Deleted (or at least missing) threads?

Have they started deleting some of the old threads? Case in point: there were a few from waaaaaay back in '00, '01, and '02 that I used to re-read for a chuckle. And now it seems those threads have been deleted since they were before the Winter of our Missed Content.

What’s the news? I mean, I would hate for them to cut a potentially enlightening thread just on a whim. . .

. . . especially if that thread could have answered someone’s question. Then they’d post, and you’re just recycling electrons to post a question and answer.

Tripler
This post made with 95% post-consumer electrons.

Yes they are, this has been discussed a bunch recently. Basically, they are deleting old threads due to space/size limitations on the current server setup. A new server is in the schedule for between few weeks or longer to be online. They may or may not restore the old archives when that happens. That’s fleshed out in a few threads:

Search does not return some results

Offloading of the SDMB Archives

And most recent and most informative:
Yeah, I know it’s been done to death, but… (jdavis actually gives an update in this thread)

There was also a Pit thread which had this issue in the discussion:
It’s been nearly six months, TubaDiva, where is the “more better stuff” you promised?

From a few weeks ago – http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=390847&highlight=deleted+threads

I thought it would have been discussed before. Thanks guys!

Tripler
I still miss my “Chinese Buffet Restaurant” thread. :stuck_out_tongue:

Is there anyway, “someone”, [read probably Mods] might be involved to bring more rhyme or reason to the “archiving” ?

I ask this (after looking semi-seriously through the links and think I see it is based simply on time posted across all Forums - if that is wrong ignore this post) it would seem to me GQ, Staff Report and Cecil Columns Responses would be more immutable& would tend as general rule to be worth being kept around forever – While IMHO, CS, and GD threads are good for a laugh and interesting to look back on but are more mutable –peoples tastes and interests and viewpoints change and there is always more to say on a subject – if the interest is there it can always be restarted.

MPSIMS, Pit – sort of fall in between –as there is some good, unique irreplaceable there writing there – so I’d tend to keep it.

Just a thought