# In Memoriam: New post instead of edits? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 16, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111 "2013-06-16T05:35:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mathematics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Mathematics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathematics)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/1 "2013-06-16T05:35:04Z")
Okay, I know this is a little bit dark, but several times now I’ve been lurking and suddenly shocked by a post saying that a member of the SDMB is dead. The most recent case was in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=655692) where it was posted that Opalcat died a few months ago. I don’t suppose most people regularly check the In Memoriam thread for edits, and not everyone might see all death announcements. So it would be good if the admins would simply unlock the thread and make a new post when someone dies. That way people would realize there’s a new post in that thread and stay informed. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/2 "2013-06-16T13:15:59Z")
What? That thread actually gets updated? I look at it in the menu, see the date hasn’t changed, and wonder why no one ever updates it when prominent Dopers die. Now I know. I guess the desire was to have a single message with a long list, but it does make it hard to know when it changes. I’d prefer new messages so the date is accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Mathematics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Mathematics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathematics)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/3 "2013-06-16T13:28:00Z")
Yeah, I realized after posting that the intent of the thread might be to serve as an “index of the fallen”, I suppose. But I think it would be more useful if they would post new messages instead. It is very jarring to be reading an innocent thread and then suddenly be informed someone is dead because you missed the announcement. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/4 "2013-06-16T20:48:47Z")
Well, if the intent is for only mods and admins to update the thread, it doesn’t need to be unlocked because they can post to locked threads. But I agree, a better way to update it is to make a new post when a Doper passes away. ---
**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:** [June 16, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/5 "2013-06-16T21:17:45Z")
There’s always a separate thread when someone passes on … and then they get added to the existing thread. It’s a two-stage process. It’s unfortunate that you may have missed such notices. The thread is locked because we want it to serve as general record-keeping announcement and not have comments in it from visitors. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/6 "2013-06-17T22:34:22Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > There’s always a separate thread when someone passes on … and then they get added to the existing thread. It’s a two-stage process. > > It’s unfortunate that you may have missed such notices. > > The thread is locked because we want it to serve as general record-keeping announcement and not have comments in it from visitors. Well, yes. There was a huge thread about **[Opalcat’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=684883&highlight=Opalcat)** passing. But if you weren’t on the boards for that particular time, you would have missed it. There was one post in it last week, but prior to that, it hadn’t been posted to since April. And the complaint is that the In Memoriam thread may be updated, but everything is put in one post and the last post date shows up in the front page as October, 2011, no matter how many times it’s been updated. I can understand keeping it locked so that it doesn’t grow unwieldy and I can understand people could post speculation about a Doper’s passing without some official word. So I agree with keeping it locked so only moderators and administrators can post notifications. But perhaps when a Doper passes, a mod can make a new post in the thread so the date it was last posted to shows up on the front page in case the original thread disappears with the passage of time. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/7 "2013-06-17T23:31:36Z")
We could do it that way too, but sometimes you just miss stuff. The In Memoriam thread is a collection of the announcements and I didn’t really intend it to be the thread that notifies people someone has died. There’s always a new thread for that purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/8 "2013-06-18T13:14:31Z")
I’ve reorganized the thread so each entry is its own post. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/9 "2013-06-18T13:30:38Z")
Congratulations, **Mathematics**! Your suggestion as actually approved and conducted! That is like once in a blue moon chance here! And of course, let’s thank **Marley23** for taking the time to carry out this change. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/10 "2013-06-18T14:15:53Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ve reorganized the thread so each entry is its own post. a good improvement. though it does leave the artifact of something like a plague or smiting. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/11 "2013-06-18T14:29:05Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > And of course, let’s thank **Marley23** for taking the time to carry out this change. You’re welcome. > [@](#): > > Congratulations, **Mathematics**! Your suggestion as actually approved and conducted! That is like once in a blue moon chance here! I’m reluctant to say anything here because I do appreciate the thanks- but this isn’t how people say thank you. It reads more like a grumble and a backhanded complaint. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/12 "2013-06-18T14:39:17Z")
> [@Anonymous User](#): > > That is like once in a blue moon chance here! How would you know? There hasn’t been a Blue Moon since before you registered here. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/13 "2013-06-18T15:54:04Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’re welcome. > > I’m reluctant to say anything here because I do appreciate the thanks- but this isn’t how people say thank you. It reads more like a grumble and a backhanded complaint. It’s perfectly possible to do both, innit? To thank you for doing it, but also complain that such changes are so rare? Neither one negates the other. I can do the same thing: Thank you Marley, for considering and implementing this change. I hope that you will be as considerate in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/14 "2013-06-18T16:03:32Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > It’s perfectly possible to do both, innit? To thank you for doing it, but also complain that such changes are so rare? It is, yes. It just makes the thanks look insincere and that doesn’t reflect well on the speaker. I don’t want to get into an argument about it, but I thought **Anonymous User** might appreciate or benefit from the tip because I don’t think he intended his post to be taken that way. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/15 "2013-06-18T16:31:43Z")
Heh, I just noticed the “In Memoriam” thread had new posts, and went to look… Glad no-one has died. It looks like a good change, though, and it will work, if other people are like me and notice new posts in the stickies. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/16 "2013-06-18T16:45:04Z")
Thank you, **Marley**. I appreciate the time and effort you took to reorganize the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mathematics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@Mathematics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathematics)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/17 "2013-06-18T17:46:37Z")
I agree, thanks. That is one subscription I don’t hope to see new posts from in the future, though. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/18 "2013-06-18T19:40:51Z")
> [@Mathematics](#): > > I agree, thanks. > > That is one subscription I don’t hope to see new posts from in the future, though. ☹ A few years ago, Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra were sitting together at Yankee Stadium during Old-Timers Day when a list of deceased Yankee players was put on the scoreboard. Whitey insists that Yogi turned to him and said, “I hope I never live to see my name up there.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/19 "2013-06-18T19:40:56Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ve reorganized the thread so each entry is its own post. Thank you for the time and trouble it took you to do that. ---
**Author:** ![WhiskeyInACask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WhiskeyInACask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhiskeyInACask)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111/20 "2013-06-18T19:53:48Z")
Thanks **Mathematics** for suggesting this and thanks\*\* Marley23 \*\*for being reasonable and doing it. It makes perfect sense. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-memoriam-new-post-instead-of-edits/661111.md?page=2)