For the benefit of those who might search the forum in the future with a problem similar or identical to yours, can you please post the solution to the problem you were experiencing once you find it? I suspect people don't like reading 5 or 10 replies to a post with suggestions on things to try, then the OP never posts again with the resolution.

Thank You.

Chris

Good idea. Since today is my last day at my current job, and I already gave away all my work and therefore have nothing to do, I'll get right on that.

Also, for anyone who does this, close the thread after you post the solution so nobody else can post after you and confuse the issue more.

That's a good point: no sense resurrecting really old threads with a "yeah, I have the same problem too." I never looked into how to do that though ....

--Chris

Click "thread tools" and there is an option to either close or delete the thread. It only works if you're the one who started the thread.

maybe you have to be a team member, my tools do not have that option

maybe you have to be a team member, my tools do not have that option

Even on a thread that you started?? Hmmm....

I did notice that if you were not the last to post in the thread that the only option is to close it, but if you were the last to post you can also choose to delete it.

Maybe it is only for paid members... dunno.

Or maybe there was a mixup and I have partial admin access. :D :D

yes i checked one i started. thanks

I don't know...I don't really think there is a reason to close old threads myself...that way if someone DOES want to bring up the same topic with a question to the original poster then they don't have to create yet another thread...I personally say leave them open, but you can, of course, do whatever you like :)

I can go either way on the closing of the old thread, but if the OP posted the solution to the problem at least, I think everyone would benefit.

--Chris

I don't know...I don't really think there is a reason to close old threads myself...that way if someone DOES want to bring up the same topic with a question to the original poster then they don't have to create yet another thread...I personally say leave them open, but you can, of course, do whatever you like :)

I am completely against closing old threads (unless it is warranted by unexcused behavior). If we closed our threads, then we wouldn't be able to bring back good threads like this one:

http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=13698

That's a thread started in Sept. 2005 and was brought back to life when someone gave Chris kudos for doing a good deed.

Now, why wouldn't we want to hear about good things like that?:clap

Tools what tools, I don't need any tools to close out a post.

All I need is to respond to one and it dies right there.

Watch this.

Tools what tools, I don't need any tools to close out a post.

All I need is to respond to one and it dies right there.

Watch this.

:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

And here I thought *I* was the only one who had that problem.

Glad I have company when killing threads.:laugh

:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

And here I thought *I* was the only one who had that problem.

Glad I have company when killing threads.:laugh

You're both wrong... I'm the Master at Killing threads...:roflblack

Chris and I talked about this once a week or so ago. It would be nice to have some way to add closure to tech problem threads. Right now there are some timeouts on folks ability to edit their posts. If those timeouts were not there anymore........ what I'd like to see would be that the thread starter goes back to the first post and edits it with the solution and changes the thread title to indicate closure. Something like this:
Subject: Help I can't see at night
I'm having a problem I cant see when riding at night. :wtf
Then after one or two hundred posts trying to find the problem, JoeSportyRider finds the problem then goes back to the first post and changes it to something like this:
Subject: [SOLVED] Help I can't see at night
I'm having a problem I cant see when riding at night. :wtf

Solved: I changed the blown head lamp bulb :clap
I've seen a similar approach taken on some Linux tech forums with good results.
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewforum-f-14.html?sid=0e4ad2ea2028c9bf775e1a0f8a53211c

Gazza

You're both wrong... I'm the Master at Killing threads...:roflblack


Now, I think if you ratio it out to theads killed per number of posts...

I would have to be the ONE.

what I'd like to see would be that the thread starter goes back to the first post and edits it with the solution and changes the thread title to indicate closure.

I did this to a few of my threads:
http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=26766
http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=15996
http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=28597
http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/showthread.php?t=28540

Gazza

I don't really like the "closing the thread" idea. It would prevent a dialog like this...

Subject: [SOLVED] Help I can't see at night
I'm having a problem I cant see when riding at night. :wtf

Solved: I changed the blown head lamp bulb :clap I think I'm having the same problem. Can anyone tell me how to change the front light bulbThe dealer can do that for you for only $26 plus the $39 for a new bulb, but you might have to wait a couple weeks to get into the shop. Good luck, glad I could help out.

Gazza

I thought I was the threadkiller king!!!!, Here all this time I was starting to develop a complex. I think we need #'s to see who truly is the one with the highest # of last posts on the threads.

what I'd like to see would be that the thread starter goes back to the first post and edits it with the solution and changes the thread title to indicate closure.

Gazza

I am all for this, just not closing a thread.

Anyone ever start a thread and have someone chew your butt out because it has been discussed already and you didn't do a search? Well, what if you did do a search AND found the thread but NOT your answer... You can't post in the OLD thread to get an answer to your similar problem.

For instance, what if I want to learn if I should put Rocket Fuel in my bike. Do a search for "rocket fuel" and see how many hits there are, and MOST of them aren't even about the stuff.

Problem with this solution, however, is that people are generally lazy. That's why they are in this forum to begin with, isn't it? Because they don't RTFM?!?!
:doh

Problem with this solution, however, is that people are generally lazy. That's why they are in this forum to begin with, isn't it? Because they don't RTFM?!?! :doh:D That is a good point. I don't think that we'd ever see 100% closure on things that really have been resolved, but if there was a common informal protocol I think we'd see most people start to adopt it pretty quickly.

Gazza

:D That is a good point. I don't think that we'd ever see 100% closure on things that really have been resolved, but if there was a common informal protocol I think we'd see most people start to adopt it pretty quickly.

Gazza

I agree. You won't know until you try it, that's for sure. And I suppose that if it resulted in half of the threads being straightened out, then maybe it would be considered a success.

I am OK without closing off the thread, unless it involves kiltbill. I wasn't suggesting that and there are enough good reasons not to. If we did something as Gary suggested, I think we'd be ahead of the game. For some items, there's no clear cut solution, and the answer might not be apparent for a while. For others like the bike won't start, then you find a broken battery cable, that's pretty straightforward.

--Chris

I really like what you did with the "Solved" thing, Gary. Sweet. That would be a real time saver, so instead of reading 50 replies to a question, you can see the answer right away and then spend the rest of the night in the Arcade!

spend the rest of the night in the Arcade!


Oh yeah, Miss TETRIS Queen! Why don't you try for a higher score!!!!!:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

You're already unbeatable....

Here is something I just saw mentioned online. It's really long, and written by an opinionated bastard, ESR (http://www.catb.org/~esr/who-is-ESR.html), but a good read nonetheless.

How to ask questions the smart way (http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html)

--Chris

Actually I just read that article again, and I DO recommend people go and read it, contrary to my earlier subject line. It's a really good article by a really talented dude.

--Chris

Oh yeah, Miss TETRIS Queen! Why don't you try for a higher score!!!!!:roflblack :roflblack :roflblack

You're already unbeatable....

:roflblack :banana :roflblack
Thanks for the laugh, SG! Good one. (And I've been trying to beat my score, and CAN'T! :yikes)

:roflblack :banana :roflblack
Thanks for the laugh, SG! Good one. (And I've been trying to beat my score, and CAN'T! :yikes)


It's impossible! :D

I am OK without closing off the thread, unless it involves kiltbill. !!!!! --Chris

:confused: :wtf :confused:

What have I done now Chris? :wonderlan

I think explaining what the solution or outcome is would help, but as has already been said good things can still be added to a thread as time goes on. Someone may have found a better solution to the problem etc....

But the last thing you need is me closing threads and telling you what the outcome/solution/problem was!

The Forum would be clogged up with old KB threads for weeks...:roflblack

i aint closing any of mine. i like my dead horses left around till they stink the whole forum up.

For the benefit of those who might search the forum in the future with a problem similar or identical to yours, can you please post the solution to the problem you were experiencing once you find it? I suspect people don't like reading 5 or 10 replies to a post with suggestions on things to try, then the OP never posts again with the resolution.

Thank You.

Chris

Excellent point, but its muddled in a badly titled thread! :)

Somtimes I even call up my customers, just to find out how things are....

Makes me crazy when things are left up-in-the-air....

Somtimes I even call up my customers, just to find out how things are....



I do that, just to make sure they felt that their custom was appreciated and that they were satisfied...

Huge part of customer satisfaction.

I wish HD Dealers felt the same way...

I do that, just to make sure they felt that their custom was appreciated and that they were satisfied...

Huge part of customer satisfaction.

I wish HD Dealers felt the same way...

I work for an HD Dealer.....lol

I work for an HD Dealer.....lol

Don't suppose there is any chance you want to move to Scotland and help them know what Customer satisfaction means?

Sorry Chuck, I shoul have remembered that!

Just that my experiences over here have been less than good, and I am a very Easy customer...

:confused: :wtf :confused:

What have I done now Chris? :wonderlan

Bill, I was just funnin' ya, based on this:

You're both wrong... I'm the Master at Killing threads...

That's all :D Maybe I shoulda said it like this:

Dinnae bother aboot me, ima jist a daftie

--Chris :laugh

Bill, I was just funnin' ya, based on this:



That's all :D Maybe I shoulda said it like this:



--Chris :laugh

Och, bit dae ye nae soond like a real Scot noo, fit a reare grasp ye hiv o weer diallect. Are ye shure there's no a wee bit o Scot in ye Chris!

:smoke

Och, bit dae ye nae soond like a real Scot noo, fit a reare grasp ye hiv o weer diallect. Are ye shure there's no a wee bit o Scot in ye Chris!

:smoke
Everyone over here sounds Scottish if they get enough Scotch in them.

Bill, I'm glad you're here! :clap

--Chris