What usually happens is that I fry up fresh latkes during a party and I end up in the kitchen for the majority of the party.  Is there a way for me to precook the latkes and then still have them taste fresh and crispy when the guests arrive?  Here are some options that I'm thinking of but don't know if it will work well:   Fry them up as usual and keep them on a rack in a warm oven before the guests arrive Do a quick fry and keep them in the oven...when the guests arrive refry them (hopefully this will take less time). Get other to take turn to fry up the latkes.  :)  
I'd say no never prick the sausages if you can help it.  the fat inside helps to keep them succulent and moist, and if you have a problem with the splitting and are pricking them to release the pressure as was stated by @foodrules, then I'd say you are cooking them over too high a heat.  Lower the heat, or if you are BBQing move them further from the source, then you will get to have unsplit, moist sausages.  When pan frying I prefer a very low heat for a long time.  This allows a delicious sticky crust to develop on the outside of the sausages. mmm...  If they were meant to be pricked why would they not come pre pricked? 