Extremely important question for all members...

[White Fox]

Folks, we have a very important question that I would like you all to consider.

Here is the background info to the question. When the Second Den at Melody closed, we had just over 40,000 messages in it. On this site we now have over 10,000 messages posted. Indeed it is summer and post frequency will decrease. However, it is very possible that we could indeed have as many posts on this site in one year as the old site had in the Den when it was closed down. Even if we do not make that number we will very likely be quite close!

 

When answering this question keep in mind that searches of Archived messages for instance is more difficult as individual searches must be made.

 

Possible directions. There are two possible directions that we can go here.

#1. We can keep on going as we are, and in a year or less(?) we can do another Archive similar to what we have done with the messages from the Second Den.

#2. We can delete threads on some of the forums like Off Topic. This would probably mean that a thread is deleted if it sits unused for three weeks or some such time. This would allow us a little more time at least before another archive is necessary.

 

Here is your chance for input into the way this site works. Let us know what you think.

 

White Fox

Edited June 16, 2006 by Guest

[wallee]

Delete them.

 

Archive pic and video links and dump the rest.

 

Anything over 6 months is old news. If it's still good news it's worth repeating.

[Worker 11811]

If somebody puts a link in one message refering the reader to another and that one gets deleted the link will go dead.

 

I have seen web forums where any thread that has no activity for a certain period of time is automatically archived. It can still be read but not posted to. The waiting period is usually 3 months or 6 months.

[White Fox]

As you know, there are huge areas here yet under construction, so discussions on this topic have not been a very high priority.

 

However, it is likely that the next archive will look pretty much like the one we already have and indeed be done that way just so that everything "Matches up" to make it's use easier.

 

J

[shelley and kevin]

I would have to say dump the messages over one month old with no activity. This is my opinion on this.

 

Kevin

[PokerAce]

I Agree with Kevin

PokerAce

[auzmink]

Certain topics surface from time to time again, so repeat subjects might not need repeating if an original link was still active. The subject line makes it difficult to track them down.

Links to furry information such as webb sites could go to a storage area or be forwarded to furfashion guide to store the links. PETA info etc was due to go to a library anyway.

Rest - is probably old news and can be trashed - saves important disk space.

 

Auzmink

[Velvet_Tigress]

Kick em' out.

 

Lazy posts, trying to slow down our fun.

[votanodin]

I agree with Kevin, too.

[FurLoverinFL]

I voted to kick them out. After 3, 6 months - whatever the time limit - if there's no action, delete them. If a post generated a lot of 'good' discussion, or if a mod thinks it's worthwhile on other grounds, it can be moved to the 'Favorite Things' forum.

 

FLinFL

[Guest]

making more room by deleting inactive posts seems the way to go.

[Mr Barguzin]

Haven't voted and won't vote... cause I don't think that we should delete any posts.

 

Previous posters are making the assumption that just because THEY find old posts boring and space wasting then THEY should have THIER way and not have to worry about them.

 

Which is fine if we had a finite membership..... but we don't. Who knows, it may be a post that we have all forgotten about that brings forth new members.... or converts guests into members. The web is growing and as more and more folks come online, should we penalise them because they are late-comers?

 

Or are we going to become elitist our selves?

 

[silverfox57de]

I

[Fox]

I voted to delete posts/topics from other forums, but personally I think the Off-topic forum should be one of the last forums to be deleted from seeing as how after the main forum, it's the most popular forum there is.

[boyinfurs]

i fully agree to the following

Archive pic and video links and dump the rest.

 

Anything over 6 months is old news. If it's still good news it's worth repeating.

 

regards

[White Fox]

With summer coming along and fewer posts, we can leave things as is for awhile. Come fall we will be doing this. If we decide to delete some threads (Which is likely) we will be selective what we delete.

W

[FrBrGr]

Haven't voted and won't vote... cause I don't think that we should delete any posts.

 

Previous posters are making the assumption that just because THEY find old posts boring and space wasting then THEY should have THIER way and not have to worry about them.

 

Which is fine if we had a finite membership..... but we don't. Who knows, it may be a post that we have all forgotten about that brings forth new members.... or converts guests into members. The web is growing and as more and more folks come online, should we penalise them because they are late-comers?

 

Or are we going to become elitist our selves?

 

 

This may be a first - ! By and large (perhaps, though, more delicately stated) I agree with Mr B! 8) I think we should be careful about what we trash. How many times I have been "cleaning house" and have thrown out things I regretted disposing of months later. On the other hand, I wonder just how many new members (or even older members) bother to check out posts from even one or two months ago, much less six? If the truth were known, perhaps, then, our point would become moot . . .

[allfurme]

I have noticed that especially in 'Fur Den' and 'Off Topic', topics tend to repeat themselves. So many archive comments are resurrected somewhere down the line.

[White Fox]

That gives me an idea. Some time I'll make a poll here asking how many members here have visited our Archive area more than once since it came on line. Once is just curiosity. More than once would be an interesting figure.

W

[Fox]

Personally, I typically don't look at threads that have new posts on them older than about a week old. The only time(s) that I look at such posts, is when I haven't been on for a while (few days/week, maybe a couple weeks), and I'm catching up on all the things I've missed. But posts more than a month old? I think maybe the only time I've looked at anything along these lines was back on the old den and I first joined, just to see what kind of group it was.

Edited June 18, 2006 by Guest

[ReFur]

White,

 

I originally voted to delete, I think. Can't remember for certain!

 

But, after reading the comments here, I think deleting posts would not be the best choice.

 

Would it be possible to move the older posts to a Archive? Is there any advantage to that?

 

Linda

[White Fox]

Yes indeed. All this would do is to delay the time a bit when we next need to "archive". We would still need to do it but not quite as quickly. Each time we archive of course the "Search" mechanism does not work as well as members would then have to search three areas rather than just two. And, of course in time it takes up storage though so far that is n o problem.

 

Again, nothing will be done til fall and if we decide to just wait and archive everything it will be a year yet I imagine before we do it.

 

W

[ReFur]

Are you saying that if we selectively "delete" posts that we would not have to "archive" as soon?

 

The advantage of delaying the archiving is the current Den's search would include these relevant posts longer?

 

Linda

[MadameTR]

All of my posts are contermporaneous and contemporary. They die a quick death of irrelevancy (if thery ever were relevant). Consequently, I cannot imagine anyone being interested in anything I have posted. So please, feel free to delete my posts at your convenience should that be a desirable thing to do vis-a-vis forum maintenance in the future.

 

Thelma

[Guest]

MadamTR;

 

All your post cumulative would be lost in one of ToS's posts the current one included.

 

Write more .. please.

 

 

OFF