mathmarm Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I wanted to ask: how long is too long to wait to reply to a topic before the discussion is "dead". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 IDK, but I think the content matters a bit. For example, sometimes a person posts about a particular situation--asking about curriculum for that year, or a family situation, etc. Coming into the convo long after it's been resolved would be a no-no. I say start your own thread if it's been more than a couple of weeks that someone has replied--but true zombie threads--probably 3 months or more. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 VERY difficult to tell... sometimes, when people have asked about something, they have been told to search the archives for answers or given a link to old threads- so it would make sense that a person would feel free to post on those threads since that's what they were instructed to read. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Different communities have different norms. In some internet communities, if it's more than, like, a week old you're expected to start a new discussion. In others, you're expected to find out what's been said before and stick to that thread unless it's been nearly a decade! (I exaggerate, but not by much.) There is no one, single rule that applies everywhere on the internet. Your best bet, if unsure of the local rule, is to preface a comment with a disclaimer like "I know this is an old thread, but...." or "I know this has been discussed before, but...." and hope for the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 Here on this forum? If it has been months, start your own thread even if it is to say "Whatever happened to. . . .?" If it has been a year or more, then definitely don't post on the thread! Content does matter some - a thread about someone's life for example is more time sensitive than a thread about a certain type of scissors. But I would figure that the factual threads can be read for content without necessarily resurrecting them unless you really feel like you must tell us about the really neat type of scissors you've found - though that might be worth a thread of it's own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I mostly agree with the above. But there are a few fantastic threads that people just bump from year to year to keep everyone aware of them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go_go_gadget Posted May 23, 2015 Share Posted May 23, 2015 I'm going to dissent and say that for reasons of continuity, I often would rather have old threads appended than new ones created. I've seen threads about a particular curriculum bumped with a "Just wondering how this worked out for you," and then the response to that follows. So a subsequent reader also interested in that curriculum can read the information in its entirety, whereas if a separate thread had been created for the follow-up, a subsequent reader would only have the first part of the story, and no means of knowing that the follow-up exists. Really, the only thread-bumps that irritate me are the highly polarized political ones. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Mousie Posted May 24, 2015 Share Posted May 24, 2015 What I have done is start a new thread and include a link to the old thread in the OP - but only when the subject is related to education. I don't resurrect personal/family crisis threads, for example, just to ask if things are better now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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