Highlighting Zombie threads

[5foot5]

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.

[GoatLePew]

Glad it's not just me who gets the rage when spammers/witch doctor pushers/ goady fuckers are resurrecting zombies. I have NEVER seen a useful resurrection of a zombie thread.
I complained vociferously in a report to MN last week after seeing about 6 of them within 30 minutes.
I didn't get a response.

I really don't understand why threads can't be locked after a certain amount of time.

This is enough of an issue for me to likely drive me away from MN in the near future. But never mind huh ? We can't put the newbies off.

[GoatLePew]

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?!

Oh yes, this too. Equally annoying as zombie resurrecters. Or actually more annoying because we were definitely told it would be addressed, I'd say it was nearly a year ago when it first started happening.

[newdaddie]

What's wrong with zombie threads?

[Sparklingbrook]

Here is an excellent example of all that is wrong with Zombie threads...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1522338-To-think-it-is-beyond-rude-disgusting-to-leave-shit-stains-in-the-toilet?msgid=68841902#68841902

[AwkwardSquad]

The zombie threads are annoying the crap out of me too (though I promise you I'm not leaving any suspect stains).

There needs to be a proper flag. Bring back our zombie warning!

[ArtemisiaGentilleschi]

"New users are spoiling the thread"
Way to go to welcome new posters.
Shall we make them be highlighted with a fancy colour until they pass ArbitraryMN's spurious initiation?

[newdaddie]

Thanks Sparklingbrook I just laughed so much I cried into my coffee. I have a long day of crawling on my belly in the loft for my latest renovation and this helped wake me up.

I might become the necromancer of MN if all zombie threads are that good.

[Sparklingbrook]

[LouMumsnet]

Everyone's welcome on Mumsnet, whether they've been here ten years or ten minutes.
However, erm, that thread might have been better left in the past.
Anyway, just to reassure you that we're passing on your comments about zombie threads and that we'll hopefully have an update for you soon .

[BIWI]

Well whilst that's very good to hear, Lou, about MN being for all users, but Lorna's post didn't suggest that, did it?

We totally understand your concerns, however, we actually changed our zombie alert a while back as it was quite off-putting for new users!

[Sparklingbrook]

I agree BIWI, and I still want to know where the newbies said it was off-putting...

[OlennasWimple]

What's wrong with zombie threads? Well, in almost every case threads quickly become irrelevant or outdated.

No point offering advice on weaning to a poster whose kid is now heading off to secondary school, for example. Some of the threads I've seen recently re-animated are asking about visas or other legal advice (and at least I can understand how posters come across them from search engine results), but the law changes and getting five year old information is probably worse than having no information at all.

Though does anyone else remember the zombie thread asking for experience of a particular buggy? IIRC the OP was considering purchasing Model X, and after a few favourable reviews concluded that she would go ahead and buy it. Then many years down the line, she posted on her own zombie thread without realising words to the effect of "Hey OP, I've had one of these for ages now and I really recommend it too!"

[OverOn]

There is a zombie thread about saniflo toilets in Active conversations at this very moment. I was hoping for drama with the upstairs neighbour but it's OLD. And I didn't realise until I got the end of the thread.

Can we please have a warning at the TOP when a zombie thread is resurrected. So annoying to get to through the whole thread before realising it's a zombie.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

And the Saniflo zombie thread was resurrected on purpose by someone who obviously thought it was the best way to get a response.

A helpful note at the top might have shown them they'd get better results from starting a new thread.

[Teatimebear]

Another vote here for bringing back the Zombie Thread warning. It's so frustrating, and makes MN less relevant.

[YouWhatMate]

I'm guessing that a lot of people who search random things on google end up getting linked to old threads, then they sign up and respond to it -
this is presumably a useful source of membership/pageviews (ergo revenue) for mumsnet. But it these people see the zombie warning, then they realise that responding to the topic is fruitless and they close the page, which is obviously BAD for mumsnet (financially speaking).

Money talks.

[MyVisionsComeFromSoup]

and now a zombie thread is in discussions of the day (the woman shut my car door one). Really unhelpful .

[Sparklingbrook]

I agree it may be all about the clicks/advertising revenue. Doesn't matter what people are clicking on just that they are clicking. If it's a bunfight from ten years ago then so be it.

I think AIBU should be the same as Chat and disappear after 3 months.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

But they need to balance all that against overall user experience. Just going for clicks at any price isn't going to benefit them long term.

[Waltermittythesequel]

How have HQ garnered that newbies are put off by the zombie warning?

And what about what the regulars think??

[Sparklingbrook]

Totally agree Empress but there is definite resistance to doing anything about it. There must be a good reason-maybe one we don't know about? Not sure.

[SnickersWasAHorse]

All that needs to happen is that threads are locked after a certain amount of time.
I completely agree that if you are searching for an answer to certain problems then many old threads can be useful.
However why not just put something at the bottom saying 'this thread is over 3 months old. If you want to discuss this topic then feel free to start a new thread.'

Us old MNers (I name change frequently) welcome newbies but I am getting very pissed off with the tone from HQ that the newbies are more important that the old guard.

[Sparklingbrook]

They should put it to a vote.

[ilovesooty]

And another absolutely pointless one has just been dragged up.

[Sparklingbrook]

What's that one about sooty?