Almost 40 years of changes at DCI, what do you think are the best 3

[corpsband]

As for dead topics and the various replies to this one, why not just autolock them after a predetermined time? That's a common practice in forums concerned about keeping the topics fresh. The fact that the topic was still open to replies suggested to me that DCP was a forum that wasn't concerned about the age of a topic, and that members are welcome to post on whatever topic they desire, regardless of its age.

Threads on DCP are only locked (a) when the OP makes such a request of a moderator or (b) when a moderator determines its gone off topic or otherwise needs to be closed.

I think such a policy has more benefits than deficits, especially in an activity like Drum Corps. I would think that members perusing the various topics and responding, even to old ones, would still be welcome. Instead of an "awww, man, that topic is so old and now it's back at the top" attitude, how about a "it doesn't matter the age of the topic, we're just happy people are engaged and responding on our forum" attitude. Nevertheless, I'm happy to be here, and will be more mindful of the age of the topics in the future.

On nearly every online forum replying to old topics (necro posting) is frowned upon for a number of reasons:

• It's confusing for other users. Thread replies are contextual -- most users are "up to date" on the current threads so new posts have context for them. In the case of an old thread, no one has been "keeping up" with that thread for months (or in your case years). So your post has no context. You're asking users to read hundreds of messages to just catch up to your post.
• The old thread stopped being current because it was probably beat to death and users had little else to say
• Pushing an old thread to the top pushes current threads off the first page.

If you see an old post topic you'd like to discuss, simply start a new thread on the same topic. You can post a link to the previous thread if you think it still has relevance to your post. If current users want to discuss your topic, your thread will get replies. If it's a dead horse, your thread will whither.

All-in-all it's always better to start a new topic.

(and this topic should be in a new member FAQ somewhere)

Edited September 16, 2013 by corpsband

[garfield]

Threads on DCP are only locked (a) when the OP makes such a request of a moderator or (b) when a moderator determines its gone off topic or otherwise needs to be closed.

On nearly every online forum replying to old topics (necro posting) is frowned upon for a number of reasons:

• It's confusing for other users. Thread replies are contextual -- most users are "up to date" on the current threads so new posts have context for them. In the case of an old thread, no one has been "keeping up" with that thread of months (or in your case years). So your post has no context. You're asking users to read hundreds of messages to just catch up to your post.
• The old thread stopped being current because it was probably beat to death and users had little else to say
• Pushing an old thread to the top pushes current threads off the first page.

If you see an old post topic you'd like to discuss, simply start a new thread on the same topic. You can post a link to the previous thread if you think it still has relevance to your post. If current users want to discuss your topic, your thread will get replies. If it's a dead horse, your thread will whither.

All-in-all it's always better to start a new topic.

(and this topic should be in a new member FAQ somewhere)

I'd never thought of these downsides before, and all are good reasons to follow this advice and start a new thread. I might read a few prior post pages to get caught up in an old thread, but I accept that most may not.

Better off starting new.

[N.E. Brigand]

On another forum I frequent, threads don't even "bump": except for pinned items, they're always listed in chronological order by the date of the original post, not the most recent reply, so that only the first page or so of topics gets much continuing discussion. (On that site, it actually used to be impossible to respond to anything that wasn't on the front page.)

[corpsband]

I'd never thought of these downsides before, and all are good reasons to follow this advice and start a new thread. I might read a few prior post pages to get caught up in an old thread, but I accept that most may not.

Better off starting new.

Yeah -- it's not an arbitrary haze-the-newbie issue. Forum netiquette is based on decades of forum use (going all the way to back the BBS days and 1200 baud modems :-)

[Jeff Ream]

Yeah -- it's not an arbitrary haze-the-newbie issue. Forum netiquette is based on decades of forum use (going all the way to back the BBS days and 1200 baud modems :-)

but it can be entertaining to watch

[SFZFAN]

but it can be entertaining to watch

Hell, It's entertaining to see the same 2 or 3 people get all pissy whenever someone brings an old thread to page 1.

[Pete Freedman]

...

The slippery slope looks something like this to me: Once you have a stationary pit, then why not amplify it? And if you already have those mics and speakers, why not add some more and mic up the drum kit too? And while were at it, let's use one of those mics and add a narrator or singer? And hey, that mixing board and speakers can also accept line level inputs like synths, so can we add those too? Oh, and since we have these mics, why not set one up where soloists can walk up to it and wail away? And so on.....

...

So far so good, IMO.

The real question is: what will this logically lead to? What's the next thing on the slope?

People talk about marching violins and such, but that's a different slope really. In terms of the traditional instruments involved, the pit is still basically just putting them down. Only the keyboard and electronics are new, and I can't see a next major step in either direction that isn't being done already.

Predictions, anyone?

[Jeff Ream]

Hell, It's entertaining to see the same 2 or 3 people get all pissy whenever someone brings an old thread to page 1.

well I wasn't gonna go there

[flammaster]

[onfirepro]

So far so good, IMO.

The real question is: what will this logically lead to? What's the next thing on the slope?

People talk about marching violins and such, but that's a different slope really. In terms of the traditional instruments involved, the pit is still basically just putting them down. Only the keyboard and electronics are new, and I can't see a next major step in either direction that isn't being done already.

Predictions, anyone?

Besides the possible addition of woodwinds in the future,I can't see too much else on the horizon. I've already reached a point where I won't buy anymore DVD's past 2009. The main issue for me isn't only about pits or amplification or narration, it's just gotten boring: obscure melodies punctuated with a bunch of brass stabs, staccato phrases, and brief motifs followed by a loud chord when the corp reaches a critical formation. Repeat. In contrast, years like 1991 were rich in diverse musical flavor and excitement with something DCI has far less of today: Melody. From star's respighi to Cavies anthems, PR's opera and SC's Miss Saigon down to an awesome seventh place madison with "city of angels" and beyond, years like that were golden. The musical programs were so rich you can go back to them time and again. 2008 was a year with really good music, too, but years like that are becoming few and far between.

Edited September 17, 2013 by onfirepro