Resurrected threads: Why 'bad' if applicable?

[asta]

Yes, I have a bee in my bonnet on this subject.

 

I just resurrected my 2 yr old thread on cyber security. Why? Because all of the info in it is still applicable and I felt, after reading some things around the Internet community lately, that it would be a good reminder.

 

What did that get to me? A 'resurrected thread' tag. Come on, guys - I cannot be the only person here cognizant of the fact that it costs money to run a website. And that every time a new thread is written on the exact. same. question / topic. that the webmaster has to pay for the bandwidth.

 

There was just a question the other day wherein Mrs Mungo repeatedly tried referring posters to an older, very thoroughly discussed topic - and no one would move over to the original, 'old' topic!

 

Not every question is it's own special snowflake - I don't think it will kill us to 'add on' to older threads that already have some useful information in them - without slapping a 'resurrected thread' tag on them (or, even worse, assuming someone is a 'troll' because they have answered an old thread; the majority of boards on the Internet do not look kindly upon newbies posting lots of new threads and insist that they utilize the search function first.

 

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[IsabelC]

I agree with you, resurrecting popular or topical threads is great. (It's only annoying when somebody answers a 2yo question as if it's new, thus causing a spate of posts that nobody actually needs to read.) Not sure about the tagging, maybe that's to save experienced and busy members from posting when they have already added their thoughts the first time around?

[LidiyaDawn]

the majority of boards on the Internet do not look kindly upon newbies posting lots of new threads and insist that they utilize the search function first.

 

You can't win. Bring up a frequently discussed topic and you get "do a search!" and "there are lots of threads about this" ….. bump an old thread and what happens? You get growled at for "resurrecting" it! :tongue_smilie:

[Parrothead]

I saw nothing wrong with your thread. I agree it was/is pertinent info. Nothing wrong with bringing it back to the top of the pile.

[LaxMom]

I see nothing wrong with it either, though I will admit it throws me a bit when I start reading and see I've replied 3 pages in to a 10 page thread. I get a little paranoid that I'm posting in my sleep or something. Then I see it was in '09. :)

[Tap]

I don't mind (and I do expect to see) resurrected threads on topics that warrant more discussion.

 

It gets annoying to me when someone brings up an old post that had a specific answer, just to add an :iagree: to it. They aren't adding to the content, they are just bumping it back up. These are often people who admittedly are often looking just to boost post counts for selling on the boards, not actually interacting on them. I don't think 'troll' when I see resurrected threads, I think "seller".

 

I use the search feature all the time, and do look back at old threads for information. If the information I need, was contained within the thread, and I got the answer I sought....why would I need to resurrect it? I got the answer I was looking for. If others are looking for the information, they can search too, it doesn't necessarily need to be bumped.

 

ie a 2 year old thread about "What benefits do you see from your older students having learned Latin?" Would be an interesting, ongoing, resurrected thread. Over the years, it would be nice to see some threads be added to from the same people, allowing them a chance to give additional information.

 

 

A 3 year old poll about "What brand of batteries do you feel work best in TV remotes?" getting resurrected...isn't necessary. Unless someone really wants to get more people's opinion. Then I would rather see a new thread started and maybe the old one referenced, so people could say if they still agreed with the first polls results.

 

I really don't thing you will even get a majority of people to agree on what should be resurrected and what should be reposted. There are too many variables, and the search feature, quite honestly, isn't a very effective one at that!