Should theads have a max limit of posts?

Subject: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: Johnny J
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 05:26 AM

I'm sure this is something on which the moderators may feel it's too late to change their policy even if they wanted to do so. After all, the site has been running for many years now.

For various reasons, I feel that many of the discussions here become far too cumbersome and long winded and I eventually get put off reading many of them.

From a technical and "user friendly" point of view, they are extremely difficuly to navigate especially on a mobile device.

As regards content, many posters end up repeating themselves or going off in a tangent. In most cases, the initial question or topic can easily be dealt with in just a view posts although it's, arguably, OK to go on a bit longer so that most members can make a comment if they wish.

Of course, other related topics can emerge from the discussion but, surely, it's more sensible to carry these on in a new thread?

On the Session.org, the moderator(Jeremy) now steps in if a thread becomes too long winded, argumentitive, or is obviously going nowhere. Perhaps, this should happen a little more here too.

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 05:38 AM

There is enough censorship here as it is., we don,t need more. . Personally I would hate to see such a policy introduced, moderators putting an arbitrary limit on discussion would do nothing to improve this forum. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: Johnny J
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 05:43 AM

It happens on most TV and radio discussion programmes.

The chairman on the panel usually steps in if a discussion is going off topic and will bring it to close once it has run its natural course.

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 06:01 AM

This is not a tv or radio programme, there are no time constraints. I would hate to see the free range of ideas on this forum be controlled by any moderator, we do get a fair bit of that now.

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 06:47 AM

There are some who seem to think that this is a debating society. Debates also have time limits and, to my mind, so should some of the threads below the line which fall into repetitive circular argument. They should have a limit on the number of posts. There are threads above the line which engender the free flow of ideas that Guests suggests. They should not have a limit as when interest is lost they will naturally drop off the page anyway and can be resurrected as interest reappears. There are merits to both arguments. Maybe a compromise and limit those below to a couple of hundred posts and those above to no limit? I know there are exceptions but I am just trying a general rule of thumb.

DtG

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: Johnny J
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 06:55 AM

It was a thread above the line which prompted me to post this.

Perhaps, we should be able to "police ourselves" a little better and, sometimes, agree to differ. It seems more sensible to start a new topic than to go off on a tangent.

As for "navigating", I suppose this is a technical drawback of the site which is pretty old.

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: Iains
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 07:02 AM

If the thread attracted no interest it would die a natural death. Yes the argument is frequently circular because opposite views inevitably polarise the argument. There are sufficient constaints on threads already in my view. If a little anarchy is not permitted then what is the point of below the line? Are we only going to permit a sanitised view of the political left? If that is the route to be followed the road might as well be terminated.

Subject: RE: Should theads have a max limit of posts?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Oct 17 - 08:12 AM

If you don't like the thread, Johnny J, don't read it. If you tried to open a long one and your computer hung up, you didn't open it from the number link or the small ^d descending number link.