Is this a prank of some sort?

[andybmw7272]

Why are there three different users posting comments to threads that are more than a year old????

I am sure I may get some flack for posting this, but I thought it was considered rude to post replies to threads which are so old? FAQ says let sleeping posts sleep.

I hate seeing the front page taken up with all these damn replies on stuff that has not been replied to in more than a year.

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Some people are idiots...I've seen people dredge up threads that are 5 or more years old. You can always tell who is a complete moronic noob when you get a whole page full of that nonsense

[cinqster]

IMHO, I don't see a problem with it at all.

I thought this forum was supposed to be a centre for knowledge on our hobby - such an attitude will surely put off interested new members/posters?

[BVC500]

Yeah, not sure i see a problem with it either. Maybe they did a search and found an old post they saw for the first time and liked.

[Entau]

i recently saw one replied "NICE!" in the WIP thread that is older than 7 years old...which is VERY unnecessary

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Entau

i recently saw one replied "NICE!" in the WIP thread that is older than 7 years old...which is VERY unnecessary

That's the kind of dredging up that I was commenting on above. Occasionally a reply that is asking for certain information is fine, but making simplistic replies on a bunch of ancient threads is generally a vain attempt to gain post counts and reputation.

[andybmw7272]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

That's the kind of dredging up that I was commenting on above. Occasionally a reply that is asking for certain information is fine, but making simplistic replies on a bunch of ancient threads is generally a vain attempt to gain post counts and reputation.

This was my point exactly.

[racer93]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

That's the kind of dredging up that I was commenting on above. Occasionally a reply that is asking for certain information is fine, but making simplistic replies on a bunch of ancient threads is generally a vain attempt to gain post counts and reputation.

If the post is in all sincerity, go for it. However, if it's as Zoom said, to heck with 'em.

I recently saw one dredged up from 8 years ago ('02) to say "Nice build." Completely unnecessary and a waste of bandwidth.

[cinqster]

I still disagree! I have had some great old build threads appear that I would probably never have discovered were it not for people doing this.

To me, it's like re-reading a good article in a 12 year old copy of Tamiya Model Magazine...which I do regularly, LOL!

[klutz_100]

IIRC my first ever post here on AF was to do exactly that.
I dragged up an old thread to compliment the builder and got toasted for it by one of the regular users at the time - Vric, IIRC

Here's the thing, I was a noob. I was new to the whole forum thing and simply didn't realize a) it was an old thread and b) it is somewhat frowned upon to bring up old threads (although - AFAIK - it is not against the bylaws on AF to do that).

It had nothing to do with post count or reputation or anything like that (I didn't even know what they were ). I quite simply stumbled across AF while using the web to find some help on how to build a cleaner and better model, found a great build of my subject and posted a compliment. And got flamed

My point is: yes, it is irritating and I am sometimes guilty myself of making a sarcastic post when that happens but I'll bet that 9 times out of 10 it is done innocently and without malice.

A polite request to refrain will probably enlighten the member about netiquette, prevent it happening again and keep the noob interested in the forum.

[CrateCruncher]

Originally Posted by cinqster

IMHO, I don't see a problem with it at all.

I thought this forum was supposed to be a center for knowledge on our hobby - such an attitude will surely put off interested new members/posters?

Personally, I really don't see a problem here either. I don't feel it is impolite to post to an old thread at all and I don't understand where anyone got that impression? I think it's much worse to allow all the wonderfully informative threads to languish until the photo links die unseen by a multitude of new members that could learn a great deal from them. (However, I also snicker occasionally when several veteran members follow with questions to the author of the 7 or 8 year old thread expecting a timely reply!)

I recently added a link to Niko's now ancient Union P4 thread in my own P4 WIP because I figured anyone that had interest in mine would enjoy his too. I linked to Kunta's ancient Kustom Katana thread to illustrate how much could be done with a forgotten Katana kit. Where's the problem?

On the other hand, I see noobs get flamed for asking simple questions that have been covered to the point of nausea. "Use the search" we say. Now people are complaining about them dredging up old threads? That doesn't sound like a consistent message to me.

Rather than discourage dredging, I think the experienced members should take more initiative in exposing the "Classics" to the newer members. Thinking off the top of my head I'd like to see a sticky thread with a table of contents in the first post which lists links to the all-time best WIPS by post#. Let's expose some of that stuff before it's gone forever.....Sorry for the rambling rant.

[hirofkd]

People get complaints for using search; people get complains for not using search.
What gives!?
AF is a pretty big community, so it's hard to generalize each individual's value, whether they think old threads are useful or not. I like to keep old threads because sometimes those become useful, but (!), I don't mind Mods deciding on a certain cut-off date and closing obsolete threads. That way, such resourceful information can still be viewed by anyone, but won't take replies.

[CrateCruncher]

I remember somebody made a gorgeous Hasegawa Testa Rossa and then created a cobblestone street out of the cardboard box and a streetlamp out of scrap sprue. What a great thread! But it's old now and we should just forget it because none of the new guys would be interested in seeing that old thing. Who did that thread? I forget.... Anybody remember who did that one?

[MPWR]

Originally Posted by CrateCruncher

Who did that thread? I forget.... Anybody remember who did that one?

You could try the search feature....

Really this is an age old issue with new members. Ideally, a new member to AF would take a bit of time to get to know the community before doing much posting- but that often isn't what happens. And it is very true that it is not prohibited from dredging up ancient threads and saying "that's cool".

It's always a bit irritating to established members when a new person disregards the rules and etiquette of a community. But fortunately, that's all it is. There are much worse things than a new person expressing genuine enthusiasm, even if in a somewhat graceless way. Very often these new members quickly become regular contributing members- even Klutz_100 became one. (And I remember when a lot of you people were new members! )

If ever there seems to be a real problem, the mod staff will step in to rectify things. But otherwise a bit of patience on the part of long time members can help a new person become a real part of this forum- and we all tend to benefit from that.

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by CrateCruncher

Who did that thread? I forget.... Anybody remember who did that one?

Yes, that does ring a bell

WIP

COMPLETED

Originally Posted by OLD member with a loooooong memory

even Klutz_100 became one.