Why we 'merge'

[TheOrcKing]

I never thought I would have ever needed to write up a topic for this but very recent events and certain comments say otherwise.

Almost every day, new topics are created bringing forth attention to certain articles, questions asked, or in some cases just for fun. Sometimes, however, the same discussion gets brought up from time to time with another newly formed thread. Now there is not exactly anything wrong with that. It is only natural to make mistakes and some threads can be difficult to find without knowing the right keywords to use in a search. So as a moderator, part of our job is to put similar threads together for various reasons.

1. A single thread is much easier and quicker to find when searching.

2. Little to no confusion where any and all related future discussion can be done for everyone to find.

3. Less redundant threads to browse through means less clutter to filter through.

4. Any reply or question of yours has a better chance of being seen and answered.

5. Reduces the chance members have of answering the same question yet again.

There are a few other reasons I am probably missing but I hope you are starting to see my general point. We do not merge topics as a way to annoy anyone. We do so to make this website easier to use for you. Even if it may not be a member's duty to report threads that share a similarity and could be merged with another, it is still up to us moderators and administrators to take care of the situation and we thank those who go out of their way to point such things out as it makes our jobs a little easier.

Now then that is out of the way, here is what I have found to be outright disrespectful lately. Although I did not have much of a problem with the 'idea' of a thread for "Lego Jokes" when I first came across it on the list sometime the day before yesterday, the truth is comicblast and Darth Lego were correct. We already have a single and pinned thread for that subject to make it easy for everybody to find and contribute to whenever they wish. Besides the responses these two members were given for stating the obvious, that "Lego Jokes" thread ended up looking the same way the other joke topic did to begin with having a lot of the same interchangeable rhetoric, and there was nothing discernible from one or the other.

Whether or not you think a thread is 'too crowded' or has 'too many pages to search through', the fact is this organization makes the site easier for everyone to find what their looking for and eliminates confusion on where to post certain replies. I would not expect or force anybody to search through a four hundred page thread manually but the choice is there as well as the search function. If you want to argue that point then answer me this, are you willing to browse through so much as ten threads discussing the same topic spread across an equal number of categories (even if they featured some slight differences)?

I understand some threads do cross over and there may not be any way of merging some without the original topic discussion being lost in translation. However, there are some things that do not bear being repeated in a duplicate thread. Instead, just bring it up in a similar topic and continue from there. Contrary to popular belief, people still post in threads with a hundred or so more posts considering that is how they got to where they are now to begin with.

There really isn't any kind of 'merger bandwagon' or 'merger police' and maybe it only seemed that way because a number of new topics started recently ended up being pretty much the same as something already brought up before and most are tired of doing the same ol' song & dance already. In any case just to reiterate, we do what we do to make the site better and easier to navigate for you, the members.

We are not picking on anyone and there is no reason to be disrespectful towards another member for starting a similar topic or for pointing out one likewise. Opinions and facts can be given politely and without name calling.

Thank you.

[jaisonline]

Thanks Orc, Ed, Jeff and others.

[Ed Mack]

I agree.  

[exciter1]

Thanks for outlining this and providing an explanation.  The preview related threads feature Jeff and Ed added is a great feature.  Keeping the forum as clean as possible is in he best interest for everyone.

[choppers605]

I am a moderator on a Diecast site and we follow the same idea, you guys are doing a great job!!!!!

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Since you are pulling a few things from what I said in the other thread, I want to make it clear I meant no disrespect to anyone. I was not meaning to question why a thread was merged as much as why people who were not moderators were jumping on threads immediately wanting them to be merged consistently. I have no problem with a moderator making a decision to merge a thread - that's their job and they know the rules.

 

This is just friendly advice, and I am not anything is being done wrong. However, when something new is started that is not the same as the original thread - lets say for instance you are comparing two sets investment wise and in an earlier thread, these two were compared along with 3 others in a more "which do you like best" sense. People jump on this (non-moderators) asking for the thread to be merged. If you feel it should, that's fine.

 

What I have noticed in helping to run my companies massive Support Forum is that once a new thread with a somewhat similar but not exact same topic is merged, the conversation is dead. Feel free to look back at some of the threads that were merged and see if that happened or not - if it didn't, then clearly that's unique to my site.

 

That combined with the fact that time changes everything means that a new thread could look similar to one started a year ago, but it would be seen and responded to in a completely new light. If you merge it and it kills the conversation, new readers will never see this.

 

On top of that, eventually with similar threads always merged, eventually you actually stunt posting on your own site because people are:

 

1. Afraid to post because of non-moderators jumping on the thread even thought they put in an effort to search.

2. Don't post things again because this was already talked about.

 

Anyway, my comments were made in general - the one that actually was merged I don't have as much problem with as it is jokes, and Ed is right when he says the site isn't about that.

 

This is just advice because I want the site to be good. And I don't think the Mods are doing a bad job at all. I think it just needs to be left to them and people should be encouraged not to call for mod-merges and similarly. I'm not going to lie, I didn't feel this way until I had a part in a large forum based website.

 

Its your website and I will enjoy it either way. But without constructive conversation, things can not advance to their full potential.

[sadowsk1]

Nice refresher.  

[Blackjack]

Thank you for clarifying.  I have nothing at all against mods merging threads and keeping the site clean and efficient, I would just like for the others to stop calling merges like some sort of hero.

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

Thank you for clarifying.  I have nothing at all against mods merging threads and keeping the site clean and efficient, I would just like for the others to stop calling merges like some sort of hero.

 

You said it way clearer than me - lol. I agree. I don't want to ever seem like I am calling out a moderator. I have no problem with anything they have done.

[comicblast]

Thanks for clearing things up, TheOrcKing. Sorry if I sounded like a jerk calling similar threads. It definitely wasn't my intention. It was mainly to make it easier for the OP who had asked an already asked question to get responses already mentioned, more insight, etc.

[Darth Lego]

Thanks for clearing things up, TheOrcKing. Sorry if I sounded like a jerk calling similar threads. It definitely wasn't my intention. It was mainly to make it easier for the OP who had asked an already asked question to get responses already mentioned, more insight, etc.

I agree. I wasn't trying to be rude or disrespectful either.

Thank you TheOrcKing for writing a detailed post about merging. I would also want to thank all the Moderators and Administrators for keeping the forums clean and tidy. :thumbsup:

[Gondorian]

Isn't there a thread about this already?

[CNH1974]

Just a thought. When a thread it merged, can the OP be sent an email telling him/her when it has gone.

 

I had a new posted merged - which was fine - but from my point of view it had been deleted. I got all angsty (today's made up word) until I found it again by random clicking.

[TheOrcKing]

Just a thought. When a thread it merged, can the OP be sent an email telling him/her when it has gone.

 

I had a new posted merged - which was fine - but from my point of view it had been deleted. I got all angsty (today's made up word) until I found it again by random clicking.

It doesn't do this already? It did with the older forum setup. Guess that's something Jeff will need to tweak.

[CNH1974]

No, I did not get anything. Admittedly you (I have decided to blame you ) moved it into into a thread I was not following. I do not know if that makes a difference.

 

 

So these last two replies should be merged into the Site Improvement & Updates thread??? Go on, dare ya.... 

[Grolim]

Actually don't think we can move posts from one thread into another, just merge complete threads.  Deleting posts is always an option though 

 

Sometimes when I merge threads I'll PM the author, especially if they are a newer member just to explain things.  But if it's a regular member and the topic is so obviously the same as another recent one I won't bother.  You should be able to see the thread that it was merged into as showing up with new posts if you use the "View New Content" button.  It should have a pretty similar title as well of course.

[stephen_rockefeller]

TOK, when you merge you have to check the box that says send member a notification of the merge (not the exact verbage) but similar. If you don't check the box no notification is sent.

EDIT: maybe that was with the old format but I think I recall seeing that box when I recently merged a thread.

[CNH1974]

Actually don't think we can move posts from one thread into another, just merge complete threads.  Deleting posts is always an option though 

 

Sometimes when I merge threads I'll PM the author, especially if they are a newer member just to explain things.  But if it's a regular member and the topic is so obviously the same as another recent one I won't bother.  You should be able to see the thread that it was merged into as showing up with new posts if you use the "View New Content" button.  It should have a pretty similar title as well of course.

 

Yes it would have been a complete merge - as mine was a thread of one. From memory I placed it in the Odds and Ends thread and it was moved to the What have you Built today thread. I didn't stick it in there as it was not something I had built, it was a CUSCOO project. 

 

It was not a biggie, I posted refreshed 30 mins later and it had vanished.

[TheOrcKing]

Actually don't think we can move posts from one thread into another, just merge complete threads.  Deleting posts is always an option though 

Moving posts under the current system, you need a topic ID (thread link) to 'move' it to. It is possible to move individual posts to another thread without resorting to a complete merge.

TOK, when you merge you have to check the box that says send member a notification of the merge (not the exact verbage) but similar. If you don't check the box no notification is sent.

EDIT: maybe that was with the old format but I think I recall seeing that box when I recently merged a thread.

That was the old format. The checkbox to send a notification to the thread owner isn't there anymore. Only a textbar for Topic Title and topic ID to merge with.

[Maverick2k1]

_{To all you moderators. Thank you for your hard work and dedication with keeping the forums sane and organized! The time you put in definitely helps keep this site growing and expanding, keep up the good work.}