# Reviving threads - what's the etiquette? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 1, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350 "2003-05-01T12:03:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrsface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@mrsface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrsface)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/1 "2003-05-01T12:03:18Z")
How old does a thread have to be before it is considered bad form to contribute to it? I find I’m hesitant about contributing to any thread once it has disappeared off page 1. Is this right or am I being too cautious? I’m particularly nervous when it is a thread I’ve started - I’ve seen other people accused of “bumping” their own threads out of vanity. But for those of us who cannot check in every day, interesting threads inevitably drop down the league. Thanks, Mrs Face ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/2 "2003-05-01T12:14:26Z")
[From the FAQs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=106617) at the head of this forum: > [@](#): > > **What if I want to continue / add to the discussion on a topic that was mentioned in an old thread?** > > Start a new thread with a link to the old thread. A general guideline for “old” would be a thread older than three months. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/3 "2003-05-01T12:17:10Z")
Oh, sorry – didn’t realise you were referring to “bumping” threads as well, **mrsface**. From the same FAQ thread: > [@](#): > > \*\*“Bumping” a thread \*\* > If you start a thread, and after a while think you would like more comments on it, you may be tempted to “bump” the thread by adding a post to make the thread reappear back at the top of the forum list. We strongly discourage this practice, but since the boards are so busy sometimes a single “bump” will bring about good results. Our guidelines: > Wait until a suitable time has elapsed (at least until your thread is no longer visible on the first page of the forum) > > Bump your thread only once > > Do not make a habit of always bumping each of your threads. > > When you bump your thread, it is preferrable to include additional information relevant to the original post, which may help encourage posters to respond. ---
**Author:** ![mrsface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@mrsface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrsface)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/4 "2003-05-01T12:34:19Z")
Thanks - and sorry should have checked the FAQs first… So, "old " is pretty old (3 months) - so I could post to a thread on, say, page 3 of a forum, if it was younger than this? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/5 "2003-05-01T12:38:02Z")
Probably. I think feeling against thread resurrectionists tends to run high mainly against those who keep doing it (and doing it with threads that are a _year_ or more old), rather than, as you suggest, spotting an interesting thread you want to respond to, but which slipped off the first two pages. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/6 "2003-05-01T12:39:15Z")
Yep. Although it depends a bit on the forum. In this forum, it would be pretty rare to find a thread on page 3 or 4, because we only get a few new threads a day. Hence, by page 3, you’re talking about stuff that’s a month old. In a forum like BBQ Pit or IMHO or GQ where there is lots more activity, a post on page 3 can be yesterday’s. So, the guidelines are really set in terms of time, rather than page number. ---
**Author:** ![mrsface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a9adbd/32.png) [@mrsface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrsface)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/reviving-threads-whats-the-etiquette/172350/7 "2003-05-01T14:09:14Z")
Thanks