The debate thread is kept open in such a way so that you are able to bring up these old topics as many times as you want. It keeps the rest of the forum from hosting the same old threads over and over as the new members come and go with the same topics. So even if a topic has been talked about in 200 pages, you don't have to go and look for it, just talk about it again as if it is new. Generally you aren't supposed to start new threads about the same topic, so the debate thread helps with that. Plus, I doubt you would have to filter through all those 200 pages of debate to find something to talk about. Going through only a few pages would ensure you see all of the newest topics there. Yes, it takes a little more time to do than just scan the newest topics of the forum, but generally it shouldn't be that difficult, I don't think.
Obviously, I'm not here to force anyone to do something different. I'm not a mod. But I've been around the forum for a long time and just notice what mods are more likely to close down/merge. Hopefully new members will find this advice helpful :3
I guess I was trying to point out two different issues. My second point was more addressed towards a few members I've seen on this site who tend to complain about the same point being brought up multiple times. I guess that attitude just irks me, since it sounds like some people believe that new members are obligated to read every post in the site's archive before posting. I know I've had multiple cases where someone would pounce on me for trying to revitalize an old talking point on the Debate Thread that was discussed before I joined this site, so I tend to empathize with some of the newer members getting themselves into this same situation.
As for the first point, I generally find it better for archiving to keep individual events in separate threads. Not necessary, by any means, but if I want to go back and look for a post, I find it easier to use one thread as a reference than tell someone to go read pg. 151 on the first NaruSaku Debate Thread. I guess when I joined this site there was an individual event in the manga I was curious about, but I couldn't find an easy way to scan the Debate Thread for topics (I'm still not that used to the Search function on this site; I can find threads easily, but I still don't really know how to find specific pages with a point mentioned). I eventually made a separate thread on that particular event, and didn't seem to have any issues with it, other than seeing two or three threads on that same topic spring up later.
I'd definitely say that the Icha Icha section has been drowning in new topics lately, but I'm more indifferent when it comes to individual discussion points like this. It really doesn't hurt anything, other than maybe being superfluous, and I personally tend to find it easier for people like me who like to reference this site for one reason or another.
Edited by Boom...Winning, 18 December 2011 - 08:29 PM.