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Thread locked at OP's request

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  • Feb 20th, 2013 7:32 am
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Deal Guru
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Jul 30, 2005
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ishfish wrote: I agree with this.
Certainly there are simple threads which are of the question and answer type.
But there are also the "let us discuss" threads which I think the OP should have less call in closing.
I do recall (quite some time ago) a thread in which members were debating/discussing and it was suddenly closed at OP's request. It ticked me off as it felt like it was a set up to get members interacting and then close it. Passive-aggressive from the beginning.
I agree the starter is not the owner - I also agree that requests to close be looked at requests only and are subject to Request Denied.
I disagree. Without knowing OP's reasons for requesting that the thread be locked and/or deleted, it's really not our place to be judging.

But as far as I'm concerned, if the OP has a good reason for making such a request, then it should be respected.

Especially when a thread has been badly derailed and/or OP is being attacked without good reason.
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D-Roc wrote: It must some sort of big deal if a thread was started about it.
This is RFD. Threads are routinely started over the most trivial of matters.
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May 25, 2011
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ronin1701 wrote: I disagree. Without knowing OP's reasons for requesting that the thread be locked and/or deleted, it's really not our place to be judging.

But as far as I'm concerned, if the OP has a good reason for making such a request, then it should be respected.

Especially when a thread has been badly derailed and/or OP is being attacked without good reason.
I agree with your disagreement.
My thinking was in reference to a thread which was a Discuss thread and many were enjoying it - all of a sudden locked at op's request.
It felt like a passive-aggressive setup and I thought that if that was going to be a common event in OT then there would be no point in participating there.

That was a while back and I have not found that to be a recent issue.
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Nov 23, 2010
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We do understand that some threads ought not to be locked as there was a positive discussion going on. We try to keep these treads open to the community and do take it into consideration when we make these open/closed decisions. Thanks for bringing this topic up as it does shed some light on a procedure that does require some definition and guidelines to how we handle 'closure requests' from the community.
For all community related matters, please PM TomRFD
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i cant recall ever seeing any threads that were locked at OP's request that were civil, informative and had a great dialogue going.
Most if not all of them went that way due to bickering, derailing, flaming/trolling etc.

I dont know why an OP would even request it be locked otherwise? If it were mine, Id just move on and ignore it. In fact I do that all the time, if I post and get the info I was looking for.
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Mar 21, 2010
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stealth wrote: i cant recall ever seeing any threads that were locked at OP's request that were civil, informative and had a great dialogue going.
Most if not all of them went that way due to bickering, derailing, flaming/trolling etc.
Maybe the way to proceed is just to state that then? "Thread locked due to bickering/derailing/flaming/trolling" just like any other thread, there's no need to mention it was the OP who reported the bickering. That way there's no implication that a thread's OP has "special powers" in that thread. Or to put it another way - treat OP's request just like a request or report by any other member, and if the thread meets the criteria for closure then it should be closed.

I just don't think an OP should be allowed to get a thread closed to protect him or herself, e.g. quite regularly threads get made which are basically along the lines of the OP bragging or looking for sympathy, and if the community disagrees or calls them out, they shouldn't have the power to just make it go away.
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Manatus wrote: Maybe the way to proceed is just to state that then? "Thread locked due to bickering/derailing/flaming/trolling" just like any other thread, there's no need to mention it was the OP who reported the bickering. That way there's no implication that a thread's OP has "special powers" in that thread. Or to put it another way - treat OP's request just like a request or report by any other member, and if the thread meets the criteria for closure then it should be closed.

I just don't think an OP should be allowed to get a thread closed to protect him or herself, e.g. quite regularly threads get made which are basically along the lines of the OP bragging or looking for sympathy, and if the community disagrees or calls them out, they shouldn't have the power to just make it go away.
I agree with that. But I also see the position of the forum owners, who prob don't like the atmosphere/optics of a big flame-fest pile-on whether Hitman err... the OP, had it coming to him or not. So the troll gets a pass.
Poetic justice is over rated in discussion forums.
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stealth wrote: I agree with that. But I also see the position of the forum owners, who prob don't like the atmosphere/optics of a big flame-fest pile-on whether Hitman err... the OP, had it coming to him or not. So the troll gets a pass.
Poetic justice is over rated in discussion forums.
I agree, I'm just saying that in those instances it's probably better to say "Thread closed because it became a flame-fest", rather than "Thread closed because OP requested it", it just gives a better impression to the community in my opinion. Someone will look at the thread and say "yeah, I can see why they closed it, it got a bit out of hand", vs. "hey how come this dude gets to hide behind the mods and can tell them what to do?".
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Manatus wrote: I agree, I'm just saying that in those instances it's probably better to say "Thread closed because it became a flame-fest", rather than "Thread closed because OP requested it", it just gives a better impression to the community in my opinion. Someone will look at the thread and say "yeah, I can see why they closed it, it got a bit out of hand", vs. "hey how come this dude gets to hide behind the mods and can tell them what to do?".
+1
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Nov 1, 2010
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Reason I created this thread was because informative, civil discussions threads were being locked at the request of the OP. I sometimes follow threads, and it gets locked. I can usually get a feel of the thread by reading some of the posts, and if they're flame baits, derailed etc.. I've no problem with those threads being locked. What ever reason they give to close the thread is fine by me because most people just go read something else if it's just full of trolls, flames, and derailment. I was mainly pointing out the civil informative, answer, question type posts being locked. I posted a few examples previously, I don't see any reason for them to be locked, is what I was getting at.
Uh, yeah, I'd like to speak to a Mr. Tabooger, first name Ollie.
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ronin1701 wrote: This is RFD. Threads are routinely started over the most trivial of matters.
Yup. They sure are. Human nature I suppose.

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