Getting rid of old polls

[deusex]

In an effort to improve the forums, we're considering removing a lot of old polls and in some cases redoing some of them. A few polls are as old as the site (5+ years old) and opinions, styles and tastes change in that amount of time and the polls may be worth revisiting with a fresh start.

So we're putting it to you guys....

Should we remove polls?

[scootmanca]

yes, make room for new and exciting things.. we have to keep in mind that we are always having new members joining our site, and may not even be aware of many of the polls because ,they are too old.. :)

[SweatyAussie]

I voted to remove polls after a year - but with the proviso that if it's still being visited, say if it's less than a month since the last time someone posted a comment or a vote, it should stay. In such cases it will in any case keep getting bumped to the top in a chronological listing.

[RockHard]

I voted to remove polls after a year. But they should be restarted if on topic for this site.

[The Bondsman]

Nuke 'em! Time for new ideas!
Just as long as they are NOT instantly replaced with identical polls on the same subject!

[SweatyAussie]

Nuke 'em! Time for new ideas!
Just as long as they are NOT instantly replaced with identical polls on the same subject!
... which is exactly the problem.

A couple of years ago we had this debate, and if you remember I was of the opinion that old polls should be killed off.

I see that my last posting on this topic is nearly one year old, in which I said that they should be removed after one year, unless they are still active.

I am now thinking that even this may be too strong. Let's say we had a poll on some topic - oh I don't know, on shaving maybe, and we got tired of it and deleted it. A new person joins the forum, and wants to talk about pros and cons of shaving. How is he to know that it's not allowed, or not encouraged? Are we to have an ever-growing list of proscribed topics?

If we really wish to kill off a particular debate, a better idea than deleting the thread is simply to close it. Any newbie who wants to read all the comments on the subject can browse the thread to their heart's content, they will just know that further comments are unwelcome. If we are going to delete threads after being dormant for a certain time, then I don't see why that should not apply to all threads, not just poll threads.

Maybe we should have a poll on whether to close off THIS poll.

[RockHard]

Nuke 'em! Time for new ideas!
Just as long as they are NOT instantly replaced with identical polls on the same subject!

But I am new here! If you close a poll or thread, I have no say in it what so ever! Just because you are tired of a subject and had your fill of it! It's off limits too me? What's the point of the forums then? At some point there will not be one!

[RockHard]

In an effort to improve the forums, we're considering removing a lot of old polls and in some cases redoing some of them. A few polls are as old as the site (5+ years old) and opinions, styles and tastes change in that amount of time and the polls may be worth revisiting with a fresh start.

So we're putting it to you guys....

Should we remove polls?

I want some more info please! Why do you close polls and or threads?

[deusex]

I never did act on the closing of old polls mostly due to being busy (or lazy maybe) but I don't think we need to close them. Like Rockhard said, it give newer members a chance to voice their opinions, but it also prevents some of the more passionate (violent) polls to start all over. There's nothing left to say about shaving or circumcision that hasn't already been said already and removing polls would just be license to bring it all out again.

[SweatyAussie]

RockHard does have a point. Anyone tired of a topic doesn't have to keep participating in it if they don't wish to. Threads will die when no one is interested in continuing them.

DeusEx also has a point about tastes changing.

Perhaps the best solution is to not remove polls (or any other threads) at all, except possibly in the case of a poll that has been closed when a new poll is started on the same question. We (moderators) should also be vigilant about thread topics that are the same as, or similar to, a previous thread, and where appropriate we should move new posts to the end of an existing thread rather than allow new threads to sprout. If a thread is new, it should be a new topic.

We don't need to be too anal about this - starting a new topic when a similar one already exists is not a hanging offense - we just need to act when a duplication gets noticed. It only becomes a problem if there are so many threads, on topics that one is not interssted in, that it makes it tiresome to hunt for postings on things that one IS interested in.

The only time when a posting of any sort should be removed is when it's illegal, offensive or on a proscribed topic like Women's Underwear. (Sorry to mention it, but I had to mention it so you would know what I was talking about!)

The bottom line is: do we actually have a problem? Who is actually being hurt or inconvenienced by new postings to old polls? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I belong to a music fan site with over 8000 members that typically gets dozens of posts each day, and it's been going for 3 &1/2 years so the postings database is pretty huge by now. People are quick to react when a posting is a repetition of something that's already been said, and generally the admin guy moves it to the relevant thread. Even then, I see certain topics keep on appearing and reappearing. It's an ongoing problem.

[The Bondsman]

Look, after reading SweatyAussie's above comments, I have changed my mind, or at least modified it.
Although I am all for NEW comments, if the old polls aren't still up, recent arrivals can't see what's already been discussed, and will once again post what's been hashed and re-hashed ad infinitum.
Even now, with the damnable "shaving" thread, as each person made the earth-shattering discovery that pubic hair could actually be removed, they suddenly thought they were unique, and felt the urge to make another post saying "I've just shaved....." as though it was some world shattering discovery.
If leaving up an old poll prevents even one more post such as that, then archive 'em all!
The danger as I mentioned above is that if a poll is removed, someone else will just start it again, even if that is in good faith by a "newbie".
Ok, so now I'm for keeping 'em!