Why the ongoing long threads?

[raingirl]

I just have a question, not sure where to post it though.

Why does LHC have a lot of ongoing/long threads?

I used to help administer a vBulletin board and long threads over 3 pages/50 posts were banned. The reason I was told is that the database needs to load all the posts each time the thread is displayed (not just what you see on the screen). This would cause excessive bandwidth and processing issues. If you load a thread with 3000 posts, each time it's loaded, it has to load all 3000 posts from the database, even if you only view page 192 or something.

I'm by no means a vBullietin expert, but I did a little googling and it seems this is true.

I'm just wondering if this is contributing to the outages we sometimes see. I checked on downornot.com and it's giving quota errors. That may be a downornot error on their website though.

Just thought I would pass this along.

[WaitingSoLong]

I hope somebody reads your post! It is very intersting as I know nothing of such things. Seems like it could potentially be a simple solution.

We have long threads because it is a really long discussion (years). It serves as a sort of archive for itself. But I am guessing you meant the "why" to be more like...why if it causes problems, not why do they exist.

There are a few other things like that that don't make a whole lot of sense to me, not just here but other websites, too (like an old news article announcing an event that was over last year, why can it still be googled? Why not get rid of stuff over, say, 90 days old?). One of the other things is, if a memeber is banned for whatever reason, their account still exists. Like, their member profile and everything. Shouldn't the entirety of their profile be deleted? I just assumed it had something to do with how forums work and I just have no knowledge of such things.

[Greenfire]

Most forums will archive an old thread and post a continuation of it, to keep the forum from loading too many pages. I know I do this on mine.

As a member, I find it intimidating to see a thread about CO washing, Henna, Monistat, etc with hundreds of pages, that started years ago. I haven't had the guts to look at them, and won't. The internet can point me to the information I need on another site for those things, so I don't have to go through pages to get the info I could easily get in a newer thread. There is a lot of snobbery that goes on in the longstanding threads, to the point that there is even a thread here with longtime members complaining about the audacity of new posters making a new thread to ask a question when there's a hundred page thread already about it. But then when you DO see someone ask a question in one of those threads, these same people will post, "read the thread" to them, instead of answering. I just stay away.

Even to just restart a thread once a year, like the waist length in 2012 thread... hoping they make a new one for 2013 to keep it up to date. But yeah, the load times are annoying too.

[WaitingSoLong]

Hmm. I never noticed the snobbery. I know I try to find my answers in already posted threads before asking a new question, but searching thousands of posts in one thread can take forever. Plus, for other new people, I don't mind the new threads where it re-asks the questions. It gives other new people a chance to respond instead of always just the advice of years-old-posts. So I see both sides I guess.

People were very nice and answered all my newbie questions when I joined. Sometimes I answer them, sometimes I don't. I admit that when the info seems so readily available and it is not really a discussion worthy question, it gets annoying (like what does LWB stand for?- and if they had read the newbie pages or sticky posts all that is explained there).

When I join a thousands-of-posts thread I do not go back and read all the posts. I think people just like to see other people at least trying to get their answers themselves first and then, if it is hard to find (and it can be even though it is "right there"), asking at that point. It took me awhile to learn that some things had to be googled due to the parameters of the LHC search function. I bet I was here 3 years before I realized that (I think it was earlier this year someone finally mentioned googling and finding LHC threads that way).

I do think some threads are worth starting new once in awhile, but others, like "giving up the dye/bleach/etc." thread, well that is years of people's progress who are still on the journey and since the thread is still very active I don't see the point of archiving it.

Other threads, like some OT threads in the friendship forum, are best left alone if you were not in it to begin with, unless you really want to read the whole thing, because it is basically one really long conversation. I tend to skip those if they are more than 3 pages into it unless I really have something important to contribute.

Asking someone to "read the thread" when said thread is dozens of pages long is not helpful, depending on the question. I like links to threads, because sometimes I have honestly looked and just could not find it. Some topics get rehashed to death to the point that when a new thread with the same question for the 300th time comes up, we all roll our eyes and groan. Some choose to ignore it, others choose to redirect them to threads, others will just patiently answer the question again. For me it depends on my mood and whether it is a topic I care about.

Since the board has been down so much lately, I tend to skip anything like that and spend my time in threads I have already invested into.

[TessieAnn]

The long threads have been an attempt to organize topics that draw a lot of traffic, such as the Henna, Monistat, and Shampoo Bar threads. The idea would be that all discussion was saved in one place so you didn't have to search all over the forum for little bits.

There are pros and cons to either method. However, if it's true that the long threads contribute to stress on bandwidth, they might need to be reconsidered.

[Natalia]

Wow interesting how cool if it would be a quick fix like that. The long threads have perks too though. Its much easier to search within one huge thread fo a tidbit of info than the whole board. The general search eliminates alot of the short words that narrow it down the thread search doesnt seem to. For instance i found it easier to naviate the Tell me about PM thread easier than the boards but that said much of that belongs in the underutilized product revie section.

[Greenfire]

~goes to look up what LWB stands for~

[neko_kawaii]

I like the epic long threads for picture heavy things like braids and buns and hand made toys, would it be too much work for the mods to lock them and post a start a new thread with a link to the new thread at the end of the old? That way those who are subscribed to the old threads would be directed to the new ones. Perhaps add a mod who mainly does that?

As for newbies asking the same questions over and over again, perhaps those topics are not adequately covered in the newbie sticky page or the articles.

[justgreen]

If you want to find an answer quickly post it on google thusly: Long Hair Community is apple cider vinegar ok to use.

Post that and see what happens.

[GRU]

My recommendation for people who find huge threads daunting is to just read the first 5-10 pages and the last 5-10 pages. That will give you the original idea and also the "latest and greatest" products to use, without having to read the same thing hundreds of time in between.