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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Is there any reason why the Zombie Warning couldn't stay for a few more posts after the thread is bumped?

52 replies

Sparklingbrook · 30/03/2016 14:49

I think it needs to stay longer. Maybe 10 posts?

2012 seems to be a popular year to bump v long threads from currently. Bit tiresome now.

OP posts:
BertieBotts · 01/04/2016 21:11

I think it's about 50/50 between spammers and people who don't really understand forums finding things via google.

You'll have pages of somebody's struggle with potty training a child who must be sitting their GCSEs by now and someone will post on the last page "Have you tried chocolate buttons hun, worked for mine x" (Although that thought process is baffling in itself. Why would you google potty training if you already knew what you were doing and wanted to dispense random advice?)

RustyBear · 01/04/2016 21:19

It would also help if Advanced Search returned results in date order with newest at the top, instead of alphabetically by topic.

I just did a test advanced search on 'scared of dentist' (the first words that came into my head for some reason)and the first thread that came up was a year old, the second four years old. The first one on the list that was started this year was in 8th position.

Then I searched for some words taken from the top thread on active convos (ie the latest one posted on) - that thread was returned as the last entry on the page of results - again, the first entry was almost a year old, the second one over 5 years old.

Having the results presented alphabetically by topic also means threads in AIBU tend to come up first, which may or may not be intentional....

My2favboys · 05/04/2016 10:41

Can anyone help? I can't find the mumsnet app in the Google play store. Should I be searching under a different title or is there a different way of getting it?

Thanks

My2favboys · 05/04/2016 10:43

Oh sorry new here. Thought is was making a new op. sorry for hijacking

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2016 11:01

Don't worry My2 I will report your post and MN will answer on here.

OP posts:
MNHQ
BeccaMumsnet · 05/04/2016 11:16

Hi My2 - we'll pop you a PM.

I don't think I would want them to be locked - there are some in the Relationships topic for example which get bumped every now and again and it's great when funny old Classics threads appear in Active. And vv occasionally I have seen people give an update on a v old thread which wouldn't be quite the same if they had to start a new one.

This is one of the main reasons we are hestitant to lock threads. And there are many long running threads that would fit within the zombie bracket which we really wouldn't want to lock.

Thanks all - do keep the suggestions coming.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2016 11:33

The Zombie threads are reappearing daily now. I still think keeping the warning on for longer at both the beginning and the end would sort it all out. The problems are caused because the warning disappears and people start not RTFT and responding to the OP from years ago.

The bumping is being done by posters that say their bit then never return after that in most cases.

OP posts:
LizzieMacQueen · 05/04/2016 11:36

It would also help if Advanced Search returned results in date order with newest at the top, instead of alphabetically by topic.

Or even the simple search function, there doesn't seem to be any order to the results.

LilacSpunkMonkey · 05/04/2016 11:43

I think the only people who should be able to bump a zombie thread are the original OP.

There was another one bumped yesterday, another very long one (as Sparkling pointed out, always the long ones) because the bumper wanted to 'address' points made almost three years ago. Two of us pointed out it was a zombie thread and the OP was probably long gone but the bumper came back again to 'address' more points.

In my experience people who bump zombie threads are looking to kick-start a fight.

UnmentionedElephantDildo · 05/04/2016 11:54

The zombie thread in Baby Names seems to be bumped every April. It's become an MN tradition in itself!

And I think the thread yesterday 'addressing points' was a company rep trying a bit of late reputation management. They were deleted.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2016 11:57

Yes if in the rare case the poster that bumped returns it's usually to say 'well i think it's still an interesting discussion' as if to justify. Confused

OP posts:
TheDrsDocMartens · 05/04/2016 18:26

Set classics not to lock and allow Ops to repost but no one else then? The Op could ask HQ to unlock if it's too complicated ( I expect it is)

IamCarcass · 05/04/2016 18:34

If you lock the threads, we would be denied the pleasure of the pram thread which would be very sad. That's one of my favourites!
Also if it was an update on a LTB type issue it would be nice for the OP to be be able to do that?
I think adding Zombie to the header / above OP or making the whole thing red would be good.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2016 18:38

I am not sure how many OPs would even think to update MN after 4 years. How many months is it until the Zombie warning appears?

OP posts:
SqueegyBeckinheim · 05/04/2016 18:44

At the moment number zombie threads being revived by randoms is far far greater than the number zombie threads revived by their ops. The default position would be far better being all threads are automatically locked after a certain period of time, but if an op has an update they can contact MNHQ to get it unlocked, than just leaving them open to all and sundry.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 05/04/2016 19:27

I am not sure I have ever seen a Zombie thread bumped by the OP.

OP posts:
TheDrsDocMartens · 06/04/2016 07:45

I don't think I've seen one that old updated by the op, mainly come back within a few months.

Toooldtobearsed · 06/04/2016 08:50

I came to MN via a Zombie thread. I realised, and never posted on it, but it came up when I googled whatever it was.

Could all Zombie threads not have 'ZOMBIE' plastered diagonally over every post? I would have thought that would be fairly easy to do speaking as a die-hard technophobe and all round ignoramous

Or simply, as suggested above, all posts highlighted in lurid colours - would certainly be enough to make most people realise that something was wrong!

RustyBear · 06/04/2016 09:55

I think having an extra warning at the top is a good idea and should be sufficient to warn posters -locking old threads or only allowing the OP to update would cause problems to certain types of long-running threads.

For example, I started an 'empty nest' thread when DS went to university in 2006 and it was revived almost every year after that for 7 years, not always by me, until it finally reached 1000 posts around it's 7th anniversary. People were still finding the advice and support in it useful even if it was a few years old.

This week, I've been on the Little Alchemy app; it's a game that gets updated with new contentevery 6 months or so; when the next update comes, it will be better to revive the current thread rather than start a new one, because when new people discover the app through the thread, all the hints will be in one place.

NewYearNewToads · 09/04/2016 04:59

Do some people just deliberately search for old threads just to bump them back up?

A thread that is nearly 12 years old has just been bumped back up.

Original poster
Sparklingbrook · 09/04/2016 08:30

Yes a poster has gone on a spree of reanimating threads last night. Lots of them.

OP posts:
SilverBirchWithout · 09/04/2016 12:21

There does seem to have been a number of these spree posters on Zombie threads.

There are a number of ways to make this less disruptive and time wasting.

Having ZOMBIE THREAD in the beginning of the title, not having them picked up in Trending and Only appearing at bottom of the first page of Active threads would all go some way to prevent others accidentally opening them and continuing a very old conversation.

MNHQ
BeccaMumsnet · 10/04/2016 14:19

Hi SilverBirch - there are some interesting ideas in there. We'll ask Tech about them.

BertieBotts · 10/04/2016 16:11

Probably too complicated, but what if only established members were able to post on threads over a year old? Like you need to have had an account for 3 months or something?

Another idea would be to put a link to an explanation - new forum/internet users won't necessarily understand what "zombie thread" means - you could put a short text (in a link if you like) saying "What is a zombie thread? Because guidelines and best practice are often changing in parenting, mumsnetters prefer to start a new thread rather than revive an older one, which has been "dead" (no activity) for too long. Would you like to:

  • Start a new thread on the topic of
  • Browse the list of topics
  • Look at the current Active threads
  • Search for more information on this topic

That way if it's a genuine/hilarious bump it will still happen but it would cut down on spamming and people who just don't realise that it's not the done thing.

ChopOrNot · 11/04/2016 20:07

YYY to an alert at the top of the thread as well as the bottom - then that warns you to check the date before you trawl through long posts.

Also, how about an "Are you sure you want to post on this zombie thread" to come up when you press "Post Message". So you can still post (by pressing "yes") but as a reminder to try and prevent pointless/past-it-sell-by-date resurrections of threads.