Surely that applies to any thread - closed or not? Once it's gone off the bottom, you've got to take some action to find it.

Yes of course. But having taken this action and the time and trouble to find it, being able to read a thread is only one part of the inter-active experience that is our forum.

For having taken this time and trouble to find a thread - you may then wish to contribute to it. Which you not be able to do - if the thread has been subject to closure for some unspecified reason by some anonymous 'moderator'.

And of course you will only know - after you have read (or scrolled down) the entire thread - if you do wish to add something. And only at this point will you see a little note by the box you are about to make your contribution in, telling you that you cannot do this - as the thread is closed..........

Then when you have started a new thread on the subject - you will find a post from some helpful poster (often a 'moderator') who will inform you and our forum - that we have already discussed this subject in an earlier thread (perhaps not being aware that it was not possible to refresh this earlier thread.

Even when you find that the in question thread is not closed and it is possible to refresh it - posters are not sure if this is judged to be the best course of action. As after you have done this - you will find a post fron some helpful poster (often a 'moderator' telling you and our forum that this is not the right thing to do and suggesting that starting a new thread would be the correct course of action.

I have seen both actions to be publicly judged right and be judged wrong by our 'moderators'. No wonder posters are confused.

So in addition to the direct inhibition cause by our 'moderators' intentionally making it impossible for a poster to refreash a closed thread - there is indirect inhibition cause by this uncertainty about whether either of these actions will be seen to be judged wrong by our 'moderators'.

I would have thought that the role of any 'moderation, would be to be seen to enable and encourage posting and would not wish to be seen in any way to inhibit any poster from contributing. That does not now appear to be the case on our forum.