Thread moving

Scott,

Yes, a similar feature is available in this forum software, and I have not been using it, although using it would eliminate one step that I have to perform in moving a thread.  I can see the utility of it, but I have not been using the feature because I have not wanted to continue to clutter up the General Discussion forum, primarily, with topics that do not belong there.  Much of what we are doing is serving to set an example to members about where their new threads should be started.  A remarkable change has occurred since Russ made the OT forum and we have made a point of clarifying what should go in GD.  There have been very few threads started in GD that belong elsewhere.  I am afraid that if members see a number of topics in the GD or elsewhere that have been moved, even though they are marked as moved, members will continue to  post similar topics where they do not belong.

As an alternative to posting yet another thread to ask where a thread went as we have seen, members should use the Search feature to locate it.  It is a far better thing to do than to clutter up the forum with threads asking where something went.  Members need to think more about what they are doing before they do it.

Now, having offered all this rationalizing why I don't use the "moved thread" feature, if Russ decides that it should be used, I will certainly conform to his wishes!  

Finally, as it turns out, most of the thread movement that is going on is happening to topics posted inappropriately in the old GD forum, now the Off Topic forum.  Most of those threads are no longer active such that there would be very little benefit to keeping links in the OT forum to the threads' new locations.  They are being moved mainly to enhance the ability to find information using the Search.  Once topics are organized properly, searching within a single forum will be much more effective than it is now, so, I really do not want to use the "moved thread" feature for these old threads.

One other fact is that any links to posts in the thread that worked for the original location will link to the new location when a post or a thread is moved so there are multiple ways of finding a thread.

Hopefully, my response makes some sense.  Feel free to respond with any counterpoints.  I promise to consider them.

Edit:  Here is the symbol for a moved thread: 

and here is the symbol for a normal thread:    

Frankly, I don't think that people will even notice. Further, when you click on the link to the moved thread that remains in the original forum, you are taken to the thread in its new location. Most won't even realize that they are in a new forum.  To me, that will reduce the educational benefit of moving threads.   Can you tell that I don't like the feature?


Edited by samcj2a - 25 Feb. 2013 at 1:38am

Scott,

I agree with the idea of adding a sticky to remind folks of what is going on and to use the search to find moved threads.

I will create and move a thread from one of these support forums to another so you can see how relatively unremarkable the moved thread icon is.  I could certainly add a MOVED notation in the Subject filed as I am moving threads.  Also, in some cases, I have added a post of explanation to moved threads.  I will certainly do more of this for newly started threads but where I am sifting through all of the older threads in the new OT forum, I am simply moving them to where I think they belong because it's just too much of a pain when so many threads are being moved.  Since they are almost all inactive and will likely stay that way, I don't think it matters much.  I think notation/notification is much more worthwhile for those threads that are recent.  Thankfully, there are very few of them, although I am speculating that over time the will increase as new members join and as less active members return.

I recognize that it is all in good fun, but what I said was, "I have added a post of explanation to moved threads."   So, I have cluttered up the moved thread with an additional post, but I have not cluttered up the original forum with another thread! So there!

Roc,

This is primarily for Scott R. but anyone else who is interested can see the results of my moving

Edited by samcj2a - 26 Feb. 2013 at 9:36pm

rocnroll wrote:   I understand what you are getting at but I'm enjoying the irony in the fact that we are moving a post because it is "cluttering" a thread but we are replacing it with another post explaining why it was cluttering.     (all in good fun....like I said, I understand what you are saying)