# A locked Thread is Spotted? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 16, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981 "2005-09-16T15:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/1 "2005-09-16T15:51:18Z")
So why are people being directed to a thread that was locked a week ago? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=334057](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=334057) (from the Threadspotting link on the SD front page) Happy ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/2 "2005-09-16T15:54:33Z")
What’s your point? Just because it’s locked to further replies doesn’t mean the thread isn’t funny or enjoyable just to read as it stands–which is the whole _point_ of Threadspotting, innit? If the staff didn’t want anyone reading it at all, they wouldn’t have merely locked it, they’d have deleted it altogether. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/3 "2005-09-16T16:08:28Z")
Yay! One of my OP’s made Threadspotting! I’m so honored, I’d like to thank all the little people… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/4 "2005-09-16T16:21:40Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > What’s your point? Just because it’s locked to further replies doesn’t mean the thread isn’t funny or enjoyable just to read as it stands–which is the whole _point_ of Threadspotting, innit? If the staff didn’t want anyone reading it at all, they wouldn’t have merely locked it, they’d have deleted it altogether. There are a lot of funny enjoyable threads out there, right now, ones that people can actually particiapate in. My only question is why do we need to highlight one that’s 1)Closed and 2)Closed because it violated Board rules? It may have _been_ funny, but that was a week ago. (Although, I wouldn’t know. All I saw in that thread were little rectangles.) Just curious. That’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/5 "2005-09-16T16:24:08Z")
> [@Happy Lendervedder](#): > > So why are people being directed to a thread that was locked a week ago? Maybe it was submitted a week ago and Tuba only got around to putting it up. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/6 "2005-09-16T16:30:26Z")
> [@](#): > > Just because it’s locked to further replies doesn’t mean the thread isn’t funny or enjoyable just to read as it stands-- which is the whole point of Threadspotting, innit? Plus, ideally, reading interesting things a person can’t respond to is not the point of an active message board. Unless you’re reading a locked rules sticky or some such thread. ---
**Author:** ![Feydeau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Feydeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feydeau)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/7 "2005-09-16T16:49:47Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Yay! One of my OP’s made Threadspotting! I’m so honored, I’d like to thank all the little people… You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2005, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/8 "2005-09-16T18:35:05Z")
Um, I believe **Fear Itself** was addressing me. You’re welcome. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/9 "2005-09-17T14:49:35Z")
[Earlier question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=291288) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/10 "2005-09-17T15:10:23Z")
> [@Happy Lendervedder](#): > > Plus, ideally, reading interesting things a person can’t respond to is not the point of an active message board. Unless you’re reading a locked rules sticky or some such thread. If we took out everything that wasn’t the “point of this message board,” which is Fighting Ignorance, all we’d have left is CCC, CSR, GQ, and maybe GD. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/11 "2005-09-17T17:13:44Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > If we took out everything that wasn’t the “point of this message board,” which is Fighting Ignorance, all we’d have left is CCC, CSR, GQ, and maybe GD. Yeah, but he didn’t say “the point of **this** message board”, he said “the point of an active message board”, which is to post, read, and respond to messages, only one of which you can do in a locked thread. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/12 "2005-09-17T20:35:43Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > Yeah, but he didn’t say “the point of **this** message board”, he said “the point of an active message board”, which is to post, read, and respond to messages, only one of which you can do in a locked thread. You can’t respond to Cecil’s columns or Staff columns directly either. You can, however, comment on them in other threads - just as you can comment on a locked thread in other threads, just as is being done here. By this argument we should eliminate Cecil’s and Staff columns. I just think that this is a really, really lame complaint. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/13 "2005-09-17T21:13:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You can’t respond to Cecil’s columns or Staff columns directly either. You can, however, comment on them in other threads - just as you can comment on a locked thread in other threads, just as is being done here. By this argument we should eliminate Cecil’s and Staff columns. > > I just think that this is a really, really lame complaint. Hmm. Cecil’s columns aren’t threads. They’re newspaper columns, reproduced online. And Staff reports aren’t threads either. They’re Staff reports. Neither of which appear on a message board. They appear on the Straight Dope webpage, which, last time I checked, was not a message board. Also, you’re misunderstanding the intention of this thread, cuz last time I checked, I wasn’t making a complaint; I was asking a question, expressing curiosity about the reason behind Threadspotting on Friday, and just generally commenting on it. See? No complaining. Just curious. If this were a complaint, it would’ve been posted somewhere else. But thanks for your comments, even though you apparently mis-read me twice (once, already pointed out by **Silver Fire** , and the other time, pointed out, right now, by me.) But thanks for deeming my “complaint” “really, really lame.” I’ve weighed your opinion, and made a few mental notes. I’m sorry you felt my questions were out of line. Happy ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/14 "2005-09-18T01:07:18Z")
Is [this](http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/wolf_meister/thread.jpg) what the OP was talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2005, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/15 "2005-09-18T01:15:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > By this argument we should eliminate Cecil’s and Staff columns. I don’t even _have_ an argument; I was merely pointing out that you misquoted **Happy** , and expounding on “the point of an active message board”. And what is with you talking about eliminating all kinds of forums? No one was even suggesting that! We’re asking about one thread in one forum, that’s all. I am also curious (and also **not** complaining) as to why a **closed** thread that is **against board policy** would make threadspotting. I would think that would be an example of what _not_ to do, which is not how threadspotting has been used in the past, as far as I’m aware. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/16 "2005-09-19T14:44:33Z")
I thought it was an interesting thread. That’s why it got picked for Threadspotting. your humble TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2005, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-locked-thread-is-spotted/321981/17 "2005-09-19T14:56:39Z")
See? I toldya. 😛