Dates of Postings?

No, you’re right. I am the one who responded — because someone else above me had newly responded and then indeed I failed to notice that the original topic had been a month ago. But the fact that the topic was now bumped up (by the original new responder) meant that I was worried that people would take information from there.

My apologies.

I always look at the date of the original posting - it’s the first thing I do, which is particularly relevant at the moment in a rapidly changing world.

And to be fair, I didn't write to admonish you, I wrote because now since the person had responded and moved the post up to the “newest” posts, I didn't want people planning on the basis of the information that was in the original post. Just trying to save someone from getting too excited that maybe France was a new possibility, when it remains off limits to American leisure travelers.

This happens on every forum I've been on. I think people look for topics of interest, don't notice the date or read every post, and aren't so much responding to the OP as they are in joining an interesting discussion.

Given the number of responses that arrive on resurrected old posts.....including when someone posts 'original post is from 2018' or 'OP has already traveled'.....no, many people don't look.
I generally do, but I have occasionally missed it.

I'm sure I have missed the original date and posted to an older topic already answered and no longer needing any comments. Shaming is never my intent in any of my postings. No one is perfect, we all make mistakes.

I do appreciate when someone who had asked a question comes back and posts an update to an old topic to let us know how well the suggestions provided worked for them, or if they had to take a completely different approach because the information provided was outdated, incomplete, or simply wrong. In those cases, it helps us all.

I have always wished the original date showed in the first view. (Current columns are: Title, Forum, Author, Replies, Last Update.) Could "Original Date" column be added (even if smaller font)?

I always look at the original date.

I started a thread 6 mos ago, got great responses and it faded into the background like most. Yesterday i was scrolling on All Topics and came across a thread title and thought oh, that’s like the thread i posted 6 mos ago - then realized it was mine! Someone had revived it after 6 mos. Made me laugh.

the date of the last response on the thread?

Well, that's impossible to miss, unless you've clicked on one of the very few threads on the forum home page that are listed as "Recent topics"
As to the original date, I always glance at it, but I suspect that some people don't. I don't consider it particularly relevant, however, unless the OP said something like "Next week I'm going to ..."

but why are all these posts from June? 😎 🤔

rambling, Me thinks you are trying to confuse us all. :-)

What I have decided to do.....if people come back way after a thread has gone silent, to personally say something negative to me, I'll just erase the thread. Why should I be publicly shamed again because was too lazy to see the date.

Or should I leave it up and shame them for being lazy?

I really think you are making too much of this, but then that is based on how I would respond in a similar situation.

My approach is if someone posts something on one of my topics that is true shaming (whatever that is since it seems if someone simply disagrees with anyone these days or points to contrary information that is "shaming") I will report it to the Webmaster and let them sort it out. Otherwise, I just let it go. I have my forum settings where I do not get notified on every response in my topics. If I see one of my topics suddenly at the top of the list, I will look at what has been change or added. I rarely respond to anything old that has been resurrected.

I generally prefer editing and noting the edit or amending earlier posts over deleting things.

“Or should I leave it up and shame them for being lazy?” Yep, that’d be my choice 🤣 I really loathe people that shame.

I generally check the date of the original post. I liked your suggestion about leaving the post up and shaming those who are criticizing you.

If things are going in the wrong direction, especially if the original postings are now outdated or irrelevant, deleting things could be the way to go.

Shaming once is a shame, piling on is worse, and shaming the shamer(s) doesn’t reverse the original damage.

Shaming once is a shame, piling on is worse, and shaming the shamer(s) doesn’t reverse the original damage.

So true. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that sarcasm is really hard to pull off in an online environment, and everyone would be better off if we saved it for real-life interactions with people who really know how to read each other.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that sarcasm is really hard to pull off in an online environment, and everyone would be better off if we saved it for real-life interactions with people who really know how to read each other.

I agree, but this would reduce certain regular forum contributor's post counts to single digits. And, duly noted that my reply violates the above rule :-)

When dealing with humans, we can act in unpredictable ways. Our goal in using the RS Forum is to learn from others; not to control content we don’t agree with.

It’s the nature of blogging, electronic posting, social media. If you discover a need for control and need to vent, this might not be the best medium to participate in.

While I do miss courtesy and manners from some users of this forum, I try to give people a break. Everyone has bad days.

The intention of the RS Forum is to collaborate about travel. It isn’t supposed to be a personal platform to promote oneself nor trash another person’s personal experience or opinion.

You could do what all adults do from time to time when using social media: take a break from RS Forum for a while until you can bring the conversation back to a travel topic.

Recall that I've tried several times to promote the use of the /s marker to indicate sarcasm, as well as the tongue-in-cheek emoji ;-P

If everyone would just do as I tell them, things would be a lot clearer. /s

We all deal with nasty people in our own way. No need to school others on your way.

I usually check the date of the original post.

We should keep in mind, the information provided in a post response can be beneficial to more readers than just the op. The resurrection of a post might help someone else.

Since it's almost Halloween, perhaps we should all find one to create an undead post.

Well, now it IS Halloween, and this posting is still around ... although it is less than 2 months old, and could have a timeless message.

Hopefully travel will soon offer treats again, and not tricks.