Merging threads into existing threads

Becles

I'm writing this as the parent club thread has been ruined again. It's a thread that provides excellent support for parents, especially mothers of newborns who are struggling to get to grips with aspects like feeding and getting babies to sleep.

The thread flows like a conversation and all are welcome.

The board guides on that forum keep merging random other threads into the parent thread. This disrupts the conversation, the thread no longer makes sense as you can't tell who is replying to who, and most importantly worried parents are being accidentally ignored as their posts are jumbled up among the merged threads.

Who do I need to contact to stop threads being merged into the parent thread?

Browntoa

don't know about that thread or part of the forum but I know on bits of the forum I cover that even if theres a thread called "post all questions about subject A here" then some people will still start a thread " I have a Question about subject A".

Those two threads will be merged and sometimes it does make the thread read weird, but can also happen if the Abuse team decide to merge the threads so its not only Board guides that do it. The Abuse team may also remove posts for various reasons which again may affect the flow of a thread.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/site/forum-faqs#teamguides

BOARD GUIDES
The Board Guides are volunteer users who help to keep the forum running smoothly. They do not deal with abuse - and are totally separate to the forum team.
Brief Role Description

• They focus on a few boards - not the whole forum
• Keep threads on topic and boards running smoothly (including moving non-MoneySaving related discussions to Discussion Time/MoneySaversArms where appropriate)
• Delete spam and report the poster to the Forum Team
• Help newbies find their way around
• Point site users to relevant main site guides/news stories/blogs
• Merge/link together duplicate threads
• Sticky the best threads to the top of the board
• Lock contentious threads and report to the Forum Team.

Glad

The Parent Club thread is a great support thread for parents on MSE, offering help with parenting queries and occasional moneysaving tips, which has been running for some time on the MoneySaving in Marriages, Relationships & Families Board

sometimes a thread is started on the MoneySaving in Marriages, Relationships & Families Board which is a parenting query with no moneysaving aspect, I feel it is better to merge into the Parent Club thread, where there will be lots of help and advice, rather than move to a nonmoneysaving board
I've just checked the Parent Club thread and since it was started only 1 thread has been merged into it, so it's not something that happens often

ETA thread merged in was started at 9.12pm last night and merged soon after, there had only been one post in the Parent thread in that time, so one post that seems 'out of place' and the person that post was directed to was named and responded so no confusion I can see

Becles

Glad wrote: »

I've just checked the Parent Club thread and since it was started only 1 thread has been merged into it, so it's not something that happens often

Sorry but you are mistaken. The parent club thread is currently on version 16. If you check the past versions, you'll find it happened in previous threads too.

It doesn't really work merging the threads as it causes confusion among the regulars and the merged posters in the thread.

1) regular posters who need support are accidentally ignored as their posts get lost among the merged posts. This worries me especially when we have ladies with serious issues like post-natal depression, as I understand how essential friendly support is to them.

2) the thread no longer makes sense as it's difficult to work out who is replying to who

3) others reading the thread wrongly assume that the regular parents have deliberately ignored the OP of the merged thread as that impression is given after merging

Would it be possible to move the non-moneysaving threads to the Arms or DT or somewhere, as is what happens with other non-moneysaving posts?

This would allow the posters to have their questions answered, and it wouldn't spoil the run of the existing parents club thread. I'm sure if they specifically wanted help from the parents club thread, they would have posted there initially.

SugarSpun

I agree Becles.

Also, in previous Parents' Club threads there was always a post made when a thread was merged so the posters knew to read back and search through. In threads 15 and 16 the board guide stopped making such posts, so it's much easier to miss posts that have been merged because they merge according to time - and at some times of the day a thread started by someone else and merged into the parents club can be merged two or three pages back and get lost.

Tigsteroonie

I do have to say, it seems odd that behavioural issues with pets (particularly dogs) are allowed to maintain separate threads in the Pets & Pet Care forum, and yet any non-moneysaving issues with children are either merged with the Parent Thread or sent to the Arms.

Or is this just because Brits love their pets so much?

Perhaps instead it's time the Arms was split further. One area for general non-moneysaving threads (to which other advice-requesting threads such as ^^ could be relocated), and a separate area for the games, photos, smut playfulness, entertaining but non-life-changing stuff.

Sami_Bee

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

...

Perhaps instead it's time the Arms was split further. One area for general non-moneysaving threads (to which other advice-requesting threads such as ^^ could be relocated), and a separate area for the games, photos, smut playfulness, entertaining but non-life-changing stuff.

I think that is a good idea, also it might make The Arms less scary as often people post non-money saving in other boards because The Arms has a bit of a "rep" as being a nasty place.

got-it-spend-it

I agree with Becles. Merging doesn't benefit the OP of the thread or the Parenting thread and simply causes confusion.

I also find it very frustrating that some threads are merged quickly, whereas others are allowed to remain separately. For example there is currently a less than 12 weeks pregnancy thread, a 12-24 weeks pregnancy thread and a Pregnancy Thread. While I can understand why ladies in their first trimester are nervous and have different concerns to those further on, I cannot understand the need for a 12-24 weeks thread and am amazed that this has not been merged.

I agree with Tigs suggestion for the Arms.

aless02

I think the main issue isn't so much merging per se, but the uneven way it is conducted between BGs. So on some board (like Pets, maybe) many different threads about similar topics are fine on their own, whereas on Families, different threads about parenting are all chucked into a one already-established chat thread.

Even though Old-Style's heavy-handed approach to merging is annoying, I do like the WAY they do it - as in, it's waited until the thread drops off the main page so that the OP has likely gotten their answer and moved on. Then the thread is merged just for housekeeping of the board in general. Maybe we could think about that IF merging is a non-negotiable? It would benefit both the OP and the people currently on the PT.

csh_2

Becles wrote: »

3) others reading the thread wrongly assume that the regular parents have deliberately ignored the OP of the merged thread as that impression is given after merging

Exactly the problem

Glad wrote: »

ETA thread merged in was started at 9.12pm last night and merged soon after, there had only been one post in the Parent thread in that time, so one post that seems 'out of place' and the person that post was directed to was named and responded so no confusion I can see

meritaten wrote: »

this is really annoying me! for some reason the thread I was following was moved onto this one, 'MSE Parents Club' from moneysaving in Marraiges Relationships etc. and its obviously disturbed your cosy little chats! this parent requires help and support and is NOT going to get it here! might as well have chucked it down to the Arms!!!!

No confusion eh Glad?? Everyone happy??

SusanC_2

Becles wrote: »

3) others reading the thread wrongly assume that the regular parents have deliberately ignored the OP of the merged thread as that impression is given after merging

I agree - there have been occasions where someone has been asking for help with a serious issue and then the discussion has been merged so that there are completely unrelated posts about aubergines in between which means that it looks like people are not only being rude by not replying to the person but also they appear to be talking over them about trivial things when the OP had a serious issue to discuss. I'm sure it's one reason people think the thread is cliquey as if they look through and see the merges threads, it certainly looks that way.

It certainly isn't helpful for the OP for a number of reasons:
1) Many people don't read the parent thread (because they don't want to join in or trawl through the chat) so once the thread has been merged the majority of people who potentially could have posted advice won't see it.
2) They have to trawl through pages of unrelated chat trying to find the replies they have had.

Perhaps it would be helpful if there was some kind of time limit before threads are merged e.g. the thread is left for a couple of days to allow the OP to get their answers. It doesn't solve the problem of making us look bad but at least would be better for the people who are getting their threads merged.