Archive

[TheGrinReaper]

Is there a thread archive on here? If so, how do I find it?

Thanks for any help

[TubaDiva]

Not a formal archive per se but you can click on the “Archive” link at the bottom of every page and look at a condensed version of the board going back to our earliest days.

The very earliest ones don’t have header information – somehow that got truncated – but it’s interesting to look at what people had to say from the jump.

I had to laugh, I found a post from when we had been officially open for maybe two weeks that says “this board sucks, I’m outta here!” The more things change. . .

The archive is not searchable, it’s just a listing of posts from March of 1999 to the present.

[TheGrinReaper]

Thank you, Tuba. I never scrolled past the ‘forum jump’ option, but now I do and see the archive link below.

Duh!

Makes fascinating reading, as you say.

[rowrrbazzle]

You might want to read this item from the FAQ before posting to any really old threads.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7697100#post7697100

Don’t resurrect old threads

If you start a thread, and after a while think you would like more comments on it, you may be tempted to “bump” the thread by adding a post to make the thread reappear back at the top of the forum list. We strongly discourage this practice, but since the boards are so busy sometimes a single “bump” will bring about good results.

Our guidelines:

* Wait until a suitable time has elapsed (at least, until your thread is no longer visible on the first page of the forum)
* Bump your thread only once
* Do not make a habit of always bumping each of your threads
* When you bump your thread, it is preferrable to include additional information relevant to the original post, which may encourage others to respond
* Posting a thank you to those who responded to your question is not considered a "bump"

What if I want to continue / add to the discussion on a topic that was mentioned in an old thread?

Generally, we prefer you start a new thread with a link to the old thread. Often, an old thread includes statements from posters who are no longer members, and so cannot reply. It’s therefore “unfair” to re-open old discussions; such practice is usually called a “zombie thread.” (A general guideline for “old” would be a thread older than three months.) However, the rules on reviving old threads are different for the different forums. In General Questions, Comments on Cecil’s Columns, Comments on Staff Reports, and Cafe Society, it is acceptable to revive an old thread if you have some substantive comment to add. (Note that “thank you for answering my question” is just plain good manners, and acceptable. However, reviving an old thread just to say “I agree” is considered bad form.)

[NineToTheSky]

Thanks for both asking and answering this. I had no idea the archive existed. Based on my ignorance of that, there are probably many other hidden gems - such as next week’s lottery numbers, the meaning of life etc…

[Lumpy]

Also note that the “archive” button on the Straight Dope main page takes you to a list of Cecil’s and Staff Reports articles, not the message board archive.

[TubaDiva]

@Lumpy

Also note that the “archive” button on the Straight Dope main page takes you to a list of Cecil’s and Staff Reports articles, not the message board archive.

I didn’t make myself clear and I do apologize.

We’re talking about two different archives here.

1. The Straight Dope Message Board archive. This archive is located by hitting the “Archive” hyperlink in the blue band on the bottom of most every Straight Dope Message Board page.

This archive is a listing of postings from the SDMB presented in digest format. You can read these postings but not reply to them from the digest page, however, there are links on the page that will take you to the full version. Think of the digest/archive as “SDMB Lite.”

And yes, please do not respond to old threads – we tend to look at any thread more than six months old as being too old to resurrect, though this does vary somewhat in each forum area depending on age and relevance. If you have a question or comment to make start a new thread and reference the old one in your posting.

2. Straight Dope Archive – A listing of Cecil’s columns, current and Classic, Mailbag/Special Reports, Threadspotting,and Weird Earl. Reachable by clicking on the “Archive” button on most every Straight Dope page (not the message board) and by hyperlinks other places as well on the site.

These archives are to some degree searchable, though more for the columns and special reports; Threadspotting and Weird Earl archives, not so much so. The problem has been reported but is as of this writing still a problem.