Well, I don't think there are any points except to one - closing topics would definitely help to all staff, and if we have one, we could close 'em because it make a lot of easier to staff.

But I don't get it...why don't we have the ability to close? I know that staff can close their owns, and to anybody else (Except for DM's which can close their own topics) and like that.

Oops, I mean only own topics.

Are you talking about only closing your own or closing others?

Because some people would be stupid and close other peoples topics when they did not want them to be closed.

Now if it was just closing there own, then I don't see why not.

I don't like the idea of people being able to close their own topics. This would mean that the forums would be flooded with closed topics.

If you can close topics, you also have the power to open topics; and that is why only DM+ can close topics.

Simply once closed, you can't open again.

You make it sound so easy! Do you care to code the mod so that this is possible?

The way that the forums work is that if you can close a topic, you can also open it, as Stobbo said. Therefore, if you have the power to close your own topics you also have the power to open your own topics, even if it has been closed by a moderator for a reason. Unless some sort of mod is created (or found, I guess) that allows a group to close (but not open) their own topics, then I think it's clear why forum members won't be allowed to close their own topics.

Unfortunately, that isn't how the Close/Open feature works and if you can Close a topic, you can also Open it as and when you want to.

EDIT: (what Steve said )

Yep. I've had experience with many types of forums. You'll need some pretty good coding to modify the way you downloaded (and how the forum has always been) the forum and all of it's defaults.

Remember when they updated forums a while back and everything was crummy and glitchy for a week? With that said lets not update the code. Ever.

edit:Wit ≠ With

Umm...Can't you modify the groups' abilities from the cPanel to disable the "open" topics? o.O

It's in one bundle;
[ ] Can Open/Close own topics.

Can't like a forum admin close a topic permanently that a mod opened? Couldn't the same thing happen with this? If they open their topic again, and it is 7 days old, a mod could close it. Otherwise, whats wrong with reopening it in a 6 day period?

Oh. I think then we need to give the suggestion to IPB staff?

No.

No.

Saying no here would just be redundant..

Yeah, I just don't get this bit..?
Other than if a topic was closed for 6 days, then reopened, it'd be very likely to be bumped if it wasn't posted in for a while (which, being 6 days down the pile of active topics, is likely.)


A) IPB3 is eventually coming out, see what comes with that.
B) Or you could just keep the system as it's been working for many years, and have mods close the topics.

*Sigh* If the IPB3 changes the options to open/close, will it be changed to that?

Que Sera, Sera.

I don't speak Spanish?

It's French, and I believe it means..
Whatever will be, will be.

He means "what will happen, will happen" in a way

About the question, i own an IPB forum and ive tryed to code it so that u can close your own topics but not open them and believe me, its hard, unfortunately new members will use the Open/Close topics freely = Major Spam.

Even though i could suggest that members with over 1000 or 2000 posts could open/close them, acting like Junior Mods in a way, but i doubt it.

-Gaia

This is a general comment unrelated directly to this topic: If we were to just keep with the system that's been working for years, Sal wouldn't be updating the forum at all. Things change over time, mate.

On topic: I don't see the need to close your own topics. Why not keep the mods busy (and off their lazy butts ) and send a little report. I do believe it can be done with a little PHP/SQL to check the user is the first post of the topic, then to allow them permission to close the topic w/o the ability to open it. Include a check of whether the user is in the Forum users or New Users usergroup, that way those who aren't in such groups (DMs+) still have the ability to Open/Close as set in the ACP. The basics are there and it is quite feasible, but I also don't think it's necessary.

Why would you ever need to close your own topic?

I have, many times. For example, if you ask a question in RuneScape Questions, and it's answered, then I often ask a mod to close it, otherwise it'd turn into a mass spamhole.

Reporting for closure by a moderator is really no big deal. It takes about 5 seconds for a mod to do it.

Unless IP.Board separates the open and close power in future releases, I really don't see any need for changes.

What if the moderators aren't online?

That's extremely rare and wont likely happen.

Well, we're lucky to have Fini.

If you leave an answered topic open, most of the time people don't reply to it, unless they have more to add to the original answer.

Or they like to restate the same exact answer in their own way.

It takes a few extra hours to get your topic closed. No big deal.

While the nights, maybe all of the staff, maybe even DM's are offline, users spam in a topic with offensive language. How can we stop it? What if there's no staff online for like 8 hours?

It all takes its time, the person that spams offensive lang will be banned even if mods loging 8 hours later.

Open Close topics isnt such a big deal even tho i say that normal members with 1000 or 2000 posts should be able to do so as they are supposed to be experienced members.

It isnt difficult to make a new member group and it could resolve these spam issues.

-Gaia

What are the chances that the topic owner is online if no admins or mods are? He's just one more person likely to be offline.

While most forum users would I'm sure prefer this and find it useful, it's hardly important and causes more problems than it would fix.

ive seen another ipb forum allow users to close their own topics in some places, so it shouldnt be impossible.

Nobody said impossible. It would just be hard to code or to find a mod that does it.

Ill check in the IPB forums if it is possible, ill ask a mod or something there.

-Gaia

2000-3000 posts? I already have more than 2100 posts... I think it'd just be limited to 5,000 posts.

Why dont Moderators, instead of closing topics, delete topics? Although 1 of the good things to be a DM + for is the ability to close there own topics, so then theres not very many other good things about being a DM etc.

Because others can benefit from the topic instead of starting their own discussion and waiting for all the replies again. People should search for threads before asking questions, but it's not something that can be enforced. Sometimes, people quote directly from a past thread that better explains what the OP is looking to know.

The forums also look a lot more active if there are more than a couple hundred threads listed and thus attract users to registering.

'Supposed' being the operative word in the above sentence.

Hm, you know, I think I'm going to get 1000-2000 posts. After that I can make the most idiotic topics possible, when a mod descides to close it I will take my awesome powers and open it again.

The topic I am answering to is a prime example of such a theory; all it lacks is to be closed.


Why not do the sensible thing and make quality of posts the pillar? And how about trustworthyness? Something like keeping the forumers safe could also be taken into account.

Hold on... we have members like that, don't we? What were they? Oh right, moderators. How come I didn't think of a topic like this: Lets have moderators.

Trustworthiness is a matter of opinion
I really can't see the problem in this, I haven't read through all previous posts so sorry if I say something already said:

Pros
When a question is answered you can shut it
Less mod tiem used
Less spam in answered topics
less flame in heated topics

Cons
Dms don't have anything special...

When you actually start moderating, you just accept closing topics as part of that role. It isn't like it's all that difficult to do it either, i don't possibly see why you would want the ability to just close a topic if it is a possibility in the future. Sure it might help out the staff a little but, then if we had a way around using their power what would be the point in them having the responsibility.

It isn't exactly like everything needs to be closed as soon as you request it, in fact because it doesn't usually sometimes you find a topic can stay open because a discussion is still taking place. The fact is, not only is it about responsibility, you don't even need the function.

Post count should definitely not be leverage for responsibility. And as for trusting members, i do believe we have a group called "Distinguished Members" and i do believe they have the power to open/close their own topics.

You're forgetting the fact that as of now if it were implemented the topic starter would be able to open their topic no matter what. Unless there is an easy way to implement only closing, this idea isn't really feasible.

I'm not sure this applies to the IPB paid forums, but with IPBfree you can give permission for a group to close but not open topics.