Yes, it's that simple. I think topics should never be closed because they're too old. The community is ever changing, the libraries get updated, new technologies/compilers are deployed, unknown interactions between libraries arise that change how certain codes perform. I am mostly a reader, but I can assure you, I've benefited from this forum countless times (thank you!).
HOWEVER, sometimes people post untested code, solutions that don't work or other issues. No one else looks at the post for years. Years later, a topic is found on a Google search by a user facing a issue (like me). I then go through the grueling path of solving the issue for my problem because the thread has incorrect code. I come back to that topic and want to post the correct (working) code. But the topic is closed because it is too old! Now I can't help the next person.
I understand you have forum management issues, and that new posts on old topics are considered "revival" of old topics. But man, it truly is frustrating to see that topic from 2017 that you found through Google search has this half-baked solution that doesn't even compile and you solve the problem, but can't post to continue the contribution chain simply because of some forum administrativia.
One reason why topics are closed is to prevent irrelevant posts being made to them
If you come across a closed topic that you would like to add to then just flag it giving the reason and a moderator will open it again if it is felt to be helpful
Doing it this way means that there is less work for mods in splitting off irrelevant replies to old topics into new ones but if you really have something to add then it can be done as described above
How am I supposed to know that? It only says "Closed on XX. This topic was automatically closed 120 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.". There's no instruction to do what you said. Looks like your forum interface needs improvement, because if this is the expected behavior, it is not clear to a general user.
I.e., you've just had an impact of (1) user (plus whoever reads this, which is a tiny, tiny portion of the readers of the forum). Plus, I've only posted this because I lost my patience after >>10 times of having had this happen to me, and now I decided (and had the time to) do something about it. This needs to be something that is obvious forum-wide.
Thus, my petition still holds, just changes form implementation-wise.
That's a fair point and I am sure that it will be noted by the site admins
With the current setup it would not be unusual for a user to wonder how to point out an anomaly with a closed topic and to use the option to flag the post and the tooltip for the flag option is also helpful
The dialogue that clicking on the flag icon has a catch-all option of "Something Else" which is used quite often and it allows extra detail to be added
I just tried to do that. It is not even sufficiently functional to be a fix as you said. The Something Else box allows only for ~300 characters, which is not nearly enough for a detailed reply with an example code. I've just sent the flag request - which will require me to request for the post to be reopened; and then I'll have to write the actual reply at some later time.
This is WAYYYY more effort than I would normally spend, and I'm sure this weeds out >90% of the potential contributors. Think about it; now I have to:
(1) Hope the reply gets approved;
(2) At some later time, which means my code and project are already closed and I've moved on, I'll (possibly) be granted the right to reply to that topic;
(3) I'll now have to bother reminding myself what that was about; then re-open my workflow to find out what was the reply I wanted to post; and what is the code fix supposed to be;
I hope you understand how much more effort this is than enabling users to post and how dysfunctional this is. I'm even more adamant now that something needs to change!
My suggestion:
Change the automated message from "Closed on XX. This topic was automatically closed 120 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed" to "Closed on XX. This topic was automatically closed 120 days after the last reply. If you need to post a reply to correct a mistake in the thread, use the Flag feature on the incorrect post." (plus add the icon of the flag)
Make the something else box into a regular reply box, with the editor features and an appropriate size (not the tiny thing it is right now). Make the length of it unlimited, so the actual reply can be posted.
Anyways, that's my opinion/suggestion. If nothing changes, I can personally guarantee you - I'll never use that flag feature again.
That is not the purpose of that text box and I am sure that you know it
You really are making a mountain out of a molehill. A mod will deal with the flag, sometimes within matter of minutes, and my standard practice is to open the topic, add a reply to it explaining why and to tag the user who requested it so that they are made aware that the topic has been reopened
The alternative is for random users to add irrelevant replies, sometimes spam, to long closed topics and for action needing to be taken to rectify the situation, assuming of course that it is even noticed. The mods have enough to do without this extra burden
It seems to me that a good compromise would be to add the suggestion to flag the topic to be reopened to the text currently displayed at the end of closed topics
I think it is very important to close abandoned topics. I would even prefer a 3 month period of silence as a trigger.
However, I feel the current instructions are vague and incomplete.
Better instructions would improve acceptance.
You're not busy making stuff; you're typing away in a non-technical forum. Think about all the others, who are really doing useful work and can't bother about you and just want an answer.
In short, I'm not supporting your "petition". In case you would wish to see only supporting responses, you would need to talk to a moderator how this could be achieved.
You are right - I'm not busy with anything. I have retired after a successful working life and enjoy spending my time as I want.
Of course topic should close. There is already enough spam being added by AI driven bots to random posts and newbies posting in the wrong place that we don’t need more to chase.
Kudos to the moderators for keeping this place tidy.
The flagging option is great.
If you did not know about the flagging (agree this could be more documented) You always hafthe option to create a new thread with a descriptive title and refer to the old incorrect post and explain your solution. Google will find yours as well as the old post and if the title is good enough the new generation will learn from your post.
Without getting into the issue of whether posts should be closed or not after an expiry time, one thing is clear, as pointed out, that this message is not sufficient.
This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. In general, you are encouraged to open a new thread, however, if you really consider that your post belongs to this thread then flag the last post in the thread for moderation and with an appropriate comment.
Sometimes we see posts of the type "did you resolve this issue and, if so, how?". Adding this to the existing thread also automatically alerts those who participated in the thread about the new post. Creating a new thread clearly does not.
in the meantime someone has requested to reopen a thread from 2012. There were reactions in 2015 and 2019.
You commented in 2025 on a "incomplete" sketch which was posted in 2015 with a sketch.
So - if there wasn't the possibility to post after 6 Months in first place - there wouldn't have been a need to request a reopen and an additional answer from your side.
This just underlines the importance of automatic closure.
