# Please lock this pit thread... **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [October 27, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904 "2015-10-27T21:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/21 "2015-10-28T16:00:26Z")
**Mods** : Please lock [this ATMB thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=773442). Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/22 "2015-10-28T16:04:10Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > not advocating the thread be locked, just wanted to say I think “omnibus” or “perpetual” threads are what’s helping kill off message boards. As far as I can see with a quick look there are currently 3 active omnibus threads, all of them are in the Pit. (4 if you want to count the monthly mini-rant thread) None of them have been mandated as the only place to discuss the particular issues of each thread. I don’t know of any other omnibus threads (counting the GoT hiatus thread as one would be pushing it I think). I don’t see it as much of a problem here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/23 "2015-10-28T17:15:35Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Good job! Actually, the real reason I stopped at 10 is that I can’t count past that number. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/24 "2015-10-28T17:33:06Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > What is the “the Box”? The better question is [“What’s in the box?”](http://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/72.jpg) Maybe instead of an omnibus thread about omnibus threads, we should have an omnibus thread about **Morganstern** complaining about omnibus threads. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/25 "2015-10-28T17:43:46Z")
Poster of the OP in question here. I did welcome all shades of opinion and while I found the posts complained of annoying and quite beside the point I don’t think they managed to derail the thread, many of the posts in which were instructive and enlightening. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/26 "2015-10-28T17:43:59Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > What is the “the Box”? It’s a special place for special people where they can be all special without bothering the rest of the folks. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/27 "2015-10-28T17:52:27Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > The better question is [“What’s in the box?”](http://3dprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/72.jpg) > > Maybe instead of an omnibus thread about omnibus threads, we should have an omnibus thread about **Morganstern** complaining about omnibus threads. Or complaining about anything pertaining to the board, period. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/28 "2015-10-28T18:18:09Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Actually, the real reason I stopped at 10 is that I can’t count past that number. Well, you could always take off your shoes and socks. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/29 "2015-10-28T18:25:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s a special place for special people where they can be all special without bothering the rest of the folks. Ooh that sounds nice. Let’s have one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/30 "2015-10-28T18:32:16Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Ooh that sounds nice. Let’s have one of those. We [do.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736919) ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/31 "2015-10-28T18:32:45Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > So what? So what so what? I didn’t say lock the thread, I simply commented on what I perceive to be its value. Is it even an omnibus thread? I would have thought an omnibus thread meant that all discussions of that nature would go into said thread but does that happen? Do new posters bring new examples into that thread and offer up debate or are they scared away by its nature and leave the usual suspects to go around in circles? > [@](#): > > just wanted to say I think “omnibus” or “perpetual” threads are what’s helping kill off message boards. I can understand this. Used to be people would start a new thread and create content for the board, a thread that the casual reader might actually take interest in. Now if they post at all it goes into a thread the casual reader probably doesn’t look at anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/32 "2015-10-28T18:33:06Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As far as I can see with a quick look there are currently 3 active omnibus threads, all of them are in the Pit. (4 if you want to count the monthly mini-rant thread) None of them have been mandated as the only place to discuss the particular issues of each thread. I don’t know of any other omnibus threads (counting the GoT hiatus thread as one would be pushing it I think). I don’t see it as much of a problem here. There are other non-Pit threads that get resurrected from time to time, often with the word “On-going” in their thread titles. That long-running On-Going General Aviation thread, for example. Others have been very long-running but eventually peter out and get forgotten, like that long-running Dating Thread a while back. Sometimes they end up getting closed. That semi-infinite thread about the value of 0.999… finally got closed after All Of Shakespeare’s Monkeys had typed out all possible words on the subject and a somewhat trollish newcomer jumped in. In that thread, I posted a [little essay questioning whether a thread that is 99.999999…% complete can ever be considered 100% complete](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=15501607#post15501607). > [@.999 = 1?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/999-1/27517/771): > > According to ancient Hindu prophecy, when this thread reaches the state of perfect completion, then all posters, computers, the SDMB message board (indeed, ALL message boards), and infinitesimal numbers will all vanish, and in a great thunderclap the universe will end. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/33 "2015-10-28T18:46:03Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > It’s a special place for special people where they can be all special without bothering the rest of the folks. This is surprisingly similar to Kurt Vonnegut’s definition of the Chronosynclastic Infundibulum. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/34 "2015-10-28T19:16:41Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > So what so what? I didn’t say lock the thread, I simply commented on what I perceive to be its value. > > Is it even an omnibus thread? I would have thought an omnibus thread meant that all discussions of that nature would go into said thread but does that happen? Do new posters bring new examples into that thread and offer up debate or are they scared away by its nature and leave the usual suspects to go around in circles? > > I can understand this. Used to be people would start a new thread and create content for the board, a thread that the casual reader might actually take interest in. Now if they post at all it goes into a thread the casual reader probably doesn’t look at anymore. So what there are plenty of threads that only have a few participants. Is that grounds to close it? That makes no sense. And a cursory glance of that thread shows it is more than a few people participating. As for your second part, again there is nothing prohibiting anyone from posting on the topic outside of the thread. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/35 "2015-10-28T19:41:01Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > As for your second part, again there is nothing prohibiting anyone from posting on the topic outside of the thread. Nothing formally, no. I assume I don’t need to explain that sometimes discussions can be stifled in ways unrelated to official moderator decrees. People _can_ post on the topic outside the thread. But maybe they don’t. Maybe they don’t post at all. Nothing wrong with wondering why. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/36 "2015-10-28T20:02:01Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Nothing formally, no. I assume I don’t need to explain that sometimes discussions can be stifled in ways unrelated to official moderator decrees. > > People _can_ post on the topic outside the thread. But maybe they don’t. Maybe they don’t post at all. Nothing wrong with wondering why. And others complained when every little “Stupid Republican Idea” or “Controversial Encounter” got it’s own Pit thread. So you can wonder which is worse for the board as a whole. I’m not sure if there is a way to answer it. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/37 "2015-10-28T21:35:13Z")
Leave it open but please do something about the mayhem. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/38 "2015-10-28T22:12:22Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Leave it open but please do something about the mayhem. Did you see something that violates Pit rules? Did you report it? Although rules are much more relaxed in The Pit there is only one Pit mod. Miller can’t possibly read every post. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/39 "2015-10-28T22:14:41Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > And others complained when every little “Stupid Republican Idea” or “Controversial Encounter” got it’s own Pit thread. So you can wonder which is worse for the board as a whole. I’m not sure if there is a way to answer it. Yes, it will go down as one of the great unanswered questions of our time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904/40 "2015-10-28T22:23:53Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Yes, it will go down as one of the great unanswered questions of our time. 🙂 Well someone could start a “Would you rather have X or Y?” thread in ATMB but I doubt that would be very scientific. Sort of like the “controversial encounters” thread there seem to be a limited number of posters who participate in ATMB threads. It’s hard to believe but despite the desperate importance of the discussions about how the board is run many posters don’t even check ATMB. They have no idea the fun they are missing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/please-lock-this-pit-thread/735904.md?page=3)