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On closing threads at 100 posts
Sun, 2012-08-12 18:43
#1
Left Turn
On closing threads at 100 posts
Sun, 2012-08-12 18:45
#2
Left Turn
I'd like to suggest that there are some instances where it doesn't make sense to close a thread at 100 posts.
Case in point, the 2012 Olympics thread. The Olympics were only 24 hours from being over, and at the relatively slow rate that people were posting in the thread, it wasn't likely to get to more than 120 posts max before the end of the games. And because of all this, nobody was going to start a second 2012 Olympics. Which means that closing the thread effectively killed the 2012 Olympics discussion before the closing ceremony.
I had some comments I wanted to make about the closing ceremony, but I wasn't about to start a new thread at 3/4 of the way through the closing ceremony. Since with the rate of posting in the 2012 Olympics thread, there's good chance my post would not get any replies. Who wants to discuss the games once they're over?
So I'd prefer that the mods use a bit of discretion around whether tio close a thread at 100 posts, since not all discussions that deserve to continue can survive having a thread closed for length.
Sun, 2012-08-12 22:12
#3
Sven
As long as there is at least one individual on our planet who uses dial-up Internet access and who might try to access Rabble.ca, the 100-post rule will be enforced with an iron hand.
Mon, 2012-08-13 02:55
#4
I'm a little miffed that North Korea is hauling home four times as many gold medals as Canada.
Apparently even juche churns out superior athletes compared to whatever it is we practice here in the northern colony.
Mon, 2012-08-13 10:29
#5
As long as there is at least one individual on our planet who uses dial-up Internet access and who might try to access Rabble.ca, the 100-post rule will be enforced with an iron hand.
Is there even still such a thing as dial-up Internet?
Mon, 2012-08-13 10:47
#6
Tons of other sites survive without closing threads at 100 posts. Abolishing that practice would be a true upgrade.
Mon, 2012-08-13 11:02
#7
Boom Boom
I'm on dial-up Internet - the speed is supposed to be 48 kbps, but often it's as low as 20 kbps. There's been a few threads that have gone way past 100 posts, and those threads are so slow to load here that I can get up and get a drink from the fridge in the time it takes that page to load. 
Question: Am I the only one on dialup? I'd hate to be the one that's holding everyone else back. 
Mon, 2012-08-13 11:11
#8
Boom Boom has mentioned that he still uses dial-up (nothing else available yet where he lives). I used to, until a couple of years ago. Yes, it still exists.
[b]However...[/b]
I never had any problem with 100-post threads. The only small issue was when someone would post a very high-res image. And then, it made no difference if the thread had 1 post or 100. (We should help users learn how to reduce image sizes when posting. It doesn't happen often, but it's worth knowing.)
Citing dial-up as the reason for closing threads is a pretty feeble pretext. It's just plain invalid. The real problem is rabble's ridiculously slow server. Which is something we all suffer from, no matter how high-speed our internet may be.
Mon, 2012-08-13 11:11
#9
Boom Boom
Yup. I've posted quite a few images here myself, but only when the post count is under 100. And I try to keep the images as small as I can get them.
Mon, 2012-08-13 12:14
#11
Boom Boom
The two posts I wrote in that thread are consistent with what I posted here - but I have an update: Telus now has difital phone service and high speed internet all the way to Natashquan, which is just 50 km from here. Unfortunately, still no bridge over the Natashquan River, and likely no digital or high speed from Telus untuil that bridge is built at the end of next year or early in 2014.
Mon, 2012-08-13 12:20
#12
Boom Boom
The two posts I wrote in that thread are consistent with what I posted here - but I have an update: Telus now has digital phone service and high speed internet all the way to Natashquan, which is just 50 km from here. Unfortunately, still no bridge over the Natashquan River, and likely no digital or high speed from Telus untuil that bridge is built at the end of next year or early in 2014.
However, Telus has a contract now with the school board to provide high speed to the school here - I assume it's satellite because Telus has shipped huge satellite dishes to our microwave tower. But no indication Telus will provide high speed to the population at large here.
Mon, 2012-08-13 12:24
#13
Not a bloody thing has changed in 4 years. There is no legitimate reason for closing threads for length.
Mon, 2012-08-13 12:29
#14
Catchfire
Not a bloody thing has changed in 4 years.
This is absolutely not true. We now have a Conservative majority government with an NDP official opposition!
All kidding aside (or most of it, at least), I personally support pagination, as does Rebecca West, I believe. We have been waiting for the tech end of that feature. This reminds me that I need to ask our tech team about that. Thanks to Left Turn for the reminder!
(There are, incidentally, still some other reasons besides dial-up as to why we close threads at 100 posts. I think oldgoat went over those in the thread I linked to.)
Mon, 2012-08-13 12:57
#15
I re-read the thread and was as unconvinced of the validity of closing after 100 posts as I was 4 years ago. I think threads can run longer without having to move to pagination. Of the many discussion boards I frequent (politics, chess and religion) Babble is the only one that has this or a comparable policy.
Mon, 2012-08-13 15:26
#16
Perhaps Canada will pull even with athletic powerhouses Kazakhstan and Netherlands by next Olympics.
Tue, 2012-08-14 13:46
#17
Catchfire
Pagination will be introduced shortly, and maybe we'll be able to put an end to this draconian rule once and for all. A true victory for democracy [Stalinist mods reserve right to end threads for "length" any time the see fit, or wish to exercise power purely for the sake of it, as is our wont.]
Tue, 2012-08-14 13:54
#18
I can just imagine how Trostkyist mods would handle the issue.
The might pick their battles even if they are on thin ice.
Tue, 2012-08-14 13:56
#19
Pagination will be introduced shortly,
The Liberals promised national child care in 1993. After the 100th time they were asked about it in the media and the House, they closed the thread.
And my name isn't shortly.
Tue, 2012-08-14 14:11
#20
Surely, you jest.
Tue, 2012-08-14 14:24
#21
I'm just waiting to see what happens when this one hits 100, regardless of what Surely says.
Tue, 2012-08-14 14:31
#22
Catchfire
It's pronounced "Surly."
And I'd like to pause for a moment in honour of what Brother Unionist has reminded us, and thank M. Chretien for introducing a National Child Care Program. Praise be to him!
Tue, 2012-08-14 15:11
#23
Boom Boom
I thought it was pronounced "Shirley". That's how I've pronounced it all the time I've been here. 
Tue, 2012-08-14 23:21
#24
Pagination will be introduced shortly, and maybe we'll be able to put an end to this draconian rule once and for all.
Well, that was fast. Congrats, tech people! Now let's test drive it.
Wed, 2012-08-15 06:14
#25
I just set my comments per page at 90, but I can still only see 24 in this thread...
Wed, 2012-08-15 07:30
#26
I just set my comments per page at 90, but I can still only see 24 in this thread...
Wed, 2012-08-15 07:46
#27
It works. It really, really works.
Wed, 2012-08-15 07:56
#28
If by 'works' you mean to say that you see more posts than 27 at this point, after selecting 30 comments or more per page, well I just don't know about that.
Wed, 2012-08-15 09:06
#29
I set it for 10 per page and it worked.
Now can the draconian, Stalinist 100 post rule be abolished?
Wed, 2012-08-15 09:24
#30
Boom Boom
Why the huge jump in choice from 90 to 150 comments per page? I'd like to see a 100 or 110 comment choice.
Wed, 2012-08-15 12:05
#31
Catchfire
Now can the draconian, Stalinist 100 post rule be abolished?
The Stalinist 100 shall always rule.
Wed, 2012-08-15 12:22
#32
Betraying the revolution again...
Tue, 2014-04-29 14:17
#33
I am about to eat crow. I think unlimited length threads are not a good idea although I still think the number 100 was to low. What about closing threads at 300 posts, the maximum number you can read on one page?
Tue, 2014-04-29 14:33
#34
So, the revisionist traitor Caissa, having triumphed in his "leave 'em open" crusade, now seeks to drag us back to the old orthodoxy.
He's obviously an agent provocateur.
Ban him!
- J.V. Stalin
P.S. On a less dogmatic note, why can't we paginate the Active Topics page? It used to be paginated before the Great Proletarian Babble "Up"grade.
Tue, 2014-04-29 14:38
#35
We must have permanent revolution, Comrade Stalin.
Tue, 2014-04-29 15:38
#36
We must have permanent revolution, Comrade Stalin.
Indeed, we gotta keep that tree of liberty refreshed.