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Let's allow newer languages/versions for older challenges

The above link is to the correct topic to discuss this idea.

The below content is my opinion about closed stuff.

Please do not answer this question.

I've noticed recently a few challenges were closed as duplicates, but when I visited the page of the duplicate I realized that my answer would be non-competing. Therefore, instead of working tirelessly on an answer that never will be seen, I often opt to just not participate. I've often also seen old challenges that I'd love to compete on but have no reason to. In fact half the time I'm afraid I'd get bashed for grave-digging (even though it's a badge here, my old forum habits die hard...)

I was wondering at what point a challenge would have enough new languages competing to render a different outcome? Looking at old questions you'll see like 5-6 non-competing answers with 0 votes. How can we make these questions come around again, but maintain a limit on how many times we see the same challenge?

Maybe we should have a Resurrection Sandbox?

My idea is as follows (if you have an argument against it, or another suggested solution, please post an answer to the question):

  • Allow sandbox posts for the Resurrection of old questions.
  • Use the current sandbox to contain these posts, but with a specific format.
  • Close all questions as duplicates if they aren't under this specific format.
  • Disallow posting of Resurrection questions that get less than X votes in the sandbox.

The format I'm describing could be as follows:

#[Resurrection] ${originalPoster.linkToProfile}
***Originally posted [here](link to post), over X years ago.***
*Reason for Resurrection: ${reason.whyYouThinkItsAGoodIdea}*

Rendered template example (probably going to be declined):

[Resurrection] Alphabet Diamond

Originally posted here, over 0 years ago.

Reason for Resurrection: Alphabet Challenges are so Original!

Rendered template example (probably going to be accepted):

[Resurrection] Menger Sponge Generator

Originally posted here, over 3 years ago.

Reason for Resurrection: [A,B,C,D,E,F,...,Z] weren't languages at the time and the question has 20 non-competing answers (not true, but pretend please)

I think duplicates could be fun on a bunch of different questions, but allowing duplicates in general would mess everything up. Anyone have some additional input on this?

P.S. the most recent post that I wanted to compete on was: Menger Sponge Generator

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  • \$\begingroup\$ You linked my post twice, which was posted today. \$\endgroup\$ – Noah Cristino Jun 13 '17 at 21:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ Please don't think that there's anything wrong with, as you put it, "grave digging". Instead, we should be encouraging people to go back into PPCG's past and adding new and interesting answers. \$\endgroup\$ – Beta Decay Jun 13 '17 at 21:42
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    \$\begingroup\$ @BetaDecay one of my main points is the fact that many users will use the old forum mentality of "well, shit, I don't want to spam the front page with old topics." I mean, am I really the only one who thinks like that? \$\endgroup\$ – Magic Octopus Urn Jun 13 '17 at 21:58
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    \$\begingroup\$ @carusocomputing the necromancer badge is for exactly this \$\endgroup\$ – Digital Trauma Jun 13 '17 at 22:11
  • \$\begingroup\$ @DigitalTrauma I'm the 5th on that list, didn't even know about it until like 10 days ago :). Mostly for new users, if you can make a suggestion to make newer users aware that it's okay to grave-dig, post a counter ;). \$\endgroup\$ – Magic Octopus Urn Jun 13 '17 at 22:12
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    \$\begingroup\$ Would the old challenges be closed as duplicates of the new ones? If so, should there be a custom message, like "this challenge has been resurrected"? \$\endgroup\$ – Esolanging Fruit Jun 14 '17 at 3:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ This is no longer necessary. \$\endgroup\$ – Martin Ender Jun 16 '17 at 10:59
  • \$\begingroup\$ @MartinEnder close this for me, I've edited it accordingly, thanks. \$\endgroup\$ – Magic Octopus Urn Jun 16 '17 at 20:35
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    \$\begingroup\$ I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's a) not actually a question (it's asking to not be answered!) and b) doesn't aim to do anything which would help out PPCG or PPCG Meta as a whole. However, deletion would probably be a better solution to this than closure. I recommend downvoting/unupvoting the question so that its score becomes low enough that the OP can delete it. \$\endgroup\$ – user62131 Jun 17 '17 at 8:18

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