Re-sticky the "Missing Persons List"

[DragnFly]

Given that both RuneScape and Tip.it have allowed users to change display names for a good while now, finding old friends is probably more difficult than ever.

 

The "Missing Persons List" post was far more useful when it was easily to find. Since being un-stickied, many frankly do not even know it exists or use it. This is the type of post that needs to be easily accessible, in order to be useful.

 

I feel that it would be a far more useful sticky than the "hidden updates" post, as Jagex tends to tell us about most of the smaller updates anyways now.

[Kimberly]

There are tons of things that are still not included in the updates or patch notes that the Hidden Updates sticky serves a strong purpose in remaining the way it is.

 

On the other hand I personally can't remember a point where the Missing Persons thread worked even when it was stickied.

 

That's just my personal opinion though, I'm sure there are others who will probably agree with you.

[Sy_Accursed]

Yeah it's not like we get heaps of missing person threads or that the sticky got posted on regularly.

 

Hidden updates still happen msot weeks; and prior to the sticky (which get posted on frequently) we were covered in threads for them.

[DragnFly]

http://forum.tip.it/topic/31072-missing-persons-list/

 

There have been several cases where the post has, indeed, helped users find lost friends. However if nobody knows you are searching for somebody, they clearly cannot help you locate them. Nor is anybody going to go thru the effort to actually search for the post on a regular basis.

 

As you can see even in the first post, it benefitted people. One example was when user Fleetcom posted hunting user "RustStorm". KiddJasper replied "Rust and I have been friends for almost 4 yrs now. He's quit RS, but I talk to him online. I'll ask him about you.". That is one of the many examples where, in my opinion, the post was helpful to somebody.

 

I have nothing against the hidden updates post, I just figured most of the stuff there (aside from very minor details) is already public knowledge at this point. Though it does not matter to me if it is a sticky or not, I just figured it would be less useful now than it was in the past.

[Sy_Accursed]

Nothing on the hidden update sticky is public knowledge when it is added. Because it is HIDDEN stuff. Sure the archived stuff may be public knowledge, but the archive is only part of the sticky.

 

Also mis-persons list last post November 2010 that's half a year ago; and in that half year I've not seen a single looking for someone thread. Kinda shows how much traffic/use it has.

[DragnFly]

Also mis-persons list last post November 2010 that's half a year ago; and in that half year I've not seen a single looking for someone thread. Kinda shows how much traffic/use it has.

 

Thats because the post is no longer stickied. It DID get a decent amount of traffic when it was one.

 

Which is my point. That by removing it as a sticky, it killed any effectiveness of the post. Given that many do not even know it exists, and those who do will see no real benefit from it as its not in sight of the majority of users.

[Sy_Accursed]

Also mis-persons list last post November 2010 that's half a year ago; and in that half year I've not seen a single looking for someone thread. Kinda shows how much traffic/use it has.

 

Thats because the post is no longer stickied. It DID get a decent amount of traffic when it was one.

 

Which is my point. That by removing it as a sticky, it killed any effectiveness of the post. Given that many do not even know it exists, and those who do will see no real benefit from it as its not in sight of the majority of users.

 

It goes from november 2010 to may 2010 then jumps to 2009; hardly active.

Also my point is: people who WANT that service and do not know about it make mis-placed posts like all the welcomes and farewells that get moved.

We don't get any looking for people threads to be moved so this supposed traffic it'd get has no proof to suggest it is there and even the thread itself post dates shows how dead it was.

[DragnFly]

Also mis-persons list last post November 2010 that's half a year ago; and in that half year I've not seen a single looking for someone thread. Kinda shows how much traffic/use it has.

 

Thats because the post is no longer stickied. It DID get a decent amount of traffic when it was one.

 

Which is my point. That by removing it as a sticky, it killed any effectiveness of the post. Given that many do not even know it exists, and those who do will see no real benefit from it as its not in sight of the majority of users.

 

It goes from november 2010 to may 2010 then jumps to 2009; hardly active.

Also my point is: people who WANT that service and do not know about it make mis-placed posts like all the welcomes and farewells that get moved.

We don't get any looking for people threads to be moved so this supposed traffic it'd get has no proof to suggest it is there and even the thread itself post dates shows how dead it was.

 

Most people know that if they posted a topic hunting for old friends, it would most likely be locked. Infact, they would probably be pointed to that very post.

 

Its hardly fair to compare the active postcount of it since being de-stickied and say it sees no real traffic. That post hasn't been a stick for about ~2 years if I recall correctly. Hardly any posts that fall of page 1 see no real traffic, hence the idea of stickys to begin with.

 

Besides, even if posts are spaced out, it does not mean people aren't VIEWING it. The more viewers, the more likely you are to find someone who knows the individual in question. Hence why I said at the beginning this is the sort of post that needs to be a sticky, as its only effective if its in eyesight of the majority of users.

[Sy_Accursed]

Point still stands:

We don't get spammed with threads looking for people so there's no proof of traffic for such a sticky; which got de-stickied because it had no traffic.

[DragnFly]

Point still stands:

We don't get spammed with threads looking for people so there's no proof of traffic for such a sticky; which got de-stickied because it had no traffic.

 

Offtopic doesn't exactly get spammed with people posting pictures of their computers wallpaper either, but the fact that its a sticky if anything encourages people to post it.

 

By being in eyesight, it becomes more used.

[Sy_Accursed]

Point still stands:

We don't get spammed with threads looking for people so there's no proof of traffic for such a sticky; which got de-stickied because it had no traffic.

 

Offtopic doesn't exactly get spammed with people posting pictures of their computers wallpaper either, but the fact that its a sticky if anything encourages people to post it.

 

By being in eyesight, it becomes more used.

 

But it did BEFORE there was a sticky, now that traffic goes to the sticky.

 

There's no evidence of any traffic at all really in the missing persons vein; certainly not enough to warrant a sticky

[DragnFly]

Point still stands:

We don't get spammed with threads looking for people so there's no proof of traffic for such a sticky; which got de-stickied because it had no traffic.

 

Offtopic doesn't exactly get spammed with people posting pictures of their computers wallpaper either, but the fact that its a sticky if anything encourages people to post it.

 

By being in eyesight, it becomes more used.

 

But it did BEFORE there was a sticky, now that traffic goes to the sticky.

 

There's no evidence of any traffic at all really in the missing persons vein; certainly not enough to warrant a sticky

 

In all my time on tip.it (and I been thru the various boards since 2001), I cannot ever recall there being a ton of spam regarding wallpapers even before a topic was stickied. Sure, there may have been an odd post every now and again, but I would say they where rare. Significantly less common than OT posters starting topics about marijuana now in fact.

 

However... I still say the lack of activity regarding missing users is a mix of knowing it would be locked/removed, and the topics lack of eyesight.

 

If anything i'll compare it to the real life pictures thread. Sure, there might be a random post ever now and again asking users to post pictures... but it would hardly be used in the manner it is if it wasn't stuck to the top of the board.

 

The reason I am encouraging this one to be a sticky is I feel thats where it would receive the most traffic, and hence, the most usefulness. This type of topic, unlike a generic discussion, only works if its always in eyesight (as I said before).

[Sy_Accursed]

But it got unstuck because of lack of activity and lack of productive outcomes and there is no evidence anything has changed in this respect.

[DragnFly]

But it got unstuck because of lack of activity and lack of productive outcomes and there is no evidence anything has changed in this respect.

 

I don't believe thats correct. If I recall correctly, I believe it was unstuck because they where trying to reduce the number of stickys in general at the time. Some got removed, others combined.

[Danqazmlp]

Unfortunately it was very inactive before it was unstickied.

 

I do however think some of the other stickies there should be removed/moved. I would personally support moving of hidden updates to another forum (although not sure where) And merging of the update teasers sticky with the discussion thread.

[Sy_Accursed]

The ones that got removed where removed cause they were dead.

 

I don't think hidden updates should be moved, but the discussion/teaser pics certainly code be merged since we often end up reposting the pics into the discussion anyway, just make sure we have an easily reachable archive perhaps in the first psot or w/e

[The Observer]

Well, it was fairly inactive. You are correct though in saying it was unpinned because of the amount of pinned topics at the time.

 

Personally, I'd be in favour of it being repinned because it was a unique feature. I'd also be in favour of what Danq suggested; merging the update teasers with the discussion topic.

[DragnFly]

Yes_Its_Ross asked "Wasn't this thread a sticky? " in October 2008, so it hasn't been a sticky for atleast that long: http://forum.tip.it/topic/31072-missing-persons-list/page__st__800

 

But yeah, it was a fairly unique and useful feature. If not its own topic, at the very least a link could be placed in another topic. Or it could be combined with the Introductions & Farewells topic.

 

Though I would still support, and prefer it be returned to a sticky in its own right. Even if its not the most active topic, by reading thru it you can clearly see that several users had success using it. It helped them find friends whom, without the topic, they might have otherwise not been able to relocate.