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I hate thread merging

Discussion in 'Site Feedback' started by markb1, May 17, 2013.

  1. markb1

    markb1 Active Member

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    I hate it when I go to view new posts in a thread, and it takes me back to view posts that I've already read. I'm pretty sure this is happening because a thread I have not read is merged into a thread that I have read.

    How about closing duplicate threads, and adding a link to the earlier thread, instead of merging?

    Apologies for the rant. :)
     
  2. gaswalla

    gaswalla P4201/85/airsusp/pano/19i

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    mods.. please merge this thread with an off-topic thread. thanx
     
  3. deonb

    deonb Supporting Member

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    Darn it! You beat me to it :D
     
  4. markb1

    markb1 Active Member

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    Haha.. yeah, I totally set that up, didn't I?
     
  5. Laumb

    Laumb smrtass.

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    Oooh! My first thought...
     
  6. Doug_G

    Doug_G Lead Moderator

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    What I really hate is six people starting a new thread about the same @!%$# thing on the same @!%$# day. Huge waste of time chasing them down.

    We try, whenever possible, to avoid closing threads. It frustrates users and tends to just cause even more threads to spawn.
     
  7. AnOutsider

    AnOutsider S532 # XS27

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  8. markb1

    markb1 Active Member

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    I agree with the first part. I just think closing threads would be a less confusing way of dealing with it.
     
  9. bonnie

    bonnie Oil is for sissies.

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    I'm with Doug on this one ... aim the irritation towards people who can't be bothered to see if a thread already exists. They mess up the forum. We're just the cleanup crew.
     
  10. Andrew

    Andrew Model S #6151

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    Perhaps there needs to be some sort of happy medium. As someone who is relatively new to the forums, I try really hard to read through posts before commenting, as I don't want to repeat what someone has said before. But when there are threads with 20, 50, or over 100 pages of posts...then it becomes impossible to know if you're repeating what's already been said.

    For example, earlier today I tried to figure out if anybody had recommended a paint armor installer in Los Angeles. I finally gave up scanning the threads (and I used the search function as well), and decided to start a new topic. I did my best to use a specific subject line, so that if someone contributes a good answer, it'll be more useful for someone else in the future.

    Bottom line for me is that general threads with dozens of pages just aren't all that useful. Perhaps closing threads every so often would help keep some of those in check?
     
  11. ZBB

    ZBB Emperor

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    I'm relatively new here, but this is the most actively managed forum I've ever seen.

    The frequent thread merging does make it harder to find things -- especially when a new thread pops up months (or years) after the thread it gets moved into.
     
  12. aronth5

    aronth5 Long Time Follower

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    First, the mods to a terrific job.
    I have been guilty of starting a thread or two only to find someone else had already created first. And that was after searching for 10-15 minutes so it wouldn't happen.
    What would be very helpful is a search option for new "threads". That should reduce the number of duplicate posts.
    Is that possible?
     
  13. dsm363

    dsm363 Roadster + Sig Model S

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    I think it is fine if you don't see your question in a 100 page thread and ask the same question again. The problem is people start and entirely new thread on the exact same subject. It is bound to happen of course.
     
  14. AnOutsider

    AnOutsider S532 # XS27

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    #14 AnOutsider, May 17, 2013
    Last edited: May 17, 2013
    Right. Along with that, I try to modify vague thread titles to be more descriptive so that they do show up in a search. To help out, members could use descriptive titles from the jump.

    Bad: "had a question...."
    Good: "how does ____ work?"
     
  15. markb1

    markb1 Active Member

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    I certainly appreciate all the work the mods put in, and I really didn't intend to express irritation at you or any of the mods. (I see how it could have come off that way, though.) I'm plenty irritated at the people who create the duplicate threads, but I don't know what can be done about that. What can be improved, IMO, is the policy regarding what to do once a duplicate thread is created. A closed thread quickly drops off the first page, while merging causes the conversation to become confusing and messes up last-read markers.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Yeah, mostly it's hot topics, like when Elon tweets that there's going to be an announcement. :)
     
  16. Jason S

    Jason S Model S Sig Perf (P85)

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    ... The "What's New" thing in the top menubar? The "New Posts" button below that?

    I live by those buttons, just to see what is ... new...

    And thanks to the Mods I don't need to chase down 6 threads all the same.
     
  17. yobigd20

    yobigd20 Well-Known Member

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    I "sort of" agree with the OP. The reality of the situation is that as this forum grows and grows with new owners and enthusiasts, eventually (if not already) there will be a threshold crossed where the moderators just won't be able to manage/merge duplicate threads anymore due to the rate of new posts and topics being posted per minute. So its going to happen anyway unless you want a full staff managing this site 24/7. The only times I really agree with thread merging is when something like a news story hits and 10 topics regarding the same article get posted within a few minutes of each other. There are other times it makes sense too though but if it was me for the most part I wouldn't be trolling the forums saying "which threads am I going to sit here and merge for the next two hours". I'm sure your time could be spent more productively doing something else...
     
  18. NigelM

    NigelM Recovering Member

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    Tip: try using the advanced search (top right) and you have the option to search for thread titles or posts.

    Just a note on merging; it's sometimes an easy decision and it's sometimes tough to decide. Mods try to be as objective as possible but we're only human and we're not perfect. BTW, if anyone thinks we overdo the merging just go to advanced search, select "Titles only" and type in "supercharger" as the key word..... ;-)

    (Yes, there really are 60 threads with "Supercharger" in the title.)

    - - - Updated - - -

    P.S. kinda amusing, just noticed that the thread next to this one right now is one complaining about too many threads on the same subject (the NYT fiasco)
     
  19. bonnie

    bonnie Oil is for sissies.

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    hahah. Right. Because that's what we do. We troll the forums and look for threads to merge.

    -pats yobigd20 on da head-
     
  20. andrewket

    andrewket Well-Known Member

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    The forum software could search on the subject to see if there is a thread with matching terms prior to allowing the poster to move forward.

    Similar to asking a tech support question for many products; Search the knowledge base first and ask if user if any of these items answer their question.
     

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