Ever kill a thread?

[The Great Sun Jester]

What was it like? Was it on purpose or did you just give it a lethal post?

I've killed a few. I've never been really happy about any of them, but in retrospect I could see that a particular thread or another needed killing.

[Clockwork And Candy]

No, but not for lack of trying.

[Mindfield]

I bludgeoned a few pretty badly, but the damn things just would. not. DIE.

[Freddy the Pig]

What's so bad about thread killing? Is it a concept that only applies in certain forums?

I mean, if I make the last post in a GQ thread, I'm happy: It means my answer was definitive and satisfactory and no one had anything to add. In GD, it means I had the last word--I made an answer that no one could rebut.

I can see where it would be a problem in a thread like this one; I asked a question, and if no one answers, it was either stupid or uninteresting. But in general, is "thread killing" such a bad thing?

[silenus]

Once, in Reno. You know the rest.

[MostlyClueless]

I tried to kill my own thread (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=381516&page=2) right here, but some folks didn't catch it. I think.

[Fugazi]

Once, in Reno. You know the rest.


Damn you. Saw the thread title. Saw there were only 5 posts and thought I might just have a chance. Should have known better.

[racer72]

I tried to kill a thread but it just became all tangled and started to unravel. So the answer to the question is 'fraid not.

[fisha]

I tried to kill a thread but it just became all tangled and started to unravel. So the answer to the question is 'fraid not.

Ahem. (frayed)

[MoodIndigo1]

I try not to, but the damn things get squished so easily.

[RickQ]

Yes, I've killed threads.

And I enjoyed it.

[Enter the Flagon]

(Taking a swig from a glass 'o whiskey. Setting mouse on the bar.)

Ah've killed more threads 'n' any man alive. Y' cross me, 'n' Ah'l kill yer thread, too, mister.

[Scotticher]

Often. Usually it is embarrassing.

[Askance]

Yes, I have often posted such a definite statement or answer that no further comment was necessary or even possible. Why?

[racer72]

Ahem. (frayed)
Nope, I stand by my post. If I had used frayed, I also would have used knot.

What I wanted: 'fraid not.
What I didn't want: frayed knot.

[Zeldar]

It's been a while since I actually counted them (I guess that's lying since I never have) but the "Last Post: Zeldar" tag appears on quite a few threads. In almost every forum.

Sadly, many of them are also the first (= only) posts!

A recent thread on this very topic came up with a neat name for threads with no responses: stillborns.

What would be a neat trick for this thread would be for everybody to do a search on threads they've contributed to that haven't had a reply in (let's say) 30 days or more, but where the last reply was more recent than a year ago, and total up those where you were the last to post.

I'll go count mine now and post again soon.

Any takers?

[Zeldar]

Okay. That didn't take so long. The search on my username brought back the last 750 posts I have made. And 150 of those have been since 7/3/06 so I didn't count them. The 750 went back not quite a full year so I let that do it.

Out of the 600 posts I have made in the last year, and more than a month old, 55 of them have been the last post in the thread. If that's not "killing a thread" I need a better definition.

Who can beat that number?

[Askance]

Yes, I have often posted such a definite statement or answer that no further comment was necessary or even possible. Why?Definitive :smack: