Double post forum addon

[vilvoh]

This is from my experience as mod of Spanish language forum. I've realized that many people, many more that I would like to, tend to double-post concious or unconciously. The point of the thing is that there's a sticky topic at the first page of the board were the forum rules are explained, and there's an explicit mention about not to double-post.

However, I don't know if people just ignore and do not read the forum rules or it's just to lazy to edit their last post. Actually, I'm a bit upset. Then, me as mod have to spend time merging post and warning people via PM, and sometimes even warning again people that has already been warned. It's a bit frustating and tired.

IRRC, the old forum had some kind of mod or addon installed that merges double-post automatically. I though that was Isaac who installed it. So my question/request is, would be possible to get that mod and install it here? It would save a lot of time for board mods.

[isidoro]

Although I agree in general.  There are some very special circumstances in which double-posting is a need.  For example, issuing a new version of a patch, if you want to keep the previous one for reference.  Attachment size limitation forces double-posting.

Vilvoh, what about a more proactive behavior... 
One advice per person and, if not observed again, delete the double-post with a message: "this message was automatically deleted because of double-posting" and a link to the rule.

[vilvoh]

Perhaps it's a bit agressive way to proceed but I'll try it. In addition, I'm going to include a warning in the forum rules about this issue. Anyway, imho the double-post addon would be more appropriate, wouldn't it?

[wernieman]

I think (without the problem of the size of atachments) it would be good...

But sometimes I make double-post too, at example when I write to an older Tread .....

[vilvoh]

But that's not double-post, wernieman. You make double-post when you post a new comment in a topic where the last comment is yours, and the diference between both (new one and old one) is less than 24 hours. That's no the same as if you reebot an old topic and the last post is yours, too. In that case, you're not double-posting.

[z9999]

One question.
What is the demerit of double-post ? Why is it bad and should be forbidden ?

[VS]

I tend to the other extreme - edit too much. Why someone would want to double-post is something I don't understand at all.

Of course, double-posting where there is a few days between the two posts or they have to be separate is something else (at least for me).

[Zeno]

One question.
What is the demerit of double-post ? Why is it bad and should be forbidden ?

People tend (don't ask me why) to write multiple posts with almost few comments on the same thing, as if they were in a chat. An example:

[new post]
I have a problem. bla bla bla bla.

[answer to post 10 min. later]
I've tried to solve it this way but I couldn't... bla bla...

[answer to post 20 min. later]
Hello? nobody can help me??

[answer to post 30 min. later]
and so on...

So at the end of the day, it's quite difficult to read this kind of posts due to its length and the way they were written...
There's not any problem to double-post if you do it when it's needed... but the problem is that people use the forum as it was a chat, just to say hellow, or to express they're happy or angry with a comment, and so on, and I personally think it is not the way to use a forum. There's already a simutrans chat service for that

[vilvoh]

IMHO and based on my experience double-post is usually the prelude of a chat. Example.

X - 00:00 Look at the object I've done
X - 00:05 Image
Y - 01:10 I like it, what's that
X - 02:10 I'm glad you like it
X - 02:20 More images
Y - 09:00 One question... How do I make whatever..?
X - 12:30 You got the answer here (link)
Y - 13:00 Ok, thanks
Y - 13:05 Another question..where is..?

This can reproduce to the infinity and belong. So a topic that shoud have 5 pages, turns into an encyclopedia of 50 pages, full of short posts and double-posts.

P.S: One more time, Zeno was faster than me!...

[Zeno]

Not to tell of what happens when moreover the user has a huge footer signature

One more time, Zeno was faster than me!...

PS: I'm the fastest cat in the garden

[z9999]

Thank you for explanation.
Well. double post forum addon is useful, but also I think "Quick Reply" editbox is not needed. That is the one of the reason people do double post.

[sojo]

[new post]
I have a problem. bla bla bla bla.

[answer to post 10 min. later]
I've tried to solve it this way but I couldn't... bla bla...

[answer to post 20 min. later]
Hello? nobody can help me??

[answer to post 30 min. later]
and so on...

This is pushing. You should make a rule, that a thread or posting should not be pushed. Only, nobody have a answer after 24 hours. Than can the author ask (or push), but only one time.

Edit: And make a second rule that a forum is not a chat. Or is there such a rule already?

[Dwachs]

Sometimes persons are posting like this:

(i have a question) (post) (others think for me) ..

the order should be

(I have question) (think - try something) (post).

[Isaac Eiland-Hall]

This is pushing. You should make a rule, that a thread or posting should not be pushed. Only, nobody have a answer after 24 hours. Than can the author ask (or push), but only one time.

Edit: And make a second rule that a forum is not a chat. Or is there such a rule already?

The term I'm used to is "bumping", but either way... I think the third "Hello?" is bumping, but the second is not - it's a valid update of information. But it belongs, of course, in an edited first post.

The main problem I had with installing modules for SMF were:
1. As SMF updates, modules may or may not
2. I think it was a contributing factor in being unable to backup the forum (much less restore from backup)

*shrug*

There are modules I really wish we could have (er, when I get back - but I've been browsing for the past few days a little bit, I'm trying to make my return )

[VS]

Then welcome back already!

If you can not do backup, just do it with the database directly :-\

[Zeno]

If you can not do backup, just do it with the database directly :-\

Couldn't we cut off double-poster's fingers instead?
Jokes apart, I prefer to keep warning users if it avoids future problems with the forum, or its backup system, or whatever. I don't think the problem is still so big to make such a decision.
IMHO the addon gives more disadvantages than solutions, but it's only my opinion as far as I don't usually deal with the forum infrastructure...

[vilvoh]

Well, the main advantage is that the addon is extremly comfortable for mods...

[Isaac Eiland-Hall]

re: backing up database:
I tried multiple methods -- but this was on my server, which the forum is no longer