Rcently there has been some discussion about resurrecting dead threads. I myself was guilty of this once a couple weeks ago. I thought my reasoning was valid, but I can see everyone’s point.
Here’s my suggestion: is there a way for vBulletin to enable an icon such that when you mouse over it reveals the original OP date? Or a way to have the “envelope” icon appear differently, say, after a designated amount of time has passed? In this example, the title was vaguely familiar but the only way I could tell for sure that it was an old thread was to open it. If I could tell it was old just by looking at some icon or mousing over some icon, I wouldn’t have to open it - server time not affected, irritation non-existant, etc etc.
I think dooku means finding a way not to have to open the old thread at all to realise it is an oldie, Q.E.D.. To look at the OP date would mean opening the thread – it’s not obvious from the forum page.
I love these questions and answers here, elsewise, I have little way of finding out the “How to”'s and can only pray to (Humble) Tuba Diver
that me mistrakes are chalked up to unexperienced, and hope for mercy !
Og! Fergive us our tres passes!(posts?)
OK, fine. But my point stands: why would you care if a thread was an oldie or not before you opened it? If the thread title interested you, are you going to pass on opening it just because it’s old? The powers-that-be have stated that rather than ressurecting an old thread that interested you, you ought to simply start a new thread with yoaur comments and a link back to the old thread. So why care when the OP was before you open it?
Just as a WAG: maybe so you know it’s an old thread, therefore don’t open it, read it all the way through, get an idea, do a post, then realise it’s an old one that’s been brought back from the dead?
Has happened. I agree, Q.E.D., the OP date is right there beside the OP. But – in amongst a bunch of up-to-date threads, few really go looking for the date.
Thanks, Ice Wolf , I have studied the FAQ’s and needed these, …
& I feel so humbled at all the wit of yours and others that, perhaps - I am slower…
Until you posted these links, I was still toe—dipping…
I hope to make it past the “newbie stage” into the “something to offer stage”
like yourself. That’s all!..
meanwhile, I enjoy simply reading yours and others posts!
But also would enjoy replying occassionally intelligent-like:smack: othern!
Heh. Yes, correct, Q.E.D., I don’t think a new hover function would help all that much either for that very reason, but it is a valid suggestion for the staff here.
And skyzoo – you’re going great. Just relax, read more than you post for a bit, get the feel of the place. Great to have you around! (Cool username, BTW!)
Ice Wolf has made my point much better than I did, apparently. Yes, I was referring to not having to open a thread to find out if it’s old, then accidentally posting to it w/o realizing that it was old. I hadn’t thought of don’t ask’s suggestion, which makes perfect sense to me.
One more thing I forgot to mention: Although the OP has the original date, I always go to first unread post, which is typically three pages later on a page with all new posts, so I wouldn’t know how old the thread was before posting.
Also, it’s rare for a thread to get 5 pages long in one day (yes, there are always exceptions), so another good way to ‘guess’ at a thread’s age is, if it has 175 posts and you haven’t seen it before right now, it’s most likely a ressurected thread.
Of course, this only works for daily users (like most of the real high post count Dopers), but it’s a system I’ve grown into.
The Trek threads are a different story. Reruns tend to ressurect an old episode thread.
