Old thread bumping?

Maser · October 26, 2009, 10:32 AM

I haven't posted much here, but was going to post in an old thread of mine, but got a message saying the thread was old and asking me if I really feel the need to bump it. Is that a bannable offense or just a simple heads up? I know this is an odd question, but I just don't want to do anything to get kicked off this informative site.

**Mal H** · October 26, 2009, 10:50 AM

No, it's not a bannable offense. But, the practice is frowned upon if the new post is only marginally related to the old topic. Resurrecting an old thread can be confusing to those who come along after the added post. Most members opening the thread don't realize how old the thread is and start answering questions that were asked literally years ago, and which were also answered years ago while the new poster's question or comment might go unnoticed.

Often it is best to start a new thread, and perhaps reference the old thread, if necessary, with a link.

In your case, since you said it was one of your old threads, it might be more appropriate to go ahead and post to the old thread instead of starting a new one if you have new info for that specific topic.

Maser · October 26, 2009, 11:39 AM

Thanks for the quick reply. The thread in question pretty much was answered for me, but I saw new posts that I haven't read and I was going to answer a specific post, but then got the message about thread bumping. None the less my question was answered in that thread so I guess there's no need to turn it into another discussion. Thanks Mal H.

goodspeed(TPF) · October 26, 2009, 11:59 AM

*(subscribes to thread in order to come back in a few months and "bump" it)

-Goodspeed

**Mike Irwin** · October 26, 2009, 12:24 PM

DON'T BELIEVE HIM! HE'S SUCKERING YOU IN AND WILL BAN YOU!

IIRC we've had a couple of old threads resurrected by spammers. That's a double butt kicking right there -- spamming, and bring up an old thread to spam...

**Mal H** · October 26, 2009, 03:25 PM

(But he didn't fall for the old trick, Mike.

)

Right, bringing back an old thread to add some new spam is a hearse of a different color! The ban time can be measured in milliseconds for those.

Alright, yes, yes, I know - any time period can be measured in milliseconds, but it sounds stricter when stated that way!

**hogdogs** · October 27, 2009, 07:44 PM

I thought, as I bump an old tread now and then...
If the notice prompted the grave digger to post a disclaimer above his reply that he is opening a necro thread, it would help out folks who read it...
Brent

Glenn Dee · October 27, 2009, 09:31 PM

I'm fairly new here. Is there a problem with re-visiting issues discussed in older threads? Being new I find some of the older subjects very interesting. Should I start a new thread and discuss the same issues? Thanks

Glenn Dee.

**Mal H** · October 27, 2009, 10:40 PM

No need to restate the guidelines I posted in post #2 above, Glenn. They haven't changed much since yesterday.

**Mike Irwin** · October 28, 2009, 10:43 AM

I'm beginning to think we should start executing people who bump threads more than 30 minutes old...

w_houle · October 29, 2009, 10:50 AM

The only problem I see is a matter of dead threads vs. a million repeated topic threads. It's like the thread I was reading on the Sig Mosquito: Granted I could have just started another that was worded similar, or one of the many posts that brought the thread up to date over time. It's possible to add valuable points or salient questions to a topic, but that seems to be the rub; a lot of +1 posts and revival of threads that... there was a point, but I lost it.

**tyme** · October 29, 2009, 05:32 PM

bump!

grymster2007 · October 30, 2009, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyme

bump!

Doesn't tyme know this thread is old?

I've posted to an old thread once or twice and I think the old-thread warning message is a good idea... makes one think. Now if we could have a dumb post warning, that would be something! Little pop-up window when you click sumbit that says "grym! yur'n idiot - you really want to confirm this again?"

goodspeed(TPF) · January 8, 2010, 12:43 PM

Bump for a good idea guys. Let's all try to keep this in mind when looking at threads that are a few months old. -Goodspeed

Balog · January 13, 2010, 04:34 PM

I personally see a difference between a 40 day old post on page two of the forum, and a 3 year old post you had to use the search function to find. But that's just me.

**Mike Irwin** · January 13, 2010, 05:20 PM

OK, this thread has lived a full and useful life.

Goodspeed has fulfilled his stated mission of bumping this thread, so I'm going to close it.

And ban him for good measure.

October 26, 2009, 10:32 AM	#1
Maser Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2006 Location: Mysterious Cities of Gold Posts: 920	Old thread bumping? I haven't posted much here, but was going to post in an old thread of mine, but got a message saying the thread was old and asking me if I really feel the need to bump it. Is that a bannable offense or just a simple heads up? I know this is an odd question, but I just don't want to do anything to get kicked off this informative site.

October 26, 2009, 11:59 AM	#4
goodspeed(TPF) Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: WI Posts: 1,162	Great question and answer. *(subscribes to thread in order to come back in a few months and "bump" it) -Goodspeed __________________ It's a trick. Get an axe. http://www.thepiratefleet.com/index.shtml

October 26, 2009, 12:24 PM	#5
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,306	DON'T BELIEVE HIM! HE'S SUCKERING YOU IN AND WILL BAN YOU! IIRC we've had a couple of old threads resurrected by spammers. That's a double butt kicking right there -- spamming, and bring up an old thread to spam... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

October 27, 2009, 07:44 PM	#7
hogdogs Staff Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 10,720	I thought, as I bump an old tread now and then... If the notice prompted the grave digger to post a disclaimer above his reply that he is opening a necro thread, it would help out folks who read it... Brent __________________ Finally have designs going up in the Hogdogs Outdoor Apparel online store. http://www.cafepress.com/hogdogsoutdoorapparel Thanks for lookin'...

October 28, 2009, 10:43 AM	#10
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,306	I'm beginning to think we should start executing people who bump threads more than 30 minutes old... __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

October 26, 2009, 10:50 AM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern VA Posts: 14,128	No, it's not a bannable offense. But, the practice is frowned upon if the new post is only marginally related to the old topic. Resurrecting an old thread can be confusing to those who come along after the added post. Most members opening the thread don't realize how old the thread is and start answering questions that were asked literally years ago, and which were also answered years ago while the new poster's question or comment might go unnoticed. Often it is best to start a new thread, and perhaps reference the old thread, if necessary, with a link. In your case, since you said it was one of your old threads, it might be more appropriate to go ahead and post to the old thread instead of starting a new one if you have new info for that specific topic.

October 26, 2009, 11:39 AM	#3
Maser Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2006 Location: Mysterious Cities of Gold Posts: 920	Thanks for the quick reply. The thread in question pretty much was answered for me, but I saw new posts that I haven't read and I was going to answer a specific post, but then got the message about thread bumping. None the less my question was answered in that thread so I guess there's no need to turn it into another discussion. Thanks Mal H.

October 26, 2009, 03:25 PM	#6
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern VA Posts: 14,128	(But he didn't fall for the old trick, Mike. ) Right, bringing back an old thread to add some new spam is a hearse of a different color! The ban time can be measured in milliseconds for those. Alright, yes, yes, I know - any time period can be measured in milliseconds, but it sounds stricter when stated that way!

October 27, 2009, 09:31 PM	#8
Glenn Dee Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,441	I'm fairly new here. Is there a problem with re-visiting issues discussed in older threads? Being new I find some of the older subjects very interesting. Should I start a new thread and discuss the same issues? Thanks Glenn Dee.

October 27, 2009, 10:40 PM	#9
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern VA Posts: 14,128	No need to restate the guidelines I posted in post #2 above, Glenn. They haven't changed much since yesterday.

October 29, 2009, 10:50 AM	#11
w_houle Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2007 Location: Junction City, KS Posts: 1,389	The only problem I see is a matter of dead threads vs. a million repeated topic threads. It's like the thread I was reading on the Sig Mosquito: Granted I could have just started another that was worded similar, or one of the many posts that brought the thread up to date over time. It's possible to add valuable points or salient questions to a topic, but that seems to be the rub; a lot of +1 posts and revival of threads that... there was a point, but I lost it. __________________ How could you have a slogan like "freedom is slavery" when the concept of freedom has been abolished?

October 29, 2009, 05:32 PM	#12
tyme Staff Join Date: October 13, 2001 Location: Novalis 978-0553586251 Posts: 3,014	bump! __________________ "Want to keep guns out of the hands of felons? Make fewer felons in the first place." --Vanya "God doesn't make the world this way. We do." --Rorschach, Watchmen "You should know that if you don't do this thing, you won't be in any shape to walk out of here." "Would that be physically, or just a mental state?" --Miller's Crossing

January 8, 2010, 12:43 PM	#14
goodspeed(TPF) Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: WI Posts: 1,162	Good thing I bookmarked this. Bump for a good idea guys. Let's all try to keep this in mind when looking at threads that are a few months old. -Goodspeed __________________ It's a trick. Get an axe. http://www.thepiratefleet.com/index.shtml

January 13, 2010, 04:34 PM	#15
Balog Senior Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Posts: 255	I personally see a difference between a 40 day old post on page two of the forum, and a 3 year old post you had to use the search function to find. But that's just me.

January 13, 2010, 05:20 PM	#16
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 33,306	OK, this thread has lived a full and useful life. Goodspeed has fulfilled his stated mission of bumping this thread, so I'm going to close it. And ban him for good measure. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.