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.

[ilovesooty]

A thread from 2007 about sacking her husband's carer with absolutely no context Sparkling

[AmyGMumsnet]

Hello everyone

Thanks for all your comments. This is a quick post to say we're having a think about this, and will post again once we come to a decision.

Thank you!

[Sparklingbrook]

Brilliant! (Assuming the decision is to sort it out)

[SealSong]

And here we have a THIRTEEN YEAR OLD thread that has been resurrected FFS.......come on MNHQ, please lock old threads!!

[Whiskwarrior]

We keep being told that 'things are being looked into' and 'we'll hear back soon'.

Then a few months goes by and we have this whole thing again.

Be honest, HQ, you're just going to keep fobbing everyone off, aren't you?

You've been 'looking into' the zombie issue AND the 'user123456' things for a long old time now...

[Sparklingbrook]

Also the 'Great emoji debate' where we were told they could be got rid of of need be but nothing happened there either.

But I still think a Like button is not far away.

[Whiskwarrior]

This place is constantly being dumbed down, Sparkling.

It's putting me off more and more tbh.

[averylongtimeago]

Hurry up mnhq, more zombie threads today, more "user123456789" .
It's really really annoying.
What was wrong with the large zombie cartoon?

[Sparklingbrook]

Apparently newbies found it offputting avery. There must have been a survey.

[BertieBotts]

That emoticon thread was a blast from the past

[SealSong]

Unfortunately I think MNHQ's priorities are to have the maximum number of users and to develop the advertising (as much as users will tolerate)...that is their income stream and their focus, not on other issues such as the actual quality and useability of the site.
I come on here less and less these days.

[MagentaRocks]

Another 6 years old thread resurrected this morning. It is clear that this is being done deliberately. Don't know why. Probably to just piss people off.

It is also clear that many of us are unhappy about active being filled up with zombie threads but MNHQ don't seem to be taking it seriously and just say they will consider it. It has been weeks since this thread started and we are still no further on.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

Zombie trolls .

Somebody is taking the piss.

[Sparklingbrook]

A 6 year old thread about a baby crying reanimated overnight.

[LordRothermereBlackshirtCunt]

Just to add to this - yes the baby crying thread that's reappeared this morning is annoying. Posters spend time reading through and responding to these threads before they realise they're old - that's the sort of thing that makes you feel like you can't be bothered with MN any more.

[DarkFloodRises]

Just adding my voice to the posters finding this annoying. It's so irritating to spend time reading a thread and then realise it's years old!

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

How about using this as a helpful warning to newbies? Inspired by reanimator's complaint that she was getting her head bitten off.

It's a zombie thread
It should be dead
If you wake it up
It might eat your head.

[EmpressOfTheSpartacusOceans]

No, sorry, I've got a better one. In the best haiku tradition of MN.

This is a zombie
Foolish re-animator
Do not wake it up.

[WhatchaMaCalllit]

Why aren't threads over 4 years old locked?

If someone thinks that they have something to add, they can just as easily start a new discussion and copy & paste the link to the locked older thread (if they really feel they must give context) in their opening post??

I really don't know why this isn't being done as part of normal operating procedure.

[gleam]

Yes that baby one this morning was annoying. Only reanimated to have a go at the op.

[SnickersWasAHorse]

This is a quick post to say we're having a think about this, and will post again once we come to a decision.

This is the MN equivalent of when your mum says 'we'll see'. Which we all know means - no.

[MagentaRocks]

Maybe we should all report the thread when they come up. Perhaps they will then see how irritating it is

[5foot5]

Gah!!

Just wasted another 10 minutes of my life that I won't get back because I didn't notice the thread in AIBU about a missing SportsDirect parcel was 5 years old!!

If Mumsnet won't do anything about it can we not just go round to the houses of the zombie re-animators and duff them up?

[MagentaRocks]

Sports direct zombies come up often. Usually someon who has a grudge against sports direct for some reason.

[BIWI]

Actually, reporting them all is an inspired idea!