Existing (old) thread, new post added (with similar issue)

[former_member182378]

Moderators, Members,

In an existing thread (say created in 2012), a member recently raised an issue (which was related / similar to the issue in the thread), replying to this recent issue is apparently against the Forum rules and my posts were rejected!

In the rejection message, it was suggested to read the forum rules. I did! But I did not see any clear rule against replying to a recent post, which is posted to an existing thread.

Could you please paste that rule here, so that it is clear?

If similar issues are put in one thread (in my opinion) it is better.

When someone searches, he/she could get information at one place.

Also, members who reply to existing (old) threads; questions posted recently by not the OP, these members are looking for (or going to get any points). They do it just for sharing the learning!

Thus I think moderators should look into this.

Thank you!

[jpfriends079]

In addition to Jurgen's reply.

2 discussions in question:

1. Sales order & Billing document  ( VBAK & VBRK ) was dated Dec 21, 2009 10:57 PM
2. One sales Order for 2 division was dated Oct 21, 2008 3:13 AM

Output determination's userexit for billing doc was dated Nov 19, 2012 1:12 PM here yourself asked the respondent to ask question separated post. Correct? Which you could have reported abuse, instead of adding a comment & distributing current flow of discussions.

Further, People would have been so courteous, then in first place they would have closed the thread properly with proper solution. Isn't? So, this problem would not have re-occurred.

Best Wishes, JP

[former_member182378]

JP,

Thanks for your post!

If someone is asking an unrelated question, in an existing thread; then I suggest the member to create a new thread.

The reason for suggesting this, is primarily from the perspective of - How easy and productive would it be for people,when they search (when faced with an issue).

When a "new issue" is asked in an existing thread, finding the new issue and its solution would be much more difficult and would "be lost"!

Note - I do not find members posting in existing threads as an abusive. Therefore I do not press the "Report Abuse" button.

From a marco level (take 10 to 15 years time frame), It is not about moderation (in itself) or about participation (for the sake of participating) or to obstinately stick to some rules;

it is to serve, to share and to grow.

Typewriter

[JL23]

It is just not possible to make it right to everyone.

A town in Germany tried to save costs for illumination and they are switching off the street lights from 1 am to 5 am in the night. Just done the folks started complaining. Some do not find their houses when they come home from a party,  others not the escape route when the husband is coming earlier than expected.

So it is with rules in SCN too.I certainly agree that and Copy Of Moderator Rules of Engagement should cover the same. But it also should be avoided that we end up in a book of law which isn't read at all by the people because of its length.

The search could certainly be easier when all related questions are posted in one discussion, but honestly if you search for something and you find a hit which has 5 pages with 15 replies/per page do you really read through all?

I rarely saw someone adding his question to such a long discussion.

But I see regularly people adding a "me too - have you ever get an answer" to a question which has no answer. And unfortunately to questions which have clear answers too.

We have to see many different aspects here:

- each reply creates an email to the Original Poster (OP),

- often the question is addressed to a contributor who does not get email notifications (except he has himself set it up this way).

- the new poster does not get email updates either in case of an answer

- a question added to a solved discussion does usually not attract the potential solvers to look into

- the new poster may not find this thread anymore at a later time because he is not yet used to navigation in SCN (evidence: people bookmark their own questions to find them again)

- the new question goes sideways, has nothing more to do with the original subject

I could add some more...

consequences are often

- a polluted original discussion which stays with an unanswered question

- a poster without answer

- posting another new discussion with the same question that was added to an old discussion (cross posting)

- an OP who is complaining that he gets mail updates for his several year old discussions

- people who might have answered such question and wonder why they do not get 10 points 

Other forums are forcing the people to not open new threads if there is already one. We actually do the same, we do not want redundant questions if we have already discussions with answers.

But different to other forums is the fact that SCN has a Gamification platform and people can earn points for correct answers, which cannot happen if questions are added to other peoples discussion.

Franky spoken, Moderators have to take care that questions are presented right so that the poster gets his expected answer and the contributor the expected points.

We had even a discussion in the moderator forum how long we should allow a question to the OP after the initial question was solved.

I have seen many questions to discussion where the OP was last logged on in 2010 and earlier, maybe 1 or 2  out of 100 really appear and answer. In all other cases the questions stays open or is by chance answered from somebody else.or gets someday in future a second or third added "me too"-question in the hope to kiss the sleeping beauty awake.

[former_member182378]

Jurgen,

Appreciate your effort and intent to help!

Thank you!

[JL23]

please find it in

section Discussions, point Discussion replies

[former_member182378]

Jurgen,

Thank you for your reply!

First, for a member to know the rules, those should be mentioned in the rules of engagement for members. You have provided the link which contains the rules for moderators.

Thus if these rules (which we are discussing about) are not given in the rules of engagement for members, then it is impossible for members to know those (and follow those).

Second,

Follow up reply: Reply to a discussion with a follow up question to original poster should be permitted.

The above is in the rules. That means if a post is a follow up question it should be permitted. I believe that some of the examples sited above (in my screenshot) were questions to the original post. Yet those were rejected.

Do moderators take this point (the above rule) in to consideration while rejecting a post?