-reply threads get locked, would the forum run faster? Do locked threads show up in search results?

I'm saying this because over in The Forge a lot of threads get locked by the OP as soon as they get one answer, preventing anyone else from giving further advice or asking follow-up questions. I guess it would make more sense to direct more people to the Q&A thread, but there's no way to direct new posters there if they keep locking threads so quickly.

So perhaps the Powers That Be could add a notice when a user attempts to lock a thread, similar to the redtext you get when starting a new topic, that highlights the problems that arise when you prematurely lock threads on an advice board. Either that or (if it's possible), a board-specific new-topic preamble that has nice big text telling people to go to the Q&A thread with smaller issues.

If I'm wrong and locking threads helps remove them from the index or whatever then disregard the above, I'm just putting forward a suggestion to make The Forge an easier-to-navigate board, especially since it's where a lot of users first start posting.

 

[Froi]

Good guy jacob with good ideas.

 

[Reus]

There really isn't much advantage to locking the threads. They just get locked because the question has been answered, so the moderators/admins don't really see a reason to keep the thread unlocked. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but that's usually how it went down on the forums I've moderated. We were always instructed to lock threads that had been answered.

Me likey dem ideas you got.

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

They just get locked because the question has been answered, so the moderators/admins don't really see a reason to keep the thread unlocked. Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but that's usually how it went down on the forums I've moderated. We were always instructed to lock threads that had been answered.

We don't lock threads unless they're inflammatory, grossly off-topic or entirely pointless. Ie, against the rules.

Whether thread-starters lock their threads is their business.

 

[Reus]

We don't lock threads unless they're inflammatory, grossly off-topic or entirely pointless. Ie, against the rules.

Whether thread-starters lock their threads is their business.

Oh, ****e, my mistake. Didn't even notice he was talking about the OP.

Gash dernit.

 

[Froi]

As Jacob said, I think it would be beneficial to have Forge topics stay open so that way people don't have to keep making new threads.  I know for one I've wanted to post a suggestion or follow up on a topic but the guy locks it, but as Pharaoh said, that's their problem then.

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

Threads can always be reopened by moderators for further on-topic discussion, but that sort of arrangement would not be implicity understood by newbies. Alternatively, we can merge topics. So if somebody creates a new topic like a recently closed thread, it could be reported and asked to be merged. That may be less invasive than people being greeted with a big red message every time they try to lock a thread.

 

[wrwlf]

Speaking about the Forge, is there a way to download a full text version of the Modder's Q/A thread?
I think it might be beneficial to search/index the whole thread and try to organize the information contained therein. I have some scripts which might do the job, but that would require a text version of the thread....
Not sure how to go about that on this forum.

 

[Vraelomon]

I think I once downloaded 1000 pages of What pissed you off today but I can't remember how I did it.

 

[Kentucky 『 ＨＥＩＧＵＩ 』 James]

Speaking about the Forge, is there a way to download a full text version of the Modder's Q/A thread?
I think it might be beneficial to search/index the whole thread and try to organize the information contained therein. I have some scripts which might do the job, but that would require a text version of the thread....
Not sure how to go about that on this forum.

I often just use google search with operators for that. A lot of the information on the Forge is too hard to categorise the way you're describing it, at least IMO. Google is pretty good at finding what you're looking for from a few vague terms and it's very rare that I'm not able to find what I'm looking for.