Stupid Question Re. Locked Threads

[Woftis]

Feel free to lock this baby up and delete once done as it really doesn't benefit anyone.

I'm really just curious why threads get locked at ~400 posts and then a new one is opened. I assume it's to do with memory but I would of thought that having everything under one topic would take up less space than multiple threads of 400 about the same topic?

[mormont]

There are a range of reasons.

Historically, we used to lock threads at ten pages, on the earlier version of the board, for reasons of space. That's no longer really an issue, but after moving to this board we found there were topic management advantages to a defined thread length.

Discussion in threads longer than 20 pages tends to peter out on most topics, for one thing, so it gives us a defined point to put limping threads out of their misery. For another, once a thread exceeds 20 pages virtually nobody bothers to go back and read the first few pages. The discussion therefore tends to proceed as if the thread started somewhere in the middle anyway. This way, there is a nice regular defined 'break' point where everyone starts, quite literally, on the same page - new entrants to a discussion can get caught up, people continuing the discussion have a fixed point to pick it up again.

There is still a space management advantage too, because when it comes time to prune old content (doesn't happen as much now, but still happens sometimes) you can ditch old discussion easier.

[Woftis]

Thank you Mormont, I didn't really think of the topic management side of things but makes a lot of sense (I very rarely bother to get involved with any thread that looks like it will take more than 5 minutes of reading to catch up).

[King of Winters]

There are a range of reasons.

Historically, we used to lock threads at ten pages, on the earlier version of the board, for reasons of space. That's no longer really an issue, but after moving to this board we found there were topic management advantages to a defined thread length.

Discussion in threads longer than 20 pages tends to peter out on most topics, for one thing, so it gives us a defined point to put limping threads out of their misery. For another, once a thread exceeds 20 pages virtually nobody bothers to go back and read the first few pages. The discussion therefore tends to proceed as if the thread started somewhere in the middle anyway. This way, there is a nice regular defined 'break' point where everyone starts, quite literally, on the same page - new entrants to a discussion can get caught up, people continuing the discussion have a fixed point to pick it up again.

There is still a space management advantage too, because when it comes time to prune old content (doesn't happen as much now, but still happens sometimes) you can ditch old discussion easier.

Erm just a question about a locked thread I posted last night (Your Queen of Love and Beauty) and was wondering why you locked it. Was it because it was no use or something?

[Woftis]

Erm just a question about a locked thread I posted last night (Your Queen of Love and Beauty) and was wondering why you locked it. Was it because it was no use or something?

From a non-mod POV, those threads typically tend to get locked in the 'General Books' forum. You should check out the 'Games Forum', it's a lot more chilled out and the style guide/content rules are relaxed a bit ;)

[mormont]

Yeah, there are other reasons threads get locked than length. If they are in the wrong forum, they might be locked rather than moved. If they are turning into a bitter debate, or wandering off into a chatty hey-how's-you? direction, or have otherwise become a mess and/or there is no substantive on-topic discussion: if we think a particular topic needs a rest for now: if people have been asked not to do something and keep doing it: lots of reasons.