(1) This lengthy thread somehow bumped to the top this morning. Perhaps I'm overlooking something - but see nothing highlighted in red (as usual) to indicate a new contribution. ... Nor do I observe at this time any contributions from today, August 30.
(2) This thread now has 40 responses. That's good in many ways. However, at that length it begins to crowd out newer threads if one pulls-up only the SUMMARY page. Has anyone considered a cut-off point of some sort? Issue is not peculiar to this thread. Some of Scott's highly valuable threads on "What are you buying or selling now?" have had similarly high responses in the past. Am guessing some of those have exceeded 50 responses over two-three week periods. (Heck, some probably sell what they earlier reported buying over that long a period:-) Understand the reluctance to close threads. Maybe there's an in-between ground where they could in-effect be "Continued" in a new thread - which would bump to the top, but contain a LINK back to the 40 or more earlier responses? Closing a thread ONLY with consent and blessing of the original poster is another possibility.
Comments
The "shelf-life" of the busier threads appears to be constant at about 7 days.
The recent "Selling PAUDX today" had a large run of 51 comments and more than 1,000 views. This thread was bumped forward several times after resting for a few days.
As to the thread you mention; msf posted this morning (Aug 30) and I replied (at the very end of the thread).
The downside to closing a thread, I suppose; would be blocking a new member (just arrived and reviewing previous threads) from posting to the thread or for those who have been away from the site for a 1 or 2 week or more period (vacation/work, etc.)
As to crowding newer threads, I always look for anything new (the flags); be it a new thread or a bumped thread. From the fine work of the software folks here in the background; they have allowed for the "indicators" of thread adds and the nice up/down arrows that allow us to move through a thread. If an existing thread were to be closed and then continued; this would just add another new thread to the overall list.
'Course, this is David's call; as to the function of the site.
Just my inflation adjusted 2 cents worth.
Take care up there,
Catch
Additional: The summary page (which was I believe incorporated as an after-though into the initial MFO setup) is very nice. Allows one to scan existing threads and quickly detect new comments. I'd hate to have to go back to the older way. Maybe those of you with faster connections don't find pulling up the entire thread that time consuming, but we're in an area where the "latest and greatest" connection speeds are years behind what others enjoy.