Technology's topics, some need to be closed.. Options

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

OK, so I have a problem with Technology. Y'know how everyone asks questions and stuff? I've noticed that they make a topic and a while later, they don't come back anymore and they don't respond. And some people are just bumping those topics! Perfect example, this.

I think we should make a time limit on how long the request for help can be valid. 'Cause I really don't like these topics being bumped and usually, the topic starters don't care anymore.
Or at least we should make them required to respond with like "Oh, problem solved." or "I still need help." or something like that.
Yeah..

[demolished]

that's because, they dont want to thank us. they're bitches !

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

^ Yes, that would be good. Like require them to say that.

But what happens if they don't and they don't come back to their topic? Can a mod just close it?

[GREASEbaby]

I suppose they could just do that, or a mod can notify the topic maker if he/she has solved their problem, and link to the topic. If not - tell them that it's okay to bump it since the problem still isn't solved. If it is, just simply close the topic.

But if the person hadn't signed onto createblog in a while, a mod can close their topic.

Requires some work, yes, but a solution? Hopefully yes as well.

[*Azarel*]

I personally see the help topics in technology more similar to the design forum help topics than the homework help topics, the difference being that for homework, there is an actual deadline.

In the design help forums, not everyone returns and tells us that their problem is solved, so their topics remain open. However, I'm sure that if an old topic is unnecessarily bumped, it would be closed. I think it should be (and I thought it was that way, but apparently not) the same way in the technology forum.

[GREASEbaby]

It's about the same thing as in every help forum, really. I suppose it's just okay to leave them as is, or set the forum software to get rid of topics after a set period of time, let's say, 6months.

A month doesn't seem long enough, and a year is too long. xD

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

How would the software get rid of them? Like.. delete them?

I liked your first idea better.

[GREASEbaby]

I don't know. I just remembered when I had a visionfree forum ( ), there was an option to get rid of the topics after a set amount of time.

But this isn't invisionfree so I don't know.

[*Zatanna*]

I personally see the help topics in technology more similar to the design forum help topics than the homework help topics, the difference being that for homework, there is an actual deadline.

I've always had this same perspective. You just really can't compare questions in Technology to questions in School. People generally have the same, or similar questions regarding computers, software, etc that others may also need further assistance or answers for. Sometimes their questions might be different. I would rather have a topic expanded upon than have multiple similar topics opened. (If that makes sense)

What might be a decent idea, or something to think about perhaps is making a FAQ Pinned Post (and keeping it updated) of commonly asked questions such as:
- Problems with IE
- Sound Problems
- Recovering a File

Those are just examples I took from the first few pages.

[*incoherent*]

OK, so I have a problem with Technology. Y'know how everyone asks questions and stuff? I've noticed that they make a topic and a while later, they don't come back anymore and they don't respond. And some people are just bumping those topics! Perfect example, this.

no, thats not a perfect example. it's either they post there because they have the same problem and are seeking help, which spurs topics like this bitching about it, or they make a new topic and everyone shoves their dick down their throat saying that the topic had been made before 1049854 over and the person isnt helped. its a common cycle of doom.

because something has been resolved for one person doesn't mean that later on down the road someone else might have the same problem. they then find the thread and ask their questions, which would render the whole closing process somewhat useless.

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

^ Well, that guy didn't really need help. He said "was having the exact same problem".

They can just make new topics. If it's like a duplicate topic, I'd help and refer to older topics. Not just tell them about the older topic. And if that person still needs help, I'd still help answer their questions.

And if someone has the same problem when the topic is closed, they can just make a new topic. Most of the time, they have more questions than the person before.

And Zatanna, I really like your FAQ idea.

[*incoherent*]

^ Well, that guy didn't really need help. He said "was having the exact same problem".

and because they said they had the exact same problem entails that they aren't needing help?

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

^ I'm pretty sure he didn't need help. This is his whole post:

I was having the exact same problem. With just 33 processes and calculated 210 MB in actual use, my page file was almost the same size as my 512 MB RAM and even then the computer would be excrutiatingly slow.

After running all spyware, adware, AV programs, nothing changed.

I went into System Properties and set the PageFile to 'ZERO', thereby forcing only my 512 MB RAM to be used instead of swapping memory from my Hard Drive.

Long story short, I restarted the laptop and now everything is working as smooth as a baby's Bahookie!

Best of Luck to you guys.... and please "Share the Tribal Knowledge!"
Shawn Butt

[ShawnButt]

Look guys

I think that forums are created so people can share their experience. I hate it when people go through forums but dont post a result on how THEY got it fixed.

I did.... so don't shoot the messenger.

If someone else can benefit from how I got my problem resolved, I will consider that I've better a nanosecond in this world!

~ Share the Tribal Knowledge, or it dies with us ~

[think!IMAGINARIL...]

But the topic you posted in was over a year old.
A year.
Don't you think the guy had his problem fixed already?

[*This Confession*]

I was coming to say the same thing.

Shawn, I know your new here. So I'm giving you some slack, make sure to read the dates on the topics. Or atleast the last post date.

If you don't know where its located, I can take a screen shot and show you. But if something is over a year old, and its a problem and they never came back to it. I think I would just let it be..because I'm sure like Elaine [rawr SOCK] said, they probably got it fixed by now. I would hope.

[*Zatanna*]

Seriously, Technology is one of the forums (in my opinion) that can easily be shown a little patience when it comes to bumping old topics.

If someone else can benefit from a question someone has already asked, regardless of the time that has passed, what is the harm really in bumping the topic?

Just asking.