Zombie Thread alert banner

[OnTheBenchOfDoom]

Could there be a banner at the top of the thread like the MNHQ have commented but in a different colour? Maybe a year after the OP was created? Or if it hasn't been commented on for x number of months?

It would mean you don't have to scroll all the way to the bottom to see the zombie thread alert. Also if someone has posted knowing it is a zombie thread it is not immediately obvious following that.

I know the obvious answer is to look at the date on the OP and you would think after 14 years I would have learned, alas, I have not.

I cannot be alone in this.

You are not alone.

I feel like I am saying, hey, I am so stupid that I did not immediately check that date, I mean I did see "Jan" but I missed the 13 next to it so read an 8 year old thread, it was a good one but still.

I think a colourful banner, at the top, just like the MNHQ one would be great.

Thank you for the support.

I agree OP.

Of course we could all look at the date.......but it is patently obvious that many, many posters don't do this.

The thing that gets me the most is that they clearly haven't bothered reading the whole thread (or even the last few posts - most of which are pointing out that it is a zombie thread)

This is particularly irritating when there are 8 pages of comments. People just jump in to voice their opinion without having even a passing interest in what others may have said (this is also true for the non-zombie "cancel the cheque" type threads).

I think that part of the issue is that you can post a reply without having to go to the end of the thread to do so.

As this thread is only one page, then when I am typing a reply I can easily see the last post that was made. If the thread were several pages long, I could read the OP and then scroll down to make my own post without seeing the most recent comments which are lurking on page 8.

A coloured banner is a great idea (I have suggested this before under another username).

It would maybe also be useful if you cannot post a reply without going to the end of the thread first.

They can be funny to read but maybe when MN becomes aware of a zombie resurrection, they could then close the thread.

It can still be entertaining to reread but it would stop the earnest replies on how to deal with something that happened, as in the one I just saw, eight years ago.

Hi - thanks for your suggestions which are really useful. We can see it's not always obvious when you're further into a zombie thread, even though there is a banner on the reply box that says it is a zombie thread.

even though there is a banner on the reply box that says it is a zombie thread.

I very occasionally see a message saying "this thread has not been posted on for over a year", but I am have never seen any banners on the reply boxes for the currently active zombie threads.

This is a screenshot from the 2013 ski-chalet thread just now.

Probably because a few people have recently posted so it's not a zombie right now? This one got me too - all the way to the end not realising it was zombie - the banner on the reply box is too little too late, and some people pour a lot of time and emotion into a reply before realising.

@soniamumsnet, as you can see we have all been pulled into the chalet thread, and like I have said I have been on here 14+ years now, I should know to look. It is incredibly common and seems to be on the increase.

Would it really be that hard to put a banner at the top? Make it incredibly obvious it is an old thread before we wade in?

As Sparkys has demonstrated the second one person writes in the message box that zombie thread alert disappears.

Frustratingly these threads are often resurrected by marketing people, which then get deleted but the thread starts up again.

@OnTheBenchOfDoom

Thank you - that makes sense now!

I agree that a lot of them are resurrected by a spam post. I didn't realise that there was a message that "disappeared".

I see that the carpet fitter thread has made a re-appearance today too

Yes please MNHQ. A massive banner at the top in very big letters. Preferably a banner which flashes!

A note in the title would be good. When you have been around a while you recognise some of those threads but not always.

@Littlefish we try really hard on MN not to be like NetMums with their tickers a banner will be fine.

@SparkysMagicPiano yes there is a little cartoon drawing of a zombie and it says this message has not been posted on in a while but you can still type in the box and resurrect it. Sometimes it is lovely, especially if someone updates their thread to tell you what happened months or even years down the line. Or when people read a thread that is now in MN Classics and it appears on Active Threads as someone has posted to say they have read it, like "drug dependant baby" by EarthMotherImNot who sadly passed away in 2013. If you haven't read it, prepare yourself for the rollercoaster of emotions you will go through.

Hi - just popping in to say thanks for all your comments and thoughts which are really helpful and interesting. We'll bear them in mind for any future changes.

@OnTheBenchOfDoom I absolutely approve of being nothing like Netmums, but on this occasion, I want something massive, flashy and preferably loud!

@Littlefish maybe with audio too "zombie thread alert, zombie thread alert" and a siren whoop whooping.

In the short term @MNHQ maybe add Zombie to the title when it's brought to your attention that one has been resurrected?

The carpet fitter storming out is like an old pal, at this stage

Thanks @CharityDingle that's a good suggestion.

It's weird because at least 5 threads I've clicked on today have been zombie threads. Is there a reason we're suddenly getting so many?!

Sometimes the posters that resurrect them don't realise what a Zombie thread is which doesn't help. Often it is someone finding it in a Google search that has little knowledge of such things and is just looking for a solution to their problem.

Sometimes though it is just someone being annoying on purpose.

Why can't threads be locked for new comments when they're a year old or something? So many of these zombie threads around lately.

Gah another flipping zombie thread. I did look at the dates though but this is getting ridiculous

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3943748-text-made-me-so-uncomfortable?pg=7

Sick of zombie threads!

The poster who resurrects them should receive a ban, for basically being a PITA.

Or at least block comments @MNHQ if it's been closed for a length of time 🙄

@grapewine

Why can't threads be locked for new comments when they're a year old or something? So many of these zombie threads around lately.

Yes, or as another poster just suggested, that old threads can only be revived by the OP (to update)?