New Forum Help "Similar Threads"

[JohnW2]

DIYnot .... I realise that one now gets a bright red warning if one attempts to reply to an old thread, which should do a lot to prevent the accidental resurrection of ancient threads. However, I thought the idea was also to limit the age of old threads which appear in the "Similiar Threads" list at the bottom of the page. I'm currently seeing threads over 10 years old in that list, so has that 'time limit' not been implemented?

Kind Regards, John

 

[DIYnot]

No there is no time limit for similar threads at this time. In theory they are supposed to help with answers, but I know it does sometime raise the dead. We'll see how the warning gets on.

 

[JohnW2]

No there is no time limit for similar threads at this time. In theory they are supposed to help with answers, but I know it does sometime raise the dead. We'll see how the warning gets on.

Fair enough - as I said, I would expect the 'warning' top have a substantial effect. In the specific case of Electrics UK (and similar probably happens in other forums), there are quite frequent and important changes in rules and regulations. The last major change (in electrical regulations) was in 2008, but there have been subsequent significant changes in 2011, 2013 and 2015 - so some of the advice given in 2004 and 2006 threads (which were included in the 'Similar Threads' first list I looked at) could be incorrect, hence potentially misleading.

Kind Regards, John

 

[DIYnot]

I know what you mean, but at the moment there is no time restriction at all on similar threads.

 

[JohnW2]

I know what you mean, but at the moment there is no time restriction at all on similar threads.

Fair enough. That being the case, if I were DIYnot, I think I might be inclined to add some sort of 'disclaimer' to the warning message, to the effect that information and advice relating to regulatory matters in old threads may well be incorrect in terms of current rules and regulations!

Kind Regards, John

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I think you worry too much. Has there ever been a case of a website being held more responsible for advice than "some bloke I met in the pub told me that..."?

 

[JohnW2]

I think you worry too much. Has there ever been a case of a website being held more responsible for advice than "some bloke I met in the pub told me that..."?

I don't know - probably not - but I wasn't really thinking primarily about legal liability (so probably should have picked a better word than 'disclaimer').

Mind you, I would have said that what we're talking about is rather different from advice being given in real time, which is subject to the 'bloke in the pub' argument. In the situation we are discussing, DIYnot is, without any specific warning (and without 'needing to'), "going out of its way" to bring to people's attention a thread which it knows (or should know) could contain information which is no longer correct. If a pub landlord ("deliberately and unnecessarily") brought to the attention of the public that there was "an electrician in the corner of his bar giving advice", in the knowledge that the person was sitting there clutching a copy of the 15th Edition (1981) of the Wiring Regs, I don't think that landlord would be beyond criticism, morally if not legally!

Anyway, as I said, I wasn't really thinking of legal liability but, rather, of trying to be helpful to members. DIYnot has instituted this 'big red warning' pointing out that the old thread "may not need any further discussion", but without pointing out it may contain information which is no longer correct. Of course, that message is only seen by those who attempt to reply to an old thread - ideally, they would be 'warned' when they merely read a very old thread.

Kind Regards, John