Duplicate thread detection?

Is there any way to make the forum software detect duplicate threads and prevent them being created in the first place?

Duplicate threads waste both our time and that of the moderators. Surley it can't be that hard to get the software to search the first posts of all the threads created in te last day or so for duplicates before allow a new thread to be created.

That would be great for spam detection as well, since the spammers tend to post the exact same ads every time.

This board runs a relativly generic PHP style board.

Acording to the footer at almost every page it's
https://www.vbulletin.com/

Learn PHP, learn what vbulletin is and program it yourself and offer it up to the web master. Problem solved =)

It would also be helpful if, when a poster posts a question about a particular topic, a box were to pop up showing links to threads on the same topic. I find amny posters ask questions about subjects that have been posted previously, eg. "how do I make a counter? the box could show links to threads invloving counters.

I know they should search for the topic themselves, but many don't appear to bother.