Threads locked by the Robot [Risolto]

Hi admins, 

I think the Robot should not lock unsolved or any of the threads of the Coin Identification section.

As several members, I posted some help needing, always hoping someday someone will shine a light on some mistery coins. But as I see, after some time, no one will be able to give more information since the topics are locked.

I understand this function in everyday ordinary forum sites, but coin identification can take months or years.

what's the worst that can happen with old threads?

Thank you for your time

Geison

Hi,

this automatic locking has been introduced on purpose mostly to reduce  spamming - fake/spam account that were using old thread to post unauthorized messages, etc. - and to avoid bumping of old threads like 5 years old threads.

A thread is locked only after 3 months of inactivity.

And it can still be unlocked upon request if it's reasonable. You can either message any moderator or click the “report” button to  ask for a thread to be unlocked.

+1

These messages are locked with 3 months, little time for unidentified items seeking help.

I have this problem with 2 pieces of exonumia posted in January seeking help. Now, 11 months after, I have more information but they was locked and I can not write the new data.

Also, yesterday I found another topic from other user but I can not reply with new information.

The option to use the “Report an inappropriate message” form does no seen appropriate to me. I do not want report an inappropriate message to moderators, I want unlock my topic.

Some things occur to me (they can be combined or not):

• Perhaps can be increased to 12 months, and every 3 months of inactivity post a reply by the Numista Robot similar to:
                  This topic needs help. If help has already been provided, mark it as solved, please.
  The third and last message posted can be similar to:
                  This topic needs help. If help has already been provided, mark it as solved, please.
                   If there is not response, it will by locked within three months.
   
• Add a button “Request unlock to the Numista Robot” (this way, the moderators are not bothered we do not bother moderators with unlock requests) only if these all conditions happen:
  • the member is the owner of the topic,
  • the topic was locked by Numista Robot (of course!),
  • the topic is not mark as solved. 

Edit: I fixed my English.

pejounet

 and to avoid bumping of old threads like 5 years old threads.

 

 

Is this against the rules?

I think it's more against necromantic spambots.

Yes, it was anti-bot measure.

I just posted re this as well so been redirected here.

It's really a bad idea to lock posts asking for help to i.d coins, yesterday I sat identifying some Indian coins and adding replies, then I moved to posts from 2- 3 months ago and found them all locked even though I had identification for some. Thousands of threads locked including lots with no replies. Even posts marked solved should be left as they may contain a wrong i.d which I spotted a couple of times.

I personally have 800+ coin photo's on zeno that can be replied to at any time, 6,550 or more  posts on WoC  so why does Numista block further replies to requests for help when the two other sites I mentioned can manage without?

Vic

Is bot spamming such a big problem? is seems like a high price to pay. 

I would volunteer to be a spambot killer, if that would help.

 (I hardly like to admit how much time I spend on this forum 😇)

What about a simple Captcha or a “unlock” button.

Do not know how necromantic scripts works but I guess there are optional defenses.

You can also ask moderators for unlock, just “report” the first post and let them know you would like to unlock.

Jarcek

You can also ask moderators for unlock, just “report” the first post and let them know you would like to unlock.

We  should not have to do that though and then wait until someone eventually takes note and unlocks a thread you requested.

We are asking moderators to unlock them all which is surely the most sensible option.

Sadly this sensible option was used for spam which called for locking the old ones as most sensible option…

Jarcek

Sadly this sensible option was used for spam which called for locking the old ones as most sensible option…

But it's not really a sensible option is it, threads from just 2 or 3 months ago are locked. A spammer needs an account in order to type something so presumably would have a newly opened account which you would then rapidly delete.

Jarcek

You can also ask moderators for unlock, just “report” the first post and let them know you would like to unlock.

Yes but… as I told here https://en.numista.com/forum/topic122066.html#p1121941

davidhs

The option to use the “Report an inappropriate message” form does no seen appropriate to me. I do not want report an inappropriate message to moderators, I want unlock my topic.

[…]

[and I do not want] bother moderators with unlock requests

Edit: I fixed my English.

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

smvdbrink

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

Brilliant solution 🥰 - Mike

smvdbrink

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

This is good idea. Lets couple it with some other conditions (like not being banned from forum in past xx), being member of a Numista for xy and I believe it could work.

But why only the identifications and valuations forums? None of the others get locked by Robot. Bots only mess with those forums and not the others?

smvdbrink

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

Or, in other words, instead of locking “old” topics (a topic always can be locked for a specific reason: polemic subject, spam…), all topic are unlocked and members can reply only if they meet some conditions.

In any case, if a spammer publishes, we have the “Report an inappropriate message” button to notify the moderators, and moderators can moderate (hide parts, lock the topic, block the member, remove the message…).

About the conditions, another can be:

A member with a low number of published messages (eg. 5, 10...) must solve a CAPTCHA (if it can be added to Numista).

Edit: I fixed my English.

Still doesn't explain why only the ID forums are locked.

Edit: and swap forums.

Edit: Don't confuse blocked messages with locked messages.

smvdbrink

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

Well that would lock me out for starters as in my case I've been  a member since 2012 but not made many posts as you can see,  why is that you might ask?  well the answer is I've spent all of my coin posting time on zeno  (username(VicN) and a moderator on WorldofCoins (Capnbirdseye)and never got around to adding them here as well. 

And as someone else pointed out, it's only the ID forum locked but none of the others so how is that supposed to justify locking the ID section because of spammers? 

Vic65

smvdbrink

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

Well that would lock me out for starters as in my case I've been  a member since 2012 but not made many posts as you can see 

True. This solve your case:

davidhs

A member with a low number of published messages (eg. 5, 10...) must solve a CAPTCHA (if it can be added to Numista).

rsirian1

Don't confuse blocked messages with locked messages.

😲Right! I fixed my English in previous messages.

davidhs

Vic65

smvdbrink

Why don't we set a limit for number of posts you must have to unlock a topic? For instance, replying to a topic after it's been locked is only possible if you have a minimum of 30 posts (or some other number that suits better), ór when you are already a participant in the topic.

Well that would lock me out for starters as in my case I've been  a member since 2012 but not made many posts as you can see 

True. This solve your case:

davidhs

A member with a low number of published messages (eg. 5, 10...) must solve a CAPTCHA (if it can be added to Numista).

 

The answer there is that I simply would not bother to faff about with  “how many photo's with fire hydrants are there” or how many bridges are there" etc etc and my possibly 😇 useful advice would be lost. 

Why even try to justify or find a solution for something that doesn't need to be there in the first place 

Jarcek

Yes, it was anti-bot measure.

Did it work?  https://en.numista.com/forum/topic139994.html

Seems like "throwing out the baby with the bathwater."

I've looked more into this and it appears that earlier on the posts were locked after after around two years,  posts from 2017 locked in 2019 etc

Now the Robot has gone berserk and locks posts in barely 2 months which completely ridiculous and it wants fixing.

I don’t think there is any need to close any topics at all. This is stupid and simply outrageous. For example, I have new information on some topic that was discussed 10 years ago. And so I go to the topic and see that it is closed. I take this as an insult and simply leave without writing anything. I will not create a new topic in such a situation, or ask someone to open the old one.

ciscoins

I don’t think there is any need to close any topics at all. This is stupid and simply outrageous. For example, I have new information on some topic that was discussed 10 years ago. And so I go to the topic and see that it is closed. I take this as an insult and simply leave without writing anything. I will not create a new topic in such a situation, or ask someone to open the old one.

Apparently you are very easily insulted…

Hello,

Old identification forum threads are not locked anymore.

Swap threads will still be locked automatically to avoid unnecessary reopening of threads that are not relevant anymore, but the period was extended from 3 months to 1 year.

Well that's good to hear, I just checked further down the line and they are indeed unlocked 🙂

Xavier

Swap threads will still be locked automatically to avoid unnecessary reopening of threads that are not relevant anymore, but the period was extended from 3 months to 1 year.

+1 👌