Zombie threads

[Veritat]

I suspect this has come up before, but would it be possible to have the Zombie thread warning at the top of the thread rather than the end? It's really quite irritating to read through a thread, maybe get ready to post a response, and then discover it's months or years old. And maybe keep the warning up there for a bit longer?

[emotionsecho]

Just completely deleting/removing threads that are over 12 months old would be better imo. Is it really necessary to keep all those threads for all eternity?

[cozietoesie]

Not in my view. - at any rate not for 'public' use. (MNHQ can keep all the threads they want - back of house - to play with.) I'd actually be a bit tougher in that I think a cull at six months would be fine.

[Sparklingbrook]

I think the warning should stay for longer at least, why does it need to disappear?

[theoneaders]

I've wondered before if the zombie threads happen because when you go to your watch list there's a bump and reset option next to the delete one so people could be hitting it by accident, could that option be removed to try and cut down the number of threads in the first place?

[cozietoesie]

I can think of some potential instances where it might actually be counter productive or downright dangerous to keep old threads on (at first sight) the same basis as old ones - for example, boards which contained threads with outdated health or product advice and where a new person reading only made it as far as that bad information. Easiest just to cull wholesale, I suspect. There's always Classics if some posters want desperately to retain a particular thread - or MNHQ could always ask for nominations for retention on specific boards. (Think of the lovely delay that that would give them. )

[maybebabybee]

I don't think we should get rid of old threads, I've found some really useful advice on many of the older ones.

A warning at the top that it's a zombie thread would suffice, or maybe the thread showing up in a different colour.

[cozietoesie]

I take that point - but how do you know, on some boards, that the advice was actually useful? What if, for example, the law had changed, organisations had gone out of being, meds or substances had been discontinued or found to be dangerous etc etc etc. There are threads going back years.

[Adeleslostbeehive]

I don't really think it's an issue. Honestly, practically every baby problem I googled brought up multiple MN threads. The alternative is people ask
Again and again but people won't keep responding.

What's the big deal if a zombie thread gets bounced? I've never come across a forum the cares so much

[DontKillMyVibe]

It's a catch 22 situation really. Have also seem a number of threads where a question has been asked and the OP has been snapped at for asking the questions because 'the question has been asked on MN loads of times before and the OP should do a search'

[maybebabybee]

I don't, cozie, but that's the risk you take with any internet advice. I think the pros outweigh the cons personally.

[cozietoesie]

True.

[Sparklingbrook]

I think just start your own thread rather than bump a years old one. Loads of people don't RTFT and respond to just the OP anyway.

There's often ones like it. Someone asking a question in 2009 say, about their YR child, someone bumps it with their own problem and people come on to comment on the OP's question (whose child is now approaching High School) having not read the person that bumped it's problem.

[Sparklingbrook]

And Spammers.

[Ed1tY0urPr0f1le]

I'd support making them 'read only' after, say, 6 months.

I've found some older threads in relationships very helpful (am careful not to post on them!)

[WaitrosePigeon]

They should be locked after a year so no new posts can be added yet the thread still stays online. Win win.


Don't know why it isn't already done.

[GruntledOne]

Reviving this one in light of today's spate of zombies, and I'm sure there have been several similar requests before. PLEASE, HQ, is there any reason why you can't put the warning at the head of the thread and keep it there a bit longer?

[Sparklingbrook]

YY keep the Zombie warning for more posts.Or lock the thread and put a suggestion to start your own.

[PresidentOliviaMumsnet]

@GruntledOne

Reviving this one in light of today's spate of zombies, and I'm sure there have been several similar requests before. PLEASE, HQ, is there any reason why you can't put the warning at the head of the thread and keep it there a bit longer?

Lol at Spate of Zombies
I don't know if there is a reason why the reason can't stay up longer - we're going to find out.
Thanks

[Momamum]

Yes please! - enough of a bribe for you?

I've clicked on two this morning

Must learn to go to the end of the thread to see if it's active, I suppose. Sigh.

Life gets kinda tedious, don't it?