Old Threads

[haha]

Some time ago I started a thread called "Friendless in Seattle", because I had recently met a group of young women that looked plenty good enough for me, but were having no luck at all getting either dates or female friendships. They could do what we all can do- show up at some semi-public event, participate, and then go home afterward. But I think they were looking for what women sometimes call girlfriends.

So recently I had a few experiences that brought this back to me, and I tried to add onto the old thread. Got a message about how after x days you can't post to this thread. It also wasted my post. So I feel that while I could go to the effort of creating a new thread, I also feel that my new ideas and observations really belong in the context of what was contributed by many members on that earlier thread. A number of people from here, or living here, or who have traveled here contributed their experiences and ideas. These would not likely be repeated in a new thread, not least because some of them may be gone from the forum.

Why can't old threads be used to add new information on the exact same topic?

ha

[Bestwifeever]

Haha, do you not see this box at the very bottom of your old thread (http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...tle-30075.html):

Quote:

This Thread is more than 533 days old. It is very likely that it does not need any further discussion and thus bumping it serves no purpose. If you still feel it is necessary to make a new reply, you can still do so though. {little check box here} I am aware that this Thread is rather old but I still want to make a reply.

(If you don't see this, I'll be happy to post a response there, check the little box, and "reactivate" the thread--although the thread is not dead).

[NW-Bound]

I often ran across old interesting threads that I would like to add to. Some people may want to start a new thread, but I prefer to add to an existing one on the same or similar subject. To me, it shows that you are not starting a thread just to be an OP, and that you have spent some time to peruse and read old posts to get to know other forum members. So, this is something to be encouraged.

On the other hand, if an antagonist wants to revive an old fight, that is no good. However, it would be easy for everybody to see if the latter is the case.

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound I often ran across old interesting threads that I would like to add to. Some people may want to start a new thread, but I prefer to add to an existing one on the same or similar subject. To me, it shows that you are not starting a thread just to be an OP, and that you have spent some time to peruse and read old posts to get to know other forum members. So, this is something to be encouraged. On the other hand, if an antagonist wants to revive an old fight, that is no good. However, it would be easy for everybody to see if the latter is the case.

Exactly, NW-B.That little paragraph at the end of an old thread is simply meant to alert someone to the fact that he/she is posting to an old thread (for example, I search for "tomato futures," say, and a bunch of threads are listed--I read through one, find it interesting, and post to it, not realizing it is two years old. Thanks to the little paragraph pointing out the age of thread, I can ask myself, Do I really want to revive that thread? Would a newer existing thread be more pertinent? Perhaps I have a burning question about tomato futures that will receive more attention in a new thread? Should I wear pajamas to bed tonight?)

I think Haha's thread sounds like he definitely should revive it with a new post about his recent experiences in Seattle!

[NW-Bound]

Some old threads on frugality were just hilarious, and might deserve to become sticky. Those are the delirious classics that would bring fame to this forum!

[ziggy29]

I thiknk NWB "gets it." The admonition about resurrecting Lazarus isn't intended to prevent someone from adding to an ancient thread, but just to make sure they realize it's an old thread. Sometimes we get threads closed for years and someone basically just says "me too," and that really adds nothing. But if someone can add new substance to an old thread, as in Ha's case, they should feel free to do it.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bestwifeever Haha, do you not see this box at the very bottom of your old thread (http://www.early-retirement.org/foru...tle-30075.html):

BestWife, I missed that. Thanks for pointing it out. I got kind of a chuckle out of the wording though-

This Thread is more than 533 days old. It is very likely that it does not need any further discussion and thus bumping it serves no purpose.
If you still feel it is necessary to make a new reply, you can still do so though.

Some may not see this as a warm invitation to post. To me, it sounds kind of like,

"Well you degenerate, we are trying to help you out here but if you are so clueless that you can't figure this out, go ahead and indulge your hopeless self!"

Ha