I’ve changed the Discourse settings to automatically lock threads after 12 months instead of 3 months. This setting will apply to all new threads.
The reason I want the forum to have automatic thread locking is that I want to avoid two things:
- Mega threads: Threads which are like categories in the sense that they are expected to exist forever and have no particular start or end to a conversation. These kinds of threads are hard to navigate and read, because of the number of messages and the variety of things being talked about.
- Necroposting: People posting in threads long after the conversation is over.
In both of these situations, I would like to encourage people to make new threads. However, I have come to feel that 3 months is too aggressive a setting and 12 months might be more suitable.
But, I am also amenable in my position. So, if anyone would like me to consider other reasons for extending it further or removing it entirely, I would like to know!