Feature Request: OP "Lock Thread" option

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jamesrt

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Topic # 165804 21-Feb-2015 10:08

Hi,

What do you think about an option whereby the Original Poster of a new topic thread has a button which will let them lock the thread?

In my experience, I'll start a topic with a question, have it answered fairly quickly, and then the topic gets somewhat hijacked and goes on and on. My most "famous" example was a question about a specific incident with an international website on Orcon that went for 50 pages and 7 months of hijacked moaning about Orcon's International traffic in general.

My thinking is that if I've started a topic, and had what I consider a reasonable answer, and I don't want the thread to drag on and on, then I could click a "lock" button rather than having to pester a moderator to do it for me. Obviously, this should ONLY be an option for the topic-creator.

Thoughts?

Jase2985

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Reply # 1243525 21-Feb-2015 10:16

One person supports this post

but what about people who have other info to give? or others who have other information to ask on that topic

yes the op might have the answer but others would then loose out on gaining info on the topic.

locking a topic should be at a mods discretion, and if you think its dragged on long enough you could always report it and ask for it to be locked

thats how i see it

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1243526 21-Feb-2015 10:17

Maybe just for subscribers over a post count?

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freitasm

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Reply # 1243528 21-Feb-2015 10:19

3 people support this post

But did your thread ended up helping Orcon to solve a problem that was afflicting more people, not only you?

Also I see a possibility of some people asking a question and simply locking the thread because they don't like the answer. It happens a lot in Off Topic where people will ask questions that will polarise the discussion. Having a lock means someone can go out there, post a contentious issue with his point-of-view and lock it without allow people to actually discuss, show other perspectives and so on...

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jamesrt

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Reply # 1243562 21-Feb-2015 11:20

freitasm: But did your thread ended up helping Orcon to solve a problem that was afflicting more people, not only you?

Not really; my original question was a specific website belonging to a large multi-national company being unavailable - it looked like a potential Orcon routing issue to me originally; turned out that the multi-national companies BGP router had dropped advertising the subnet or something similar - so no-one anywhere could route to it any more.

Needless to say, it got resolved quickly, but the topic dragged on and on for ages.

freitasm: Also I see a possibility of some people asking a question and simply locking the thread because they don't like the answer. It happens a lot in Off Topic where people will ask questions that will polarise the discussion. Having a lock means someone can go out there, post a contentious issue with his point-of-view and lock it without allow people to actually discuss, show other perspectives and so on...

Fair points; but what got me thinking about this was the "SMS Spam" topic I started last night; it's done and dusted, and I don't think there is any more meaning discussion to add to it, myself.

How about a "lock request" button that will auto-notify a moderator, rather than the OP having lock-power, and saves the OP needing to raise a PM. [Bonus feature - also stops me pestering you all the time just because I don't know the other moderators names off the top of my head! :-) ]

DarthKermit

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Reply # 1243564 21-Feb-2015 11:21

I think it's fine as it is. If you ask the mods to lock a thread they usually respond very quickly, provided you have a legitimate reason for it being locked.

Whatifthespacekeyhadneverbeeninvented?

Stu

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Reply # 1243585 21-Feb-2015 11:35

If you 'Report' any post in the thread that you want locked, especially (if possible) a post that's an example of why you think the thread should be locked, and explain your reasons, then as mentioned above, one of the mods or our BDFL will happily take it into consideration. We do not (and physically cannot) monitor every thread. Whilst there are many reasons a thread should be locked, there are also many reasons they shouldn't.

ETA: Just because you 'Report' a post, it doesn't mean the user that wrote the post gets a bad mark against their name. The report can be cleared when we action the request.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

Jase2985

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Reply # 1243586 21-Feb-2015 11:35

jamesrt: How about a "lock request" button that will auto-notify a moderator, rather than the OP having lock-power, and saves the OP needing to raise a PM. [Bonus feature - also stops me pestering you all the time just because I don't know the other moderators names off the top of my head! :-) ]

there already is one, its called the report post button under the users name click the options box and away you go

PANiCnz

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Reply # 1243656 21-Feb-2015 13:17

Why does it matter if a topic drags on? Just choose not to read it any further and pretend its been locked. Bit selfish to deny others to take information from the thread and potentially expand the knowledge being shared.

blakamin

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Reply # 1243693 21-Feb-2015 14:28

And if you're still being emailed about the topic, hit the unsubscribe link in the email. Easy :D