[RESOLVED] Why are all these threads locked?

[RESOLVED] Why are all these threads locked?

Author
Discussion

CoolHands

Original Poster:

18,496 posts

194 months

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
Is it necessary?

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Friday 29th July 2016
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Which threads?

Oh I see, almost the whole of website feedback!

Dom_PH

358 posts

103 months

PH TEAM

Friday 29th July 2016
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...must resist temptation to lock thread without replying... biggrin

Edited by Dom_PH on Friday 29th July 15:47

Dom_PH

358 posts

103 months

PH TEAM

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
Hi CoolHands,

James has taken over responsibility for replying to a lot of the Website Feedback threads and his style is to lock threads that have been resolved. That way, if you see a question in Website Feedback with a lock symbol next to it you know that it has been resolved; whereas no lock symbol next to a thread would mean that the question is still open.

If you think that this is unnecessary then please let us know as we value all types of feedback. Examples would also be helpful.

Thanks,
Dom

James Drake

2,668 posts

116 months

PH TEAM

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
Dom_PH said:
Hi CoolHands,

James has taken over responsibility for replying to a lot of the Website Feedback threads and his style is to lock threads that have been resolved. That way, if you see a question in Website Feedback with a lock symbol next to it you know that it has been resolved; whereas no lock symbol next to a thread would mean that the question is still open.

If you think that this is unnecessary then please let us know as we value all types of feedback. Examples would also be helpful.

Thanks,
Dom
Exactly what Dom said! Basically, once we have all the information from the user and have received their feedback I close the thread. This is to stop the thread running away on a tangent. If a more technical answer is still required then I forward a link to Dom, who can still post a reply even once the thread is closed.

Of course, even with the threads closed people can still read them and either find an answer to the original problem or post a new question. In other words, it makes answers easier to find for other users that may have a similar question or bit of feedback.

JD

Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
James Drake said:
This is to stop the thread running away on a tangent.
You must be new here. Threads running off on a tangent is the raison d'être of PH.

So I need some advice, do I use beer traps for slugs in the garden or stick to pellets? One is effective but damaging and the other wastes beer?

poing

8,743 posts

199 months

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.

It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question, a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.

James Drake

2,668 posts

116 months

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
poing said:
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.

It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question, a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.
Just before I answer or comment on your post, are you saying that I'm acting like a 5 year old? Just want to get that bit crystal clear first.

JD

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
Vaud said:
James Drake said:
This is to stop the thread running away on a tangent.
You must be new here. Threads running off on a tangent is the raison d'être of PH.

So I need some advice, do I use beer traps for slugs in the garden or stick to pellets? One is effective but damaging and the other wastes beer?
Drink the beer and stand on the slugs.

Happy days.....smile

Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Friday 29th July 2016
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
Drink the beer and stand on the slugs.

Happy days.....smile
I knew I was doing it wrong.

DoubleD

22,154 posts

107 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
James Drake said:
poing said:
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.

It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question, a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.
Just before I answer or comment on your post, are you saying that I'm acting like a 5 year old? Just want to get that bit crystal clear first.

JD
This thread is in danger of running off on a tangent.

fuzzyyo

371 posts

160 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
I agree and don't like the threads being locked. You say they are resolved however this is only to your satisfaction. By locking you deny the OP further opportunity to discuss whatever matter was raised.

Monkeylegend

26,227 posts

230 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
The power is in my (their) hands. We will slap you down if needed and you have no comeback.

Doesn't seem like an open discussion forum, this is meant to be website feedback, James is often asking us to use this forum, but I don't bother now, it's very much a one way communication, not good.

Maybe that's what PH wants, they have more important things to be getting on with.

Yesterday afternoon, James was one lock away from having every thread on the opening page locked by himself, that must be some sort of record.

We have gone from waiting days for a response to a post/question, if one comes at all, to this.

Nice one PH.

IBTL wink

Edited by Monkeylegend on Saturday 30th July 09:15


Edited by Monkeylegend on Saturday 30th July 13:17

Vaud

50,291 posts

154 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
fuzzyyo said:
I agree and don't like the threads being locked. You say they are resolved however this is only to your satisfaction. By locking you deny the OP further opportunity to discuss whatever matter was raised.
Or, constructively, other users sharing a common problem, rather than starting all new threads.

TazLondon

322 posts

218 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
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Could a thread be locked with a reason/explanation. That might be a fair compromise.

poing

8,743 posts

199 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
James Drake said:
poing said:
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.

It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question, a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.
Just before I answer or comment on your post, are you saying that I'm acting like a 5 year old? Just want to get that bit crystal clear first.

JD
I'm slightly concerned you even felt the need to ask that question. To be 100% clear, I'm NOT saying you acted like a 5 year old.

SlackBladder

2,579 posts

202 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
James Drake said:
poing said:
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.

It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question, a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.
Just before I answer or comment on your post, are you saying that I'm acting like a 5 year old? Just want to get that bit crystal clear first.

JD
Just to be crystal clear, you posted this quite late on a Friday night and not from your work computer. Was there a threat behind that question or was it just beer induced?

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
Threads should only be locked, if at all, when agreed by the OP. This can be done by the OP checking a box or by PH thinking the thread is done and asking OP to confirm or not.
Automatic locking is disastrous all it would do is double the number of new topics on the same subject and mean that ooo errr PH will be acting like some kind of continuous censor making decisions on behalf of PH'ers rather than their true role of acting as facilitators only of forums.
Many old threads get resurrected when there's more information or someone has an alternative answer or view months after the previous last post. That's a vital aspect that thread lock would destroy, needing a whole new topic started and having to refer back to the locked one.
It would be a step too far IMHO

Can we just stop mucking about with the framework that exists please?



Edited by V6Pushfit on Saturday 30th July 15:48

Budflicker

3,799 posts

183 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
James Drake said:
poing said:
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.

It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question, a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.
Just before I answer or comment on your post, are you saying that I'm acting like a 5 year old? Just want to get that bit crystal clear first.

JD
You wasn't but with that loaded question you kind of did, so in a way you answered your own question.

Best lock this before it goes off on a tangent.

James Drake

2,668 posts

116 months

PH TEAM

Monday 1st August 2016
quotequote all
Morning everyone,

Apologies for the delay - as someone mentioned I was away for the weekend at a wedding so haven't been online much. Anyway, in an attempt to answer the various questions and address the points raised I've broken the thread down into bits and answered accordingly...

poing said:
Personally I think all the threads being locked in Website Feedback is a bad idea.
Fair enough. Thanks for the feedback.

poing said:
It looks ridiculous, like a 5 year old just found the lock button.
So we've established that you're not saying that I'm acting like a 5 year old... so I'm not sure what this comment achieves, so I'll ignore it.

poing said:
It gives off a bad impression to newer users seeing an entire page of locked threads.
I personally disagree - to me it shows that we're being proactive and answering questions and thanking people for feedback, but you're obviously welcome to voice your opinion.

poing said:
It forces people to open yet another thread to add even a small additional point or question
Does it? There isn't a single example that I can see where the OP has had to open "yet another" thread to ask a questions.

poing said:
a question being resolved is now only in the opinion of James and the OP no longer has the option to ask further if they feel otherwise.
This isn't really true. I only close threads when they're either obviously resolved or they were simply giving a bit of feedback. Wherever threads involve discussion I don't close them... like this one. Or this one: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Vaud said:
You must be new here. Threads running off on a tangent is the raison d'être of PH.
Nope, not new anymore. I'd usually agree that threads running off on a tangent is a lovely quirk of PH... but website feedback really isn't the place for that.

fuzzyyo said:
I agree and don't like the threads being locked. You say they are resolved however this is only to your satisfaction. By locking you deny the OP further opportunity to discuss whatever matter was raised.
Fair enough, as I say you're welcome to this opinion but I do think you're all missing the fact that I'm only locking threads that are clearly resolved. I think this is apparent by the fact that no one has felt the need to start another thread to get more answers.

Monkeylegend said:
The power is in my (their) hands. We will slap you down if needed and you have no comeback.
This really isn't the intention. As mentioned, it is about answering questions, acknowledging feedback and keeping threads concise so others can find information out without having to sift through 3 page long threads that are mostly unhelpful.

Monkeylegend said:
Doesn't seem like an open discussion forum, this is meant to be website feedback
Isn't this thread living proof that you're still able to have a discussion if you so wish?

Monkeylegend said:
James is often asking us to use this forum, but I don't bother now, it's very much a one way communication, not good.
Again, isn't this thread evidence that this simply isn't the case?

Monkeylegend said:
Maybe that's what PH wants, they have more important things to be getting on with.
This sort of comment really gets on my nerves. It is such a ridiculous, pointless and unfounded statement. Only on PH could someone claim that us being proactive and answering ALL website feedback threads (like never before) is evidence of us having "more important things to be getting on with".

Monkeylegend said:
Yesterday afternoon, James was one lock away from having every thread on the opening page locked by himself, that must be some sort of record.
My version of this statement: "Yesterday afternoon James was one answer away from having responded to every single website feedback thread, that is some sort of record:

Monkeylegend said:
We have gone from waiting days for a response to a post/question, if one comes at all, to this.

Nice one PH.
Thanks!

SlackBladder said:
Just to be crystal clear, you posted this quite late on a Friday night and not from your work computer. Was there a threat behind that question or was it just beer induced?
Sadly it wasn't beer induced, I was still working. And it wasn't in anyway a threat, I was simply trying to get some facts in place before responding. Careful with that sleuthing too... see rule 1: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/rules.htm

poing said:
I'm slightly concerned you even felt the need to ask that question. To be 100% clear, I'm NOT saying you acted like a 5 year old.
So it is confirmed as being a completely pointless statement that was in no way constructive. Glad we cleared that one up.

TazLondon said:
Could a thread be locked with a reason/explanation. That might be a fair compromise.
Being honest I believed that this was already clear, but I would happily post at the bottom of them before closing the thread saying "Resolved" or something if it is felt that it should be made even clearer.

V6Pushfit said:
Threads should only be locked, if at all, when agreed by the OP. This can be done by the OP checking a box or by PH thinking the thread is done and asking OP to confirm or not.
I'm not against checking with the OP, but the downside is that I think it will just up the work load and make us less efficient at resolving the issues.

V6Pushfit said:
Automatic locking is disastrous all it would do is double the number of new topics on the same subject and mean that ooo errr PH will be acting like some kind of continuous censor making decisions on behalf of PH'ers rather than their true role of acting as facilitators only of forums.
Again, this just isn't occuring.

V6Pushfit said:
Many old threads get resurrected when there's more information or someone has an alternative answer or view months after the previous last post. That's a vital aspect that thread lock would destroy, needing a whole new topic started and having to refer back to the locked one.
It would be a step too far IMHO
I completely agree in the main forums, but website feedback is designed for, well, website feedback. The vast majority of the time the discussions are time sensitive eg: "the classifieds are borked" etc etc. Once they're fixed, it makes much more sense to have a new thread for a new issue instead. Imagine how confusing it would be to have a single thread called "Classifieds Borked" and just letting it run. It would be beyond tedious to have to read through it if you wanted an answer.

V6Pushfit said:
Can we just stop mucking about with the framework that exists please?
You mean you preferred it when threads were not answered properly or with any regularity?

Budflicker said:
You wasn't weren't but with that loaded question you kind of did, so in a way you answered your own question.

Best lock this before it goes off on a tangent.
Great constructive feedback... nice one.

Anyway, enough of this or we'll be going around in circles for weeks. Here are some facts:

1) Despite what many of you claim, we're simply doing what we believe is best for PH. This may be hard for some of you to accept but try to remember that you may not have the full picture.
2) There is actually very little genuinely constructive feedback in this thread, but there is some hiding in there so thanks for that and it will be acted on.
3) I'm going to prove points 1 & 2 by changing how I operate the website feedback by trying to contact the OP for permission before closing the thread and then clearly marking it as resolved. I do believe that this will just use up a lot of time, but I'll give it a go.

As a parting thought, for those of you that were not constructive have you considered that you're in danger of eventually "loving PH to death". I think the fact that so many of you always look for the negative in every situation is a sad symptom of this curious illness. Just every now and then try taking a step back and realising that we're not so bad, PH is a fantastic community and - just once in a while - a bit of positivity goes a long way.

Cheers
JD