Combining threads... just kills the discussion, IMO

foreversomeday

Perhaps a compromise could be that a thread is only merged once the current discussion has died down, or the thread has dropped off the front page, or the thread is 24 hours old, something? Or would that be too difficult for the board guides, I appreciate they are volunteers.

I have found this once or twice especially when two similar threads are merged close together (in time) that the first question gets overlooked in favour of the second. I would ask it again but don't want to appear rude!

Savvy_Sue

Trouble with waiting a while and then merging is that the posts appear in date / time order in the new thread. So if you have two threads going at the same time and you merge them promptly, there's only a few posts where it may not be immediately obvious who is answering what. If you wait a week, there may be several pages of mixed up responses.

Does that make sense?

BrandNewDay

Yeah, Sue, I see what you mean.

How about links to the other thread(s) are posted in a response, so that people can go look at them but, at the same time, they can also benefit from new interest generated by a shiny new thread.

HariboJunkie

meher wrote: »

you're not the only one - whilst it appears tidily kept, it doesn't look refreshing

it's not just about cooking a meal or tidying up the kitchen - the food should look appetizing and the work-top should be sparkle clean, likewise little point chucking the lot into one huge thread - instead moderation should be about ensuring it is fetching and userfriendly, which it is not, to my aesthetics

Is that why you never post on old style? I've never seen you ask for advice on the board.

Brandnewday.... there are specific threads for knitting and sewing and they do include discusssion with like minded people. can anyone imagine what the board would look like if everyone felt they had to have their own thread for each topic? :eek:

If I have a question to ask I do a search first. if it doesn't throw up any answers then i would start a thread of my own but if the BGs manage to find a relevant thread that I was unable to then why on earth wouldn't they merge it? It's supposed to be a useful board where people can find answers to their questions. I for one find it very well organised and beig as it's an internet forum board, the aesthetics of it never enter my head.

BrandNewDay

Well, Haribo, I've had the experience of asking a question and then having my post moved to a thread that does not contain the answer to my question and then nobody posts anything further to the thread.

Sometimes, people lose interest in an old thread and don't return to it.

Quasar

The way I see it is that there are so many users now (423,000 or so) that all boards are becoming busier and busier and, and the board guides have to maintain some sort of order.

Personally, I find several threads on the same subject to be rather time consuming particularly when doing searches. I agree that one single long thread might not seem user friendly, but if I know there might be several threads on one subject I would feel put off searching at all.

That said, I's true that old threads tend not to see lively posting anymore, and I think this is one of those cases where it's impossible to get it right for everyone - the fate of all successful fora.

Savvy_Sue

Quasar wrote: »

I think this is one of those cases where it's impossible to get it right for everyone

Very true. As BGs we are damned if we do merge, and damned if we don't. :rotfl:

maltesers_2

BrandNewDay wrote: »

Well, Haribo, I've had the experience of asking a question and then having my post moved to a thread that does not contain the answer to my question and then nobody posts anything further to the thread.

Sometimes, people lose interest in an old thread and don't return to it.

I've had that experience on the OS board too. I had one merged and another moved today before it could get an answer.

About a week ago it was this one Nutrition Old style http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1428597 which started well but was taken off topic and moved to the discussion forum.

It say in the BG job description
Keep threads on topic (including moving non-MoneySaving related discussions to Discussion Time/MoneySaversArms)

There was no attempt to help it back on topic and there are loads of threads on OS that are not moneysaving which never get moved like TV programme discussions.

I'm obviously not welcome in that forum:(

LittleTinker

BrandNewDay wrote: »

Well, Haribo, I've had the experience of asking a question and then having my post moved to a thread that does not contain the answer to my question and then nobody posts anything further to the thread.

Sometimes, people lose interest in an old thread and don't return to it.

I agree. It is very annoying.

I used to go to Old Style when I first started on here but when I had a couple of questions and posted them, they got merged into older threads and never got answered. The old answers werent quite the right answer, if you know what I mean.

I dont bother in there now for that reason.....its very keen in there.

ali1972

LittleTinker wrote: »

I agree. It is very annoying.

I used to go to Old Style when I first started on here but when I had a couple of questions and posted them, they got merged into older threads and never got answered. The old answers werent quite the right answer, if you know what I mean.

I dont bother in there now for that reason.....its very keen in there.

Isn't it just?! Yes, just realizing that some people just seem to cut and paste the same wrist slapping admonisment into a post and tell us off a couple of times a month if we even query a merge in the most good humoured nature! You can't even crack a joke there, let alone an egg...