Suggestion: Inactivity based thread auto-lock?

[eXceLon]

I know every forum software has a different feature-set, so this may or may not even be possible. Depending on whether or not it's even considered a desirable idea.

However I was wondering if it might be worthwhile to consider some sort of "auto-lock" of threads that haven't been posted to after a period of time. Say, perhaps, 60 days? I know of some other forums that do this, and it seems to work pretty well.

Seems we get a lot of people reviving old threads around here, usually for no good reason. If there was a good reason, such as providing an update on an old case, then it could be reopened by a moderator or a new thread started for the update.

[ScaredOnce]

Ehh.. I dunno. I think that the current method might allow for a more "organic" approach to auto-lock. Whereas, users are able to pointlessly revive an old thread, but the mods can still kill it. The opposite (the mods having to unlock "good" old thread manually, seems that it would be very labor intensive on the mods to do well AND basically raise the moderation bar for the forum greatly (in a negative way, imo).

But, what the hell do I know...

I do love pointlessly reviving an old thread if I think of it. But, I think the system works - I recently did this with the spotter thread, and then it got closed. Good moderation with a feedback loop to the silly user (me).

[Emptymag]

There are some threads that should be revived from time to time, as well as some that need to have things added to keep them current, regardless of when the last post was made.

I'm in a hurry, but here are a few examples:

http://forum.pafoa.org/rifles-42/912...uld-i-buy.html

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/339...-you-read.html

http://forum.pafoa.org/general-2/338...-shooting.html


I don't mind if old threads are revived, so long as the "revival post" isn't something as useless as "WOW! +1!!!" for a topic that is a time-sensitive one that is currently irrelevant.

Other times, if a topic is brought back, and it is determined that the intent was to stir the pot, the thread will be locked - even if there was no reason to lock it before the "bump".

[falcn]

I never understood whe people get all bent out of shape when a thread that has not been posted in for a while has a new post added. Especially when the new post is a worthy follow-on post.