I get email link re a subject then when I attempt to open it, it comes up "this topic does not exist" Anyone know what that is all about or is it just my computer throwing a fit.
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- Thread starter williams89
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M
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williams89 said:
I can answer that.
Some times new members reply to old posts, so if you have requested an email notification of a reply you will get an email.
But as its an old post replied to it breaks the forum rules, so the reply is removed.
But sometimes the post is "split" after the reply is made, so the email you receive is about a post that does not exist.
On the odd occasion regretfully the split is not successful and the whole topic is lost.
But if new members were to read and abide the rules this would not
happen.
I have also put this post back where it should be, but at first “glance” I agree it does look like a software question
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Lynda
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Thank you.moderator said:
Blimey! Is that what it is!!moderator said:
What a huge number of new members there must be, making this mistake, as these are all links to posts that I got emails about in the last few weeks and have had to be split off as described:
And I got bored after I'd been through about half of the old emails still in my trash folder...
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The links that you posted (i removed as they no longer exist) i should guess were removed as they were probably removed after you read them.
If people aren't allowed to reply to old posts, why don't you have an auto-timelock, so the information can still be there and we don't have another ridiculous situation of never knowing if something will be there for reference..
M
moderator
oilman said:
I agree with that.
But its an admin "problem" I have asked for it before but it
1) Can not be done (allegedly)
2) May lock posts when it shouldn't (if it would work at all)
In general admin feel it would be more trouble than it is worth, (Even trying to find can it be done) since 99% of people do not reply to "old posts" etc
In that case get rid of the rule then there's no problem at all.
How about admin coming out of the cupboard and talking to us now and again. They run the rules which annoy everybody then the mods get the abuse. NOBODY except ADMIN get the MONEY!!!
AFAIK, it's a trivial bit of Perl script which would look at the creation date, then set a flag after say 8 weeks, not a big deal?
How about admin coming out of the cupboard and talking to us now and again. They run the rules which annoy everybody then the mods get the abuse. NOBODY except ADMIN get the MONEY!!!
AFAIK, it's a trivial bit of Perl script which would look at the creation date, then set a flag after say 8 weeks, not a big deal?
M
moderator
oilman said:
The script I do not know about, so i can not comment.
The rule I can.
Let us look at the rule.
"Do not reply to "very old posts"
(Often the original poster has long ago done the job and or / no longer posts, please check the date the post was made) "
To me the rule is simple and clear.
Most new posters will quite happily post a new question, no problem there. Some will post, get an answer (or no reply) and never post again, no problem there.
How ever, some posters will search for a post and reply to it, then never post again. I do not know why, they just do.
But in doing so they cause confusion, in that you then get replies and replies to replies to a question from a poster that no longer posts.
Here is one such example.
As Kevplumb pointed out, the job will have been done by now (4 years later)
If the rule were removed, we could end up with posters asking about things that are even older than 4 years, and in so doing confuse every one.
An Example
Would you like it if the sticky topics were removed from the plumbing section? it would mean that you would either:
1) Keep posting the same information over and over (no one wants to do that)
2) Tell the poster to search, then they would reply to old posts.
The forum rules / lay out have evolved over time through forum requirements, no doubt they will change again.
As I said that is why there is a sticky section in plumbing, to stop you having to repeat yourself, and to give help to those who search. The forum will continue to evolve, and who knows what may happen, but for the time the rules stay as they are, but I do like you "time lock" idea.
The above comments are my opinion.
DIYnot
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I have never really had an issue with replies to old posts. The software to automatically lock old posts could be implemented and wouldn't be particularly difficult to do, but I don't see it as necessary. The only reason the rule exists is because in some circumstances it is not suitable to reply to very old posts. My view is that if someone replies and no one is around to respond anymore the message will drop down the list. The only exception to this would be general discussion forum especially in some of the more contentious topics.
I'm trying not to appear aggressive, but you know full well that not one of those posts I referenced were removed for the reasons that you state here.moderator said:
M
moderator
I never removed the posts so I can not really comment, I only removed the links to the posts
Yes, you did.
A curious decision, given that the fundamental subject of this thread is posts that disappear - the fact that they were links to posts which had disappeared should not have confused anyone.
Removing a list of 50 posts which had disappeared over a fairly short space of time would though have the effect of disguising how widespread the situation is. I think people might be forgiven for thinking that that was your intent, as the list as posted showed that the reasons given above for posts disappearing are not the whole truth....
A curious decision, given that the fundamental subject of this thread is posts that disappear - the fact that they were links to posts which had disappeared should not have confused anyone.
Removing a list of 50 posts which had disappeared over a fairly short space of time would though have the effect of disguising how widespread the situation is. I think people might be forgiven for thinking that that was your intent, as the list as posted showed that the reasons given above for posts disappearing are not the whole truth....
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