Grave digging is Bad...but Why?

[RaZor HeaD]

Grave digging, or posting on threads that are more than 6 months old, is frowned upon and liable to punishment on this site.
However, the "powers that be" here, also rightfully take great pride in the base of knowledge that's accumulated in the old threads.

And so my question is, if the accumulated base of knowledge in the old threads is considered valuable but access to it is basically restricted by making grave digging a punishable offense, then why bother keeping anything on the forums more than 6 months old? Why not move anything older than that into the archive? This way people will know that anything in there (the archive) can be read but generally shouldn't be posted on.
Either that, or simply remove the restrictions on grave digging and allow the sum-total of the knowledge base to be commented on without the worry of being penalized.

[Aradan]

Now, you are mixing two different things. Posting in modding/gaming-related threads to ask some question or share a new discovery etc is not at all a problem. In fact it's rather better than making yet another new thread about the same topic. On the other hand, posting in a months-old D&D discussion without a good reason or in a years-old thread just to say "yes, I agree/nice pics" (for example) isn't such a good idea.

[makanyane]

@ Aradan

@RaZor HeaD
see also recent thread here on same topic
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=293243

[Augustus Lucifer]

Now I ain't sayin' he a grave digga'
But he jus try'n'a make a thread bigga'
Now I ain't sayin' he a grave digga'
But he jus try'n'a make a thread bigga'

Sim's posts in the other thread make the most sense. If it were up to me I'd never close any threads that weren't inflammatory though. Posts can be deleted and then the thread simply falls back into the abyss. But it remains open in case someone comes along and wants to post something insightful in the future or just take up the discussion in an acceptable manner. Threads should never be closed just because they've worn out their welcome, because the fact is the same people derailing it will just find another thread to derail, so it's a pointless exercise when it comes to necro'd threads.

[Pontifex Maximus]

There are several reasons why necroposting is discouraged in the CC (which includes the Discussion and Debate & Games and Chat).

1. If a member responds in an outdated thread, chances are the original participants won't be around to answer the post in the first place

2. In the D&D especially, news becomes old, so commenting on it is generally futile

3. If the topic becomes relevant again, it is better to start over with a fresh OP

As previoiusly stated elsewhere, the only real way to get penalized for necroposting is doing it often and on purpose. If someone necroposts with legitimate discussion, and innocently, we wouldn't penalize that person, but the thread may end up closed. Most of the individuals I see punished for necroposting do it in several old threads simultaneously, and more often than not contribute something along the lines of "p00000000ppppppp!!!!>><><>lololololollawlalwlawlalw" to the dicsussion.

[Søren]

There are several reasons why necroposting is discouraged in the CC (which includes the Discussion and Debate & Games and Chat).

1. If a member responds in an outdated thread, chances are the original participants won't be around to answer the post in the first place

2. In the D&D especially, news becomes old, so commenting on it is generally futile

3. If the topic becomes relevant again, it is better to start over with a fresh OP

As previoiusly stated elsewhere, the only real way to get penalized for necroposting is doing it often and on purpose. If someone necroposts with legitimate discussion, and innocently, we wouldn't penalize that person, but the thread may end up closed. Most of the individuals I see punished for necroposting do it in several old threads simultaneously, and more often than not contribute something along the lines of "p00000000ppppppp!!!!>><><>lololololollawlalwlawlalw" to the dicsussion.

I don't agree with that, personally. Seeing as anyone can create a thread, clearly we only require the opinion of one person to decide if something is sufficiently relevant/interesting. If the thread isn't, no one will reply, so it will quickly fall down the list. Same goes for a so called necropost.

[Aradan]

In the same way some topics might be locked the moment they are first created because they somehow disrupt the board (even though the creator might find them just fine), so can necro-posts be deleted. It's a case by case thing though.

[Søren]

In the same way some topics might be locked the moment they are first created because they somehow disrupt the board (even though the creator might find them just fine), so can necro-posts be deleted. It's a case by case thing though.

Which basically means that necro-posts are not fundamentally to be treated any differently from any other posts or threads. Is that what you're saying? That's what I think too.

[Aradan]

They are different in that they are made months after the last post, so a somewhat higher standard of posting/a good enough reason is expected compared to posts that are a continuation of an on-going discussion. Other than that, yeah, we are saying the same thing.