Discussions

Recycled topics? When is it proper to recycle?

Posted by EXZombie • 9/23/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: recycled topics

In the 10+ years of lurking around messege board every now and then I tend to run into the messege board residents who hate to see the same picture on the wall. It doesn't matter if it was on there last week, last month or 5 months, 17 days, 23 hours and 1 minute ago they are bothered that they have to see the same thing go up again.

The thing though is that when these "residents" get their way things become thin. Topics range to try to get away from popular topics into those that just really stretch it and are there to kill time until a good topic comes along.

To me, Topics on a messege board are like questions you ask a date. Many are old, overdone and cliche but it gives you insight on new people.

My question though is how long in your opinion does a topic need to be burried in the past before it can be recycled again as a brand new version of the same old topic?

User Comments

9/23/08

poisonapplesauce

I recycle a topic when none of the ones on the first four pages interest me. That is my system.

[reply]
9/23/08

inmyredhead

Good system Poisonapplesauce! I can't say that it's good to reinvent any old topic just for the sake of starting a discussion, but definitely it has it's merits.

I never understood why it's so terrible to browse, reply to and thus bring back to life what's considered an old thread. If it was interesting then, why does it have to be uninteresting now? But if starting a brand new thread is protocol then I guess recycling is acceptable. I just think you loose so much of the meat and potatoes that others have contributed already.

So to answer the original Q, perhaps it's ok to recycle when the topic has been 'dead' and looooooong forgotten for say 2 weeks minimum, (doesn't sound like long to me, but by then it might be on page 10 or something!) and when you do start a new thread with an old topic, how about adding a link to the original, giving credit for the original thought process, and stating that you are recycling the topic because you still have q's or curiosities about it that were not satisfied in the original.

That's my only beef with recyclers... as long as I know you are really curious and involved in the replies, it's all good. But if you are just trying to promote yourself, it can be quite see through.

Edited to say: Ok, I take it back... page 10 has posts from merely a day ago. !!!

[reply]
9/23/08

EXZombie

Excellent point about those who do this in order to promote themselves.

As for the meat and potatoes part, This can be a possitive thing as seen in many 100+ post topics where the topic started 2 months ago and begins picking up new posts like as if it were new. One flaw I find is this, Alot of times you want to respond to someone, Not just plant down your opinion. But what if this person hasn't been around in a month and isn't coming back?

The other thing that is flawed about the meat and potatoes is that while it's great to read it can be intimidating to join into something that already looks to be done with.

[reply]
1. 9/23/08
  
  inmyredhead
  
  "The other thing that is flawed about the meat and potatoes is that while it's great to read it can be intimidating to join into something that already looks to be done with."
  
  So true! I can't tell you how many times I seem to get in on the tail end of these discussions and it's like every thing has been said so even if I have something relevant to say... it doesn't really feel THAT relevant enough to post because it's been covered. You begin to feel like a parrot, even though the original purpose of the post was to voice/share your opinion or experience as asked, right?
  
  Totally understand where you are coming from there.
9/23/08

mssusangale

There are a lot of new people that haven't seen some of the recycled topics before,like me,so I think it's perfectly okay to recycle. If people don't like it they don't have to join in, right? I like poisonapplesauce's system as well.

[reply]
9/23/08

howisbradley

There is no such thing as a wait time. If the question comes up then it's time. Old timers seem to forget that there are new people on every day and need to have patience.

To tell a newcomer they should have searched first to see if there's an old thread about it is asinine and rude. If you're tired of seeing a subject again then you should ignore it and get on with your life.

[reply]
1. 9/24/08
  
  mssusangale
  
  howisbradley,
  I like your style!
2. 9/24/08
  
  timethief
  
  Providing bloggers, who are asking blogging related questions, with the instructions so they know how to use the forum Discussion searchbox and other BC features is IMO a timesaving service, and an act of friendship.
  
  I assume we are all busy people, who are seeking answers to the blogging questions that we ask and would be glad if the answer are delivered quickly.
  
  I assume that when there is a treasure chest full of readily accessible answers available and a BC old timer knows that, but doesn't provide instructions they aren't being very friendly or very helpful either. I also assume that we are adults, who would be happy to learn how to fish, as opposed, to begging like seagulls for someone to throw us a little minnow or two.
  
  On the other hand, maybe my assumptions are wrong. Maybe bloggers who post blogging questions here don't actually want to know answers. Maybe they aren't interested in learning how to find answers on their own. Maybe their focus is not on becoming better bloggers at all. If that's the case, then I guess they are just bored and seeking contact with other people, who have time on their hands.