# Could we get a button that takes us to the new post in a zombie thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 18, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877 "2013-07-18T20:07:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/1 "2013-07-18T20:07:13Z")
I don’t mind zombie threads getting resurrected (and I _really_ like people coming back with updates), but I’m wondering if it would be possible to write some code or make a button or something that takes you to the first new post in a resurrected thread. You know, if the hamsters would be up for that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/2 "2013-07-18T20:09:22Z")
I’m confused. I mean, if you know it’s a zombie thread, why not just scroll down to the first new post. That’s what I usually do when I realize it’s a zombie thread (if it’s long). But the problem with zombies, and the reason, IMO, that people get so worked up about them, is that they don’t realize that they’re zombie threads to begin with, which would make the button pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/3 "2013-07-18T21:01:15Z")
Okay, maybe we have a few bugs to work out. 🙂 There was a zombie thread resurrected recently that has multiple new pages - I was scrolling and scrolling and scrolling to find where the old stuff stopped and the new stuff started, and I thought, “There has to be a better way than this.” Maybe there isn’t. How about the background of old stuff gets a different colour? Then you’ll be able to see at a glance both that it is an old thread, and where the new stuff starts. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/4 "2013-07-18T21:03:36Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Okay, maybe we have a few bugs to work out. 🙂 > > There was a zombie thread resurrected recently that has multiple new pages - I was scrolling and scrolling and scrolling to find where the old stuff stopped and the new stuff started, and I thought, “There has to be a better way than this.” Maybe there isn’t. > > How about the background of old stuff gets a different colour? Then you’ll be able to see at a glance both that it is an old thread, and where the new stuff starts. I think you’re about the 700th person to ask for some variation of that. I think the best answer you’re likely to get is to look at the date. If it’s multi paged, I usually just jump to the last page after I get the idea of what the thread is about. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/5 "2013-07-18T21:15:50Z")
Yeah, I usually jump to the end and then scroll up, looking at date stamps. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/6 "2013-07-18T21:50:35Z")
There’s also a “View First Unread” link at the top of the page. It works based on your last activity, so it should be fairly accurate in selecting the first new message for you. It’s right below the “Post Reply” button at the top of the page. Although I’ve never understood why we actually \*have \*a “Post Reply” button at the top of the page. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/7 "2013-07-19T01:32:30Z")
Also, recall from umpteen earlier threads about this, that nobody ever really agreed on what constitutes a “zombie” thread, nor on which post resurrects such a thread. Are “zombie” threads defined, based on how long ago the thread was started, or on how long a time gap there is between the resurrecting post and the post just before that? And once a zombie is resurrected, and several new posts have been added, then you no longer have a long gap between the latest post and the one just before that. So is the thread no longer a zombie? Do you have to search the entire thread for two consecutive posts anywhere in the thread, that have a long gap between them? So, it turns out that “zombie thread” isn’t really well defined. It would get messy. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/8 "2013-07-19T01:50:54Z")
Her eyes are soft and cool. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/9 "2013-07-19T02:52:20Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Her eyes are soft and cool. Okay…? ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/10 "2013-07-19T03:29:17Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Her eyes are soft and cool. It was her voice that was soft and cool. Her eyes were clear and bright. Not that it matters. She’s not there. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/11 "2013-07-19T04:05:07Z")
We have so many buttons already, I say we get rid of those that aren’t being used, starting with the FAQ button. Anyone ever use that one? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/12 "2013-07-19T04:09:36Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > There’s also a “View First Unread” link at the top of the page. It works based on your last activity, so it should be fairly accurate in selecting the first new message for you. > > It’s right below the “Post Reply” button at the top of the page. Although I’ve never understood why we actually \*have \*a “Post Reply” button at the top of the page. We have a “Post Reply” button at the top of the page? Holy moleys, look at that! I’ll have to try the “View First Unread” link - I wasn’t using that, either, since I haven’t looked at the page closely enough, obviously. I still think old threads being a different colour would be great. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/13 "2013-07-19T04:21:27Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > We have so many buttons already, I say we get rid of those that aren’t being used, starting with the FAQ button. Anyone ever use that one? How about the Calendar button, it’s not even enabled. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/14 "2013-07-19T10:40:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > We have so many buttons already, I say we get rid of those that aren’t being used, starting with the FAQ button. Anyone ever use that one? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OeLnS8O08ng/maxresdefault.jpg "Airplane 2: The Sequel (9/10) Movie CLIP - A Bobby Pin (1982) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeLnS8O08ng) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/15 "2013-07-19T13:48:21Z")
If you click on the little down arrow next to the Thread Title it will take you to your first unseen post, based on your last login time. It should do exactly what you want. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/16 "2013-07-19T13:54:04Z")
[QUOTE=message-board satisfaction survey] Q:What do you like most about the SDMB? A: Knowledgeable members in a wide range of areas of expertise. Q: What do you like least about the SDMB? A: All the damn buttons. [/QUOTE] So there.😛 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/17 "2013-07-19T20:33:03Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > We have so many buttons already, I say we get rid of those that aren’t being used, starting with the FAQ button. Anyone ever use that one? We have an FAQ button? Seriously, I need to start looking at the pages I type on all the time! ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/18 "2013-07-19T21:58:25Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > How about the Calendar button, it’s not even enabled. We should replace it with a vanity search link, like so: ```auto My Posts ``` It would also be nice if the FAQ stickies that are currently at the top of ATMB were entered into the board’s built-in FAQ system so that link actually did something useful. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/19 "2013-07-20T02:15:30Z")
> [@Kamino\_Neko](#): > > It was her voice that was soft and cool. Her eyes were clear and bright. > > Not that it matters. She’s not there. Thank you. I’m glad somebody told me about her. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877/20 "2013-07-20T13:35:17Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > If you click on the little down arrow next to the Thread Title it will take you to your first unseen post, based on your last login time. It should do exactly what you want. This works great if you know you want to go there from the thread list page. If it’s a thread I’ve visited before (and the link is a different color thanks to my browser/cookies), I use the arrow. If it’s a thread I haven’t visited, I click on the thread link itself. The problem is that if it turns out it’s a Zombie, sometimes people just want to see the new stuff to see what brought it back. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-we-get-a-button-that-takes-us-to-the-new-post-in-a-zombie-thread/663877.md?page=2)