Same topics all over again!

Hello everybody! 
   I want to write something that I'm thinking and I believe we should discuss...
As you can see I'm a newbie here. (But I'm trying!)
   I saw in many topics, (in mine as well) some older users saying over and over again ' This topic has been discussed before', and in some cases they put the link of it. Yes ok...
But how is possible for someone that is in this site for a week, a month, etc to be able to find some topics that were posted 1 or 2 years ago? We are talking about hundreds, maybe thousands of topics here!
 I'm saying this because I just saw a new Topic about Porcupine Tree. Yes, later I saw that was another one almost a year ago.
   Don't get me wrong please! I don't want to insult anyone, or be rude. I'm just wondering why that is a problem.
If the same topic was posted a month ago, ok I understand. But one year ago? How is possible even to remember it?
And even if it was posted 1 year ago, so what? There are many new members here, that I don't think they will have the patience to look aaalll the topics for the last 1-2 years.
   Of course now I know about the Topics search. Yesterday I didn't!
Well, that was it.
I would really like to see your opinions on that subject though...

P.S: Again, please don't misunderstand what I'm saying! I'm just wondering about that matter, that's all!
Thank you...

The Jester wrote: Hello everybody!     I But how is possible for someone that is in this site for a week, a month, etc to be able to find some topics that were posted 1 or 2 years ago? We are talking about hundreds, maybe thousands of topics here!

Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - August 16 2012 at 11:41

i remember threads that are almost 4 years old :O my memory is akin to an elephant 

Ambient Hurricanes wrote: I think it would be helpful if the site would make some guidelines on this subject (if the admins have time, of course).  I know I posted a thread when I was a new member asking if there were guidelines for starting threads on topics that had been done before.  Can you start a new one if the topic is dead for a year?  Two years?  Or only if it's been locked?  Should you start a new thread if an old one is locked, or ask an admin to open the locked one?  I think a few simple guidelines on the subject would help to clear things up for new members.

Getting bawled out by a Senior Member for not using the search function is a rite of passage.

The frustration is understandable, since on many forums resurrecting a year old thread is considered a huge faux-pas. You can always just ignore the admins and do whatever you want like I do. 

I'm not sure any additional published guidelines are necessary, because starting new threads on old topics is not really considered a punishable offense, unless its done repeatedly and intentionally (in which case it would probably fall under "spamming").

Like any unwritten code of conduct, sometimes you just have to hang out in a place for a while to find out what's socially acceptable and what isn't.  You just get a feel for it over time.  Nothing wrong with getting reprimanded once or twice, it's all part of being here.