In the last year or so I have come across a few topics of discussion I wanted to take part in but staff had already locked. More often than I recall happening in the past. I am a little worried about this. I would very much prefer it if locking a thread was done as a last resort.
If people are getting heated and breaking rules about BgBB use, talk to them. Restrict them. And just because some people feel that a topic has run it's course, it does not mean that the topic is of no value to others.
Further, this kind of thing can look bad. It can look like some topics are not allowed to be dug into or discussed. It can come off as overly authoritarian. It can seem like there are topics that are avoided.
Just my two cents.
