PendulumAM
Bluelighter
Lets say I want to add to a topic, but I do a search and the thread for that topic is a year old. Is it okay for me to bring up an old thread to add to it, or should I just make a new thread? thank you.
is it better to bring back an old thread or start a new one?
- Thread starter PendulumAM
- Start date
fizzle
Bluelight Crew
Different forums will tell you different things... I know personally, here in Support (and I'm pretty sure this applies to most of the forums here) I'd prefer you to just bump the old thread and reply in there, especially if the information is still relevant and not outdated... but maybe even if it was outdated since that would be a good time to update it. As long as you are adding legit info or a relevent question you'll never get in trouble for bumping an old thread. On the other hand, replying to an old thread with something like "^LULZ +1!!!1!" may be another story...
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
If a thread shouldn't be bumped then ideally it would be closed or archived, but BL has an organic flow about such things. Usually threads just move to dormant on their own without mods needing to lock them or do anything.
There are some bumping of threads that doesn't make any sense to me though. Say someone had a thread about going the possibility of going to jail in 2007, the last post is 2007 sometime. Then someone posts in that thread to give them advice in 2010. I've seen stuff like that and just been wtf? and mods tend to post some sort of polite wtf? comment and lock the thread.
Some subjects are specifically supposed to happen in certain threads by forum guidelines. The price threadd in OD being one example. TDS guidelines mention that posting in megathreads or starting your own thread is entirely to be decided by what you are comfortable with. It is encouraged to use the search function before posting, especially with subjects that are likely to already have a thread with all the info you want.
So reading individual forum guidelines and using common sense about what sorts of bumps of old treads might increase efficiency or diminish it. If you need data and the most recent thread on the subject is several years old with no activity, it is a good bet no one will be upset about your starting a new thread. Reasons for preferring people not start new threads are that the topic comes up quite a bit and organization and efficiency makes it better to be all in one place. A comprehensive thread gets all the data in one place for members consideration instead of a snippet here and a factoid there.
There are some bumping of threads that doesn't make any sense to me though. Say someone had a thread about going the possibility of going to jail in 2007, the last post is 2007 sometime. Then someone posts in that thread to give them advice in 2010. I've seen stuff like that and just been wtf? and mods tend to post some sort of polite wtf? comment and lock the thread.
Some subjects are specifically supposed to happen in certain threads by forum guidelines. The price threadd in OD being one example. TDS guidelines mention that posting in megathreads or starting your own thread is entirely to be decided by what you are comfortable with. It is encouraged to use the search function before posting, especially with subjects that are likely to already have a thread with all the info you want.
So reading individual forum guidelines and using common sense about what sorts of bumps of old treads might increase efficiency or diminish it. If you need data and the most recent thread on the subject is several years old with no activity, it is a good bet no one will be upset about your starting a new thread. Reasons for preferring people not start new threads are that the topic comes up quite a bit and organization and efficiency makes it better to be all in one place. A comprehensive thread gets all the data in one place for members consideration instead of a snippet here and a factoid there.
MazDan
Bluelight Crew
That is a brilliant answer Enki.
addictivepersona
Bluelight Crew
Bumping old threads...
What's BL's policy on bumping old threads?
What's BL's policy on bumping old threads?
addictivepersona
Bluelight Crew
Thanks, Evad. I had done a search, I swear--My search for "bumping" only came up with drug-related topics, lol. So, thanks. Enki and fizzle did nail it. 
professor bob
Greenlighter
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2011
- Messages
- 37
Old threads question
What is bluelight's policy on posting in old threads
Can you post in old threads if you have new information on the subject. Even though their a couple years old, countless people still read them to this day. I was one of them
What is bluelight's policy on posting in old threads
Can you post in old threads if you have new information on the subject. Even though their a couple years old, countless people still read them to this day. I was one of them
Swerlz
Bluelight Crew
Sure, why not.. It's a lot better than making another thread on a subject that's been talked about over and over again.
If the mod to that forum wants to make it a new thread, they can.. but that's up to them
If the mod to that forum wants to make it a new thread, they can.. but that's up to them
professor bob
Greenlighter
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2011
- Messages
- 37
cool, cool. I already had like three people tell me i did something against policy so i had to make sure
Swerlz
Bluelight Crew
Be sure to read the forum guidelines for each forum.. They are at the top of every subforum page so be sure to know the "rules", also you can have a gander around and see what types of questions people are asking and how they ask them so you know that when you do make a thread or a post that you wont get in trouble..
theotherside
Ex-Bluelighter
Thanks for asking....it is refreshing to see someone take the time to ask before doing something these days!
Welcome to Bluelight!!
Edit-I am moving this thread over to Support to get you the best possible answer.
Welcome to Bluelight!!
Edit-I am moving this thread over to Support to get you the best possible answer.
Last edited:
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
*merged*
Its not ever against the rules to post in an old thread but sometimes its a bit inappropriate. Some topics have fallen to the bottom for a reason. A two year old thread about an individual having lost a significant other or being forced to go to treatment probably shouldn't be bumped out of sensitivity, as examples.
Some older threads contain a lot of baggage for those involved with them and while we encourage people to do some searching before starting new threads sometimes a new thread is a much better choice than bumping a stale thread. Guidelines of different BL forums might have different advice about such things.
Its not ever against the rules to post in an old thread but sometimes its a bit inappropriate. Some topics have fallen to the bottom for a reason. A two year old thread about an individual having lost a significant other or being forced to go to treatment probably shouldn't be bumped out of sensitivity, as examples.
Some older threads contain a lot of baggage for those involved with them and while we encourage people to do some searching before starting new threads sometimes a new thread is a much better choice than bumping a stale thread. Guidelines of different BL forums might have different advice about such things.
Captain.Heroin
Bluelight Crew
I think it's better to start a new one, unless the old one very specifically is almost exactly like the one you are starting.
The reasons why we don't like bumping old threads, and no offense to those who do it:
A lot of old threads drift down to the bottom and are eventually pruned. Sometimes people use the search engine, they find threads they want to reply to, but these threads may be older than newer threads that are more appropriate to post in.
Other times, the old threads are actually going against some rules, specifically new rules we put into effect, so due to this, we will close old threads that are bumped as they are brought to our attention.
And yet other times, threads that would otherwise belong in a different sub-forum will be posted in Other Drugs (for example), it will drift to the bottom, and only until someone bumps it back to the top will we notice this.
In this case, sometimes we may close it, send it to BDD, or just send it to the OD Archive.
If the thread is still worthy of remaining open, we may just let it stay open and see if it generates any more discussion. Other times, we may feel that it has ran its course and has served its purpose.
The only way posting in an old thread would constitute as breaking rules (as far as I can see at the moment) is if you bump a year old + thread to say "+1" or "I agree." - this does nothing to generate more conversation worthy of keeping the thread open.
If you are bumping an old thread, make sure you are also not echoing someone else's post. If you have the same thing to say that someone else already said, it is likely not worthwhile to bump it up to the first page again.
The reasons why we don't like bumping old threads, and no offense to those who do it:
A lot of old threads drift down to the bottom and are eventually pruned. Sometimes people use the search engine, they find threads they want to reply to, but these threads may be older than newer threads that are more appropriate to post in.
Other times, the old threads are actually going against some rules, specifically new rules we put into effect, so due to this, we will close old threads that are bumped as they are brought to our attention.
And yet other times, threads that would otherwise belong in a different sub-forum will be posted in Other Drugs (for example), it will drift to the bottom, and only until someone bumps it back to the top will we notice this.
In this case, sometimes we may close it, send it to BDD, or just send it to the OD Archive.
If the thread is still worthy of remaining open, we may just let it stay open and see if it generates any more discussion. Other times, we may feel that it has ran its course and has served its purpose.
The only way posting in an old thread would constitute as breaking rules (as far as I can see at the moment) is if you bump a year old + thread to say "+1" or "I agree." - this does nothing to generate more conversation worthy of keeping the thread open.
If you are bumping an old thread, make sure you are also not echoing someone else's post. If you have the same thing to say that someone else already said, it is likely not worthwhile to bump it up to the first page again.