Please remove the option to close own threads.

[Raxiaz]

There are WAY many more forums that allow their users to close their own threads. It is a necessary, basic fundamental tool of the rudimentary elements of ANY successful forum and denying its use for the every day user is just harmful. Moderators can tell you that the ability to lock threads (not by just moderators, but users as well) showed a decline in bad behavior among users.

Moderators aren't reading the forums 24-7. There is not a computer that scans human behavior based on text that meets a criteria and alerts moderators of a thread getting out of control. The thread creator should have the right to cease any new posts in their topic - whether you like it or not.

If you disagree with this, maybe you shouldn't come here any more. A lot of you seem against a lot of what SE is doing with their forum.

Arguing against it just because it's being abused is futile. Abuse happens everywhere. We shouldn't have politicians anywhere because there are politicians abusing their power. Yet good things come from some politicians. The same concept applies here, people.

[Raksha]

We have elections which determine who we want to be politicians, not everyone can just waltz in and start writing laws. No one elected you to be grand poobah in charge of thread closing.

Would it be ok to give parents the right to kill their children? Sure it might be abused in some cases, but then again lots of good could come from it.

That example too extreme for you? How about this. You go to poetry night at your local bar, start reciting your poems and ppl throw tomatoes at you. Do you have the right to force everyone out of the door and close the place down? Hint: the answer is no.

[Korpg]

We have elections which determine who we want to be politicians, not everyone can just waltz in and start writing laws.

That's right, the mobs of people who elect politicians to be lawmakers are the ones to blame for the corruption....err....another topic I guess.

[Raxiaz]

That's a horrible example. And elections still elect corrupt politicians. And some countries do allow parents to kill their children - it's called abortion. Lots of bad, and lots of good. Depends on how you look at it.

Thread closing being an option to the thread creator is still a better, more effective way of "moderating" a forum. You can't change this, no matter what you say.

[Korpg]

I kindof made an unintended point.

Not only do we not need a close thread option, but we as forum users and posters need to learn a little moderation ourselves.

I mean yeah, sure, we could get out of hand without realizing it every now and then, but still....

[Greatguardian]

This is ticking me off.

I spent 10 minutes writing a nice page-long response to the "Introduce yourself" thread, and when I click reply the forums are just all "Blah blah the thread is locked, suckah!"

Threads are open less than a day now and people ragequit and lock them before they even hit 3 pages? I am so sick of this feature.

[Korpg]

Actually, he moved that thread to a renamed thread, I guess he didn't know you could rename the thread yourself.

[Raxiaz]

I did rename it, but the change did not affect what is displayed on the topic list.

I apologize for your inconvenience Greatguardian.

*future SE rep* (but no really, sorry, man)

[Raksha]

That's a horrible example. And elections still elect corrupt politicians.

Sure, but there is gonna be a metric shitload more corruption if people start writing their own laws though.

And some countries do allow parents to kill their children - it's called abortion

fetus =/= child, but let's not get into that argument.

Thread closing being an option to the thread creator is still a better, more effective way of "moderating" a forum. You can't change this, no matter what you say.

I have yet to see a single thread closed by the OP which I think deserved it.

EDIT: Also, what about poetry night?

[Raxiaz]

I knew I missed something. The poetry night example was skewed, as well. Internet, anonymity rules; in real life, there is no anonymity. People will hold their opinions whether you like it or not. Just because I close a topic doesn't mean someone else can make a new one and restate the ideas/arguments there.

"I have yet to see a single thread closed by the OP which I think deserved it."

Bold: where your argument is flawed.