Allow thread starters to change thread titles

[TheFluff]

I know vBulletin can do this, it's just disabled on this forum for some reason. By going advanced on the OP of a thread you can change its post title (an useless feature that almost noone ever uses) but users currently cannot change thread titles. Why not?

[xris]

Originally Posted by TheFluff

I know vBulletin can do this, it's just disabled on this forum for some reason. By going advanced on the OP of a thread you can change its post title (an useless feature that almost noone ever uses) but users currently cannot change thread titles. Why not?

Users can change the thread title, always have been able to do this here I think. The point is, they only have a 10 minute window to change the title after the thread has been created.

We've always had this option set to 10 minutes I believe (I suspect 10 minutes is the default value and we've never had a reason to change it). We could change the value but I don't really see the need to change it, 10 minutes allows for an error to be corrected. Beyond that opens the door to abuse and I fail to see the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.

If a thread title really needs to be changed (after the 10 minute window) then feel free to use the Report button to make the request.

[felix]

I would have suggested it be changed to a day, since corrections to the thread title is usually evident after a few posts (10min is really just for spelling mistakes). Changing the threads topic in that time period should not be a problem since there is not much of previous discussion to be disturbed by the change. I see most topics go for 3 to 10 posts per day, 24 hours should be a reasonable topic tweaking window, IMO.

Howver, using the report button is a simple alternative, the only drawback is that editing ones posts may be more accesible, fast and simple.

[TheFluff]

Originally Posted by xris

Users can change the thread title, always have been able to do this here I think. The point is, they only have a 10 minute window to change the title after the thread has been created.

Oh ok, I thought it was disabled when I tried to change a title a while after posting the thread.

Originally Posted by xris

We've always had this option set to 10 minutes I believe (I suspect 10 minutes is the default value and we've never had a reason to change it). We could change the value but I don't really see the need to change it, 10 minutes allows for an error to be corrected. Beyond that opens the door to abuse and I fail to see the advantages outweighing the disadvantages.

What disadvantages exactly? I fail to see how it could be any more abuseable than letting users edit their own posts. On many forums I frequent, user editing of thread titles is in widespread use for a variety of purposes, especially with long threads that can change over time, or threads about current events. Despite its limited length, the thread title can be used to convey a lot of information about what might be new or changed in a thread without requiring the user to reread the OP or browse through the entire thread. For example, if we imagine a thread about the upcoming anime GenericShow the thread could be titled "GenricShow - New info released Dec1st, see OP" or "GenericShow - GenericSeiyuu confirmed, see page 6", which would immediately alert interested parties that there is new information available without having to keep up with every single post in every single thread they are interested in. In other words, it can be of great value to casual forum browsers, if used properly by thread starters. I see no compelling reason as to why it should not be be freely editable for as long as the thread is open.

[Kristen]

Originally Posted by TheFluff

Oh ok, I thought it was disabled when I tried to change a title a while after posting the thread.


What disadvantages exactly? I fail to see how it could be any more abuseable than letting users edit their own posts. On many forums I frequent, user editing of thread titles is in widespread use for a variety of purposes, especially with long threads that can change over time, or threads about current events. Despite its limited length, the thread title can be used to convey a lot of information about what might be new or changed in a thread without requiring the user to reread the OP or browse through the entire thread. For example, if we imagine a thread about the upcoming anime GenericShow the thread could be titled "GenricShow - New info released Dec1st, see OP" or "GenericShow - GenericSeiyuu confirmed, see page 6", which would immediately alert interested parties that there is new information available without having to keep up with every single post in every single thread they are interested in. In other words, it can be of great value to casual forum browsers, if used properly by thread starters. I see no compelling reason as to why it should not be be freely editable for as long as the thread is open.

Simple example. Although this isn't allowed in ASuki, this could happen on another board.

Channel Topic: If you're cool, post in this topic!
*Topic gets 10,000 posts*
Edited: If you're a fag, post in this topic!

Sure, it'd be a great prank, but I believe this is the type of abuse xris is talking about.

[xris]

Originally Posted by TheFluff

I fail to see how it could be any more abuseable than letting users edit their own posts.

vB provides tracking and functionality to roll back such changes when a user edits a post. This functionality doesn't exist for thread titles.

Originally Posted by TheFluff

Despite its limited length, the thread title can be used to convey a lot of information about what might be new or changed in a thread without requiring the user to reread the OP or browse through the entire thread.

I agree but if someone wants a change made to the thread title they can request it. All they need do is make use of the Report button, this has the advantage that anyone can make the request not just the thread starter.

[felix]

This is what I see when I press the report button:

Note: This should only be used to report violations of the rules or bad behaviour such as spam, advertising messages, and problematic (harassment, fighting, or rude) posts.

That contradicts what you are saying. I think there were some other things that it could be used for.

[xris]

Originally Posted by Cats

That contradicts what you are saying.

Correct it does. But if another Mod complains about misuse of the Report button in such a case then just tell them "xris said it was OK to do it"

If you still don't feel comfortable with using the Report button to request thread title changes then feel free to PM me instead.

[TheFluff]

Well OK I'll settle for that then. :]

[brocko]

Yes i know this seems like a pretty trivial thing. But i just couldn't find a way to do it and I've been looking for about 20 mins now... =/

I go into edit the first post of the thread, and when i edit the title field, it instead just changes the title of the post instead rather than the thread title like what i wanted... =/

Case in point would be this thread here: Something like Ga-Rei Zero + Elfen Lied, which i tried to change the thread title to Something tragic like Ga-Rei Zero/Elfen Lied but ended up changing the 1st post title instead.

[felix]

You have 10min (I think) in which time changing the first post title will change the thread title. To prevent abuse from hot headed members you can not change the title afterwards, but you may send a report (see report button for the post) and ask a moderator to do it for you.

[brocko]

I thought about sending a report initially too, but i didn't want to abuse it since it clearly stated that it should be used for violations and offences instead. Should i still send one now seeing as though this thread is here now

[xris]

We would not consider it an abuse of the Report system if you used it to request a title change (as long as you don't keep changing your mind and requesting new changes to be made).

We also would not consider it an abuse of the Report system if it was used to request a thread to be moved from one forum to another (or a thread be merged with another).

Your thread title has been changed BTW.

[brocko]

Originally Posted by xris

We would not consider it an abuse of the Report system if you used it to request a title change (as long as you don't keep changing your mind and requesting new changes to be made).

We also would not consider it an abuse of the Report system if it was used to request a thread to be moved from one forum to another (or a thread be merged with another).

Your thread title has been changed BTW.

Thank you for both the request and the information.