I think we need to add something to the rules informing people of the search function and a warning not to create repeat topics. This has happened at least three times just today. Also how long of a period should there be before someone can create a topic about an already existing topic?

Yea it is a catch 22. You want them to not make new topics, but at the same time not revive old ones.

 

I say the limit should be 2 months. If you can't find a thread made with in the last 2 months on that topic you can make your own. If there is one made in that 2 month period it should be able to be revived.

I'd have to agree. In practice it would be nice if people always used the related thread from moths ago, but it rarely works so nicely. 2 months though seems like an adequate amount of time to deal with repeats and revivals.

Should we update the rules to reflect the 2 month rule? We should leave this thread here for maybe 5 days or so, so everyone can get their feedback in for this idea.

This "2 monthes" rule is stupid. Are we going to tell that "If a topic is older than 2monthes so you must create a new one ? "

I don't think it's a very intelligent way

 

But I completely agree with popcorn, people should use the search function each time it's possible. We don't care if the topic is older than 2 monthes, all's right if the topic is still related

Yeah I think 2 months may be a little too much time. I think that the rule should be you can create a new topic if the old topic is reasonably out of date, the discussion was over, and/or your topic is reasonably different from the original.

The longer someone's reply to an older topic is, the more justification they have for reviving it. If someone replies with a one-liner to a 3 month topic, that's plenty justification for a warning. If someone replies to an old topic with several paragraphs of text indicating an actual discussion, I think that should be fine. As always, we should judge it on a case-by-case basis and tell people to use the Search function to look for previously answered questions.

As long as the message isn't something like. Ya I agree or this idea is bad then there shouldn't be a limit.