When is a Thread Dead

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I have just gone through all of the current posts and have noted the extraordinary and quite amazing contribution from NewsBot.

In quite number of threads (some lasting for a number of years) NewsBot's contribution represents 100% of the contributions and in many more it represents a very high percentage of the contributions.

If the threads started by Newsbot are removed there would not be much discussion going on at all on this site!

When poor NewsBot keeps the thread going with one contribution after another it often ends up resembling someone carrying on with CPR in a unresponsive patient for years.

Is there some point at which poor NewsBot should be allowed to admit that the thread is in fact a cadaver?

I would suggest that if it hasn't become self determining after a maximum of three consecutive inputs from NewBots the thread is a dead parrot?

Bill

 

Bill,

Whilst it may be that certain threads could be considered 'dead' from a discussion or member contribution perspective, they still have a positive role to play. Should someone be interested in say 'use of medial wedging for knee OA' or 'difference between treadmill and overground running' then by searching these terms in google and adding 'podiatry arena' to the search bar they have a list of articles which gives them a starting point for further reading.

The job Newsbot does, in essentially building mini literature reviews on almost every topic, is phenomenal. Underrated by most I'm sure.

 

I suggested some time ago that the Newsbot threads be listed somewhere else since by the time Newsbot gets done adding all their threads (sometime 10 in number at a time), half of the threads where people were actually discussing interesting items have pushed off from the right side of the page into the difficult-to-locate Forums section of the website.

Can more space be added on the right side of the page so more active threads (where people are actually discussing items, not just Newsbot posting up the latest research) can be more readily viewed, or, alternatively, give Newsbot their own thread that doesn't push out other threads off the right side of the page to the Forums section so we can readily see the threads where people are actually discussing things??

There have been times when good threads where people are actively discussing have been pushed off the right side of the page after just a day of inactivity on that thread, mostly because Newsbot posted on 12 new threads that same day, on threads where no one but Newsbot has contributed to!

Let's try to keep the threads where people are actually discussing things more accessible here on Podiatry Arena to everyone so more discussion is encouraged. My vote is to add 10 more slots on the right side of the main page so Newsbot can do their thing without pushing active discussion threads off the main page!

 

Just because we are not talking about a topic, does not mean that someone else is not interested in the topic. If new papers are published, I would like the littel kick to think about the topic. Just because I don't comment, it doesn't mean I don't want to read about it. It's your choice whether or not you read a thread.

Eric

 

Kevin, How often does this happen. I think I'm constantly checking the arena for new posts. I'm often surprised that you and Simon or someone else has had a long conversation in the time since my last view .

Are there different ways of viewing the arena. When I'm looking at the Biomechanics and foot orthosis section there is a line down at the bottom of the page with further "pages" that you can click on to see the next oldest set of threads. So, it's not that hard to find threads that you've forgotton the name of. I'm not opposed to inceasing the number of threads per page.

Eric

 

I count 30 threads listed in the "Recent Threads" column on the right hand side of the "Home" page for Podiatry Arena. About once a week, when Newsbot posts up the latest research, often times 10 of those 30 threads that are being actively discussed are knocked out of the "Recent Threads" section of the "Home" page to be replaced often times by threads where Newsbot is the only contributor. If one wants to find these very recent threads (sometimes only a day or two old) with active discussions among PA members that are being knocked off the "Recent Threads" section of the "Home" page, then one must try to remember which "Forums" they are in and then go searching for them. Since many times I can't remember which part of the "Forums" the thread is located in, it may take a considerable amount of time to find where these recent threads are again in some cases.

My suggestion: Increase the "Recent Threads" column to 50 in number, instead of 30 in number. Save space by eliminating the "Forum" section of each thread (i.e. delete the "General Issues and Issues Forum" from this thread in the "Recent Threads" section of the "Home" page), which I think is information that is not vital or even used by most when they are viewing a thread. In that way, Newsbot can do their thing once a week by giving us all the recent research and still the most recent discussed threads will still be available for easy access for all the visitors to Podiatry Arena.

What say you?

 

[QUOTE

My suggestion: Increase the "Recent Threads" column to 50 in number, instead of 30 in number. Save space by eliminating the "Forum" section of each thread (i.e. delete the "General Issues and Issues Forum" from this thread in the "Recent Threads" section of the "Home" page), which I think is information that is not vital or even used by most when they are viewing a thread. In that way, Newsbot can do their thing once a week by giving us all the recent research and still the most recent discussed threads will still be available for easy access for all the visitors to Podiatry Arena.

What say you?[/QUOTE]

Of course there is no such thing as a dead thread only suspended reality or more accurately out of sight out of mind.

I liked your solution Kevin even if it fell on deaf ears.

Maybe rather than trying to squeeze in 50 titles down the right hand side of the screen keeping those visible at 30 but adding a 'page' facility that would allow easier acces to previous 'current' threads might work?

In acknowledgement of the multifaceted value of NewsBots many postings, what if they were listed down the left side of the screen, moving to the right side of the screen when someone responded? If a different type face or colour was used for those threads initiated or responded to by NewsBot it would not be too confusing when a thread leapt from one side of the screen to the other and back again or would it?

Bill