Why are old topics closed?

[Moin]

I think sending a list with topics which would have been bumped to an inbox is a good idea. Auto-bump can be very helpful if the whole community can help. But most bumped topics here need someone to mark a post as solution and/or close the topic. Sometimes a community member can add a link to a feature, but someone else still has to close it. If those topics were a few weeks old and did not receive an answer, everyone could help answering them. But answering support questions from 4 years ago doesn’t seem that helpful; I don’t think the person asking is still waiting for an answer.

It could be interesting to bump old feature topics since topic voting was enabled after they were published. But those would probably have to be tidied up first.

[JammyDodger]

@Moin

It could be interesting to bump old feature topics since topic voting was enabled after they were published. But those would probably have to be tidied up first.

I was wondering if an AI ‘feature of the day’ style thing could be a good alternative to that - both as a way to ‘bump’ older Feature topics, but also as a way to smooth some out as well. If it was in a topic rather than bumping them in Latest it would allow people to watch or mute as the mood took them.

I suppose we’ll have to give it a whirl and see what Bert can do.

[anon48433008]

@bloomexperiment

it’s assumed that the problem is solved and there’s no need for further discussion

Assumed is appropriate when solved but I’ve had issues before, search them, find the topics closed and still need help, IMO closed should be reserved for an offensive post where replies are not desired.

Solved problems can arise again with other users, builds, plug-ins etc

@bloomexperiment

I think it would make sense to ask moderators to reopen the original topic and merge your second topic there, since it turns out that your issue is still unresolved.

Sure, except typically you want your forum repaired and that would cause delays

@angus

From the perspective of solving support issues it is important to keep every new issue separate, even if they seem similar, albeit with appropriate links to the existing issues for comparison purposes. All issues have to considered new issues until proven otherwise. If you start from the position that it’s the same issue it artificially limits your enquiry and you often miss the real issue. It’s the same principle underlying the inadmissibility of prior convictions in the adjudication of a legal case (until you get to sentencing). Every case has to be judged on its merits otherwise motivated reasoning is often going to push you to be overconfident in your conclusions.

This is all well written, tough to argue, however I’ve had to read through long posts before where near the top the solution seems available and then down its found it is not, sometimes never is.

I’d have to say there never a single size fits all solution, but would like to see more options to not close threads, the auto bump is, IMO, for forums with small communities and a need for more to discuss, to maintain life, I doubt its needed at all here.

Therefore aside from offensive posts even solved ones should be allowed to die out on their own.

[bloomexperiment (Tracey)]

I agree with you myself

On the Discourse site where I worked, there was a much higher preference of discussion usually staying in one topic and only open a new one if necessary. We also didn’t automatically most close topics when they’re solved - it was mainly for bug reports.

I was mostly just trying to explain the rationale here on Meta – not necessarily that I agree with it all myself

@anon48433008

@bloomexperiment

I think it would make sense to ask moderators to reopen the original topic and merge your second topic there, since it turns out that your issue is still unresolved.

Sure, except typically you want your forum repaired and that would cause delays

Yeah I agree that it is too much time to ask - I was trying to phrase a request for moderators here to reopen the topic for you