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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Highlighting Zombie threads

106 replies

5foot5 · 03/05/2017 13:53

Maybe this has been mentioned before but, having just invested about 20 minutes I won't get back in a NINE YEAR OLD thread on AIBU, is there not some way that you can highlight at the top of a thread or in the thread title that it is a zombie.

Surely some criteria can be devised e.g. initial post more than x months ago, that these could be easily spotted?

Typically someone notices and posts a Zombie Alert on the thread but inevitably that will be near the end of the thread so you can easily have read hundreds of posts without noticing.

Notification at the top, or even before opening the thread, would be preferable.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 04/05/2017 11:22

I wonder how the newbies gave their feedback about it being offputting?

Stormtreader · 04/05/2017 13:31

Im curious about that as well

MagentaRocks · 04/05/2017 22:23

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/566378-in-feeling-annoyed-at-parents-of-overweight-kids?pg=2

Another example of a zombie thread resurrected I think by someone spamming. I wasted time reading it. If the background was highlighted as I suggested people wouldn't waste their time on it.

MamehaSan · 04/05/2017 23:19

I agree. The issues for me are:

  1. The zombie warning disappears after a couple of people have posted on the zombie thread; and
  2. The warning appears next to the box for your message, i.e. at the bottom of the thread. So you find it after you've rtft assuming no-one's posted already, in which case it's disappeared...
HelloToJasonIsaacs · 04/05/2017 23:32

It's simple.

  1. Give it an active check box to tick before you can post. "This thread has not been posted on for a year. Are you absolutely sure you want to post? You could start a new thread over here."
  2. only let people with a 6 month posting record reopen zombie threads - it's mostly spammers anyway
HelloToJasonIsaacs · 04/05/2017 23:36

And also as previously suggested a big label at the top saying "Zombie thread, don't read intently and anticipate giving any advice because the three year old in the OP is now taking her GCSE's"

BertieBotts · 04/05/2017 23:49

I think it was offputting for newbies because new users didn't necessarily know what "zombie thread" meant or that it may be frowned upon to reanimate one. Indeed, on many forums "zombieing" threads is encouraged.

The zombie was cute but if the warning is aimed at new posters it should be more informational and friendly, and it definitely shouldn't use MN-specific slang.

Warning! This thread hasn't been posted on for a while, therefore the information contained in it may be out of date. You may prefer to start a new thread, search for recent threads, view current threads in this topic or return to the home page with each of those being links.

(Also, fix advanced search so that you can order results by date!)

Change it so that the warning stays for 5 or even 10 new posts rather than two. Two isn't enough because a spammer or new poster can add a post, one person responds in good faith, to direct the new poster where they will get better advice or even to say "Reported" or "Zombie" and the zombie warning is gone.

Lastly apply some kind of shading to the whole thread which never expires, isn't intrusive but is enough for regulars to notice immediately.

OlennasWimple · 05/05/2017 00:00

The problem with the current alert is that it only appears at the bottom of the thread when you go to post.

those of us who are diligently RTFT don't always clock until that comes up, by which point we have spent some time reading it through. (Or re-reading, in some cases - more than once I've thought it seemed familiar, and then seen my old post on a thread!)

If the now-canned zombie alert was off-putting for new users they are probably too delicate to be MNers anyway couldn't we try using the same procedure of putting a notification at the top of the thread but with polite wording and no zombie illustration?

Bloomed · 05/05/2017 01:11

Agree this problem seems to be getting worse as I think some new users believe it's good form to search for an existing thread on a topic and then post. Really wish old threads could be locked.

Sparklingbrook · 05/05/2017 06:02

The threads that get bumped after years always seem to be the vv long ones for some reason. They never seem to be one page ones do they?
So the subject matter is usually a bit Hmm in the first place.
Trolls and spammers seem to be the newbies that find it offputting as they are the ones bumping!

EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans · 05/05/2017 06:52

I think a polite message with a tick box is a great idea.

Isn't it even more off-putting for new users to think they're doing the right thing and then get a load of annoyed responses about zombies?

NotHotDogMum · 05/05/2017 06:59

Agree.....getting very pissed off reading through entire threads only to discover they are years old. Really putting me off MN.

HelloToJasonIsaacs · 05/05/2017 07:01

Yes, MNHQ may not like to put new people off posting but letting them revive a zombie thread without advising them in no uncertain terms that it's a bad idea is just inviting them to be flamed.

Also 45% of zombie threads are revived by spammers and another 45% by GFs.

Sparklingbrook · 05/05/2017 07:02

If a really long thread that you have never seen before suddenly appears in Active it will be a Zombie thread.

MrsJamin · 05/05/2017 07:08

There really should be a warning right at the top, not at the bottom. Also when a zombie thread is posted on by a spammer that then gets deleted by MN it still appears in active conversations, and so it's posted on again and again!

AnarchyKitty · 05/05/2017 07:43

As a newbie when I saw the Zombie (which was quite cute) it didn't put me off using the site! I could make the decision whether or not to read the thread. If I wanted advice on something, it's not difficult to start a new thread or Google for one. The thread dates come up on Google search. I vote bring back the Zombie!

Scrowy · 05/05/2017 07:53

Although I agree with everything above I have found it's much easier to spot zombie threads these days as after Jeffery and other incidents as most old threads have a number of posts 'removed at the posters request' on them. As soon as I spot that I check the date of the thread.

Penfold007 · 05/05/2017 07:56

MNHQ why not give users a vote on the zombie issue? My vote is bring it back.

ScarletSienna · 05/05/2017 14:20

The check box is a great idea!

IloveBanff · 05/05/2017 19:51

I think the only solution at the moment is to try to get into the habit of checking the date of the thread before you start reading.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 05/05/2017 20:01

I am also interested to hear about how it is off-putting to newbies???

Surely, to make the site easier to navigate for newbies you only need to put a few pointers in a welcome email which they have to read and accept before being allowed to post. Along with coming up with a proper username.

BIWI · 05/05/2017 20:05

Agree, bibbity.

There's still no change to the whole 'user123456' nonsense, despite MNHQ promising to look at it months ago. Makes you wonder who MNHQ feel is more important, doesn't it?!

Smeaton · 05/05/2017 20:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bibbitybobbityyhat · 05/05/2017 20:26

It does indeed make you wonder BIWI.

I suppose newbies are far more important to HQ now than oldies. There's vanishingly few of us left now, or at least the ones who haven't name changed.

where has Pagwatch gone for eg.?