Should we close topics that we find to be inactive or started orignally by a banned/inactive member? I saw a few lately where either the member was banned/inactive or members were replying with the same repeated replies as the users who posted months earlier.

Well, I have mixed feelings on this subject. I understand the reasoning behind it because the topic starter won't be available to answer any questions about their post or the discussion is otherwise dead. But I also see these old topics as a place for new member to get active easily. We do get a lot of regurgitated replies in those topics.

There are occasions where an old topc is revived by a decent reply long after it had been forgotten about. The other problem with closing a topic that is inactive is that you will start to get new topics about the same thing because users can't reply to the old topic. Of course, this assumes that someone actually performs a search before they post!

I think that we don't have too many repeated topics here now and I hope to keep it that way.

So my suggestion is that you only close these topics when they are old, inactive, and not very good to begin with!

vujsa

I'd like to add that close topics that are specific to the one individual. If you feel that a topic can benefit others, please consider leaving it open (as vujsa mentioned similarly). But if the topic is a rare case and belonging to just one member's case basis, I think the topic can be closed.

Thanks for the replies guys. I second the notion that it should be left open so it can get more replies to it. Was hesitating to close some topics since I have seen that not a lot have been closed in the forum

Having myself reopened (by which I mean, revived from ingnoration) a couple topics (some of which I started) when I had questions that they left unanswered, I think it's a good idea to use closing of topics sparingly. In general, I would only close topics that are requested by the topic opener or a respected member to be closed. Otherwise, leave it open so some new user who has a question that everyone active in the discussion when it originated didn't have. It's not like the old threads are hurting anyone, and closing them doesn't free up space or anything, it just means no one can reply. People might regurgitate answers, but that happens a lot it recent active topics too. Take the current topic on a Windows XP user with sound issues. I posted about drivers, and then two other members mentioned drivers within two days. The topic is still running because the issue isn't solved yet, but the regurgitated answers exist anyway.

~Viz

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