Cernan explained it about as good as anyone could have.

Just learn to talk about authenticity in a civil and polite manner, and the threads will remain open. This goes for everyone, and not just one or two specific people.

Another thing to remember is that [b]everyone is entitled to an opinion[/b]...[i]even if it disagrees with yours[/i]. If you want to, or do, state your opinion on an autograph, you have to be adult enough to accept that someone will probably have a different opinion on the auto.

And as for the topics being locked w/out an arugment, well sometimes we as moderators can sense when an arugment is brewing, and it just needs a small catalyst to set it off. But like cernan also said, the older feedback posts are automatically locked after (I think it's a month or so) to prevent people from spamming, and bumping up old posts.

Hey Andy -

Are you talking about the old threads? :? Since usually threads that are older than a month are automatically locked to prevent spamming, etc.

[quote="cernan"]Hi there -

The reason why those threads are often locked is because if we keep them open, it will turn into an insult war. The moderation team promotes discussions over authenticity but often those "discussions" turn into flaming. We do not want any member to be hurt by others' comments. Usually the topics in question are kept open for as long as there is no name calling or flaming. Once the flaming starts, the topic is locked.

So generally speaking, if you guys can avoid the name calling and discuss the authenticity of autographs in a nice and polite manner, the topics will remain open.[/quote]

Thats not strictly true, a lot of threads got locked even when no arguing/bane calling has taken place.

Hi there -

The reason why those threads are often locked is because if we keep them open, it will turn into an insult war. The moderation team promotes discussions over authenticity but often those "discussions" turn into flaming. We do not want any member to be hurt by others' comments. Usually the topics in question are kept open for as long as there is no name calling or flaming. Once the flaming starts, the topic is locked.

So generally speaking, if you guys can avoid the name calling and discuss the authenticity of autographs in a nice and polite manner, the topics will remain open.

Also many are 'discussions' (or arguments) which have occurred before, and these debates sometimes digress from the person's actual success to a personal level...so in a way I understand the decision to lock these type of threads.

Of course, as someone above pointed out, some users are only trying to be helpful by pointing out the truth, but sometimes I think it best to leave people to enjoy their successes whether they are authentic or not.

i guess it's because people start arguing over if its real, secretarial, or preprint that the topic starts geting a lot of posts and is taking too much space on the forum

I agree, I dont understand why they have to be locked. This is an autograph collecting site, and new collectors should be told the truth.

why are threads locked as soon as people say they are autopens or may be secretarial?isn't this place for discussion,but as soon as someone doesn't agree with another a thread is locked.
just a thought