# some way to mark Zombie threads? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 5, 2011, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253 "2011-02-05T04:14:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/41 "2011-02-06T17:19:37Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Reported to who? Oh yeah, these guys… Don’t worry, my report was snide and dismissive, and assumed that the Mods would prefer to side with a threadshitter, even when he was blatently doing so, rather than support someone discussing the OP in a way that was belittling of the Mods’ efforts and work-ethic. I was reporting it for my own amusement, and for the record, to establish that threadshitting isn’t so bad as long as it’s accompanied by the right amount of ass-kissing. I fully expect to get some form of Mod disapproval for reporting you for threadshitting, but that’s just the price I’m prepared to pay. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/42 "2011-02-06T17:21:07Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Pretty much impossible, it seems.😃 Did you not notice that the calendar had changed? It was in all the papers. Not sure when, but it was maybe a month or so ago. Do try to keep up. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/43 "2011-02-06T17:26:32Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Did you not notice that the calendar had changed? It was in all the papers. Not sure when, but it was maybe a month or so ago. Do try to keep up. [QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] Well, if you announce it, and then you go back to discussing one of the verboten subjects, it’s obvious that the subjects have control over what you discuss, not you. [/QUOTE] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/44 "2011-02-06T17:36:16Z")
So I announced I wouldn’t get into those five subjects for the rest of the year, and now that it’s a new year and then some, I’m doing it as I deem appropriate. Did you think I had written that I would take a vow of silence on those subjects forever? Is your “big grin” your sign that you think you’ve trapped me in a contradiction? Or just your total lack of reading comprehension? I vote “Both.” And to celebrate the new year, I’m going to start a bunch of new threads about my intense dislike for the Yankees, John McCain, sentimental pet-owners, religious people, and the modding around here. Also that whole “child abuse/capital punishment” thing was pretty good–I haven’t gotten into that in a few years. You inspire me, **Colibri**. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/45 "2011-02-06T18:02:33Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Did you think I had written that I would take a vow of silence on those subjects forever? Is your “big grin” your sign that you think you’ve trapped me in a contradiction? Or just your total lack of reading comprehension? I vote “Both.” Maybe it was just wishful thinking? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/46 "2011-02-06T18:57:16Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Threadshit much? This is junior modding. An experienced poster like you should know better. Therefore, I’m issuing you an official warning. Moreover, what \*\*Bucketybuck \*\*has done there is not threadshitting. I’ll deal with his post separately. > [@](#): > > Reported. We’ve said announcing you’ve reported a post is ok when it is a spam post. Doing it in other circumstances is junior modding and possibly trolling. I’m not issuing you a warning, for this, but please cut it out. **Gfactor** ATMB Moderator ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/47 "2011-02-06T18:58:23Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > Does anyone else first look at the date when they open the thread? Yes. But even I think it would be a good idea to put the date of the OP on the thread page if it were at all possible. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/48 "2011-02-06T19:02:07Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > I work with a guy that likes to write things like this. He spends all his time writing emails, usually about some minor problem that everybody knows about but few are concerned about, reading and rereading them to make sure there are lots of big words that make him sound smart, throwing in some analogies that make him sound so very witty. > > Then he sends the email, making sure everybody in the whole company is copied in, so that everybody knows he sent the email, and that everybody is correctly outraged. > > Thing is, we all just ignore his emails, because we all know he has ulterior motives, and we couldnt really be bothered with the drama, we have work to do. This isn’t especially relevant to the topic of the thread. Let’s try to keep it on topic if we can. Thanks. **Gfactor** ATMB Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/49 "2011-02-06T19:37:45Z")
Since the Mods can alter thread titles, what’s wrong with just adding ZOMBIE: to the beginning? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/50 "2011-02-06T19:46:09Z")
Back on topic? I was just thinking, is it difficult to automatically add the word OLD to the front of all threads that are a certain age (regardless if they get activated or not)? or again maybe, change the font color on ALL threads from something like 2009 and earlier. If it can be done automatically to all threads, then it wouldn’t have to be done only to those that are reactivated, which would eliminate the need for moderators to pick through and label only those individual threads that have been reanimated. Or maybe there is the ability to add a checkmark that all readers can use that adds some tag to the title, so that the first person to recognize its a zombie can warn others before it gets opened. Just asking…I’m totally ignorant of anything to do with computers. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/51 "2011-02-06T19:53:07Z")
Or…just read the thread and pay attention to the words on the screen. The date of the OP is the _first_ thing in any thread and in any post (after the title). It’s really not all that hard to read the date–it’s not like it’s hidden. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/52 "2011-02-06T20:31:17Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > Back on topic? > > I was just thinking, is it difficult to automatically add the word OLD to the front of all threads that are a certain age (regardless if they get activated or not)? or again maybe, change the font color on ALL threads from something like 2009 and earlier. If it can be done automatically to all threads, then it wouldn’t have to be done only to those that are reactivated, which would eliminate the need for moderators to pick through and label only those individual threads that have been reanimated. > > Or maybe there is the ability to add a checkmark that all readers can use that adds some tag to the title, so that the first person to recognize its a zombie can warn others before it gets opened. > > Just asking…I’m totally ignorant of anything to do with computers. :smack: There is no way with the standard vBulletin software to do anything that you have suggested. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/53 "2011-02-06T21:04:50Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Since the Mods can alter thread titles, what’s wrong with just adding ZOMBIE: to the beginning? It’s work, apparantly. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/54 "2011-02-06T23:38:26Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > The mods would need to look at every single open thread to check the start date to find new zombies(new zombies?). They can do whatever they did back in the day when they closed zombie threads. Why would adding a word to the title be any more work than that? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/55 "2011-02-06T23:39:03Z")
In an ideal world, threads older than X would pop up a little warning like my accounting software: “The thread you are attempting to reply to is more than X days old. Continue? y/n” But in general, I think zombie threads are kind of interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/56 "2011-02-07T00:19:16Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Or…just read the thread and pay attention to the words on the screen. > > The date of the OP is the _first_ thing in any thread and in any post (after the title). It’s really not all that hard to read the date–it’s not like it’s hidden. Here’s the thing: When I see a date that says “01-12-2010” I think “Cool, December 1st, 2010! Not that old at all, might be worth replying to, if there’s still any interest”. Of course, to you lot in the US see it as “January 1st, 2010” (so, ancient history by board standards), so less of an issue. Anyway, another vote for not seeing how Adding [ZOMBIE] to a reported thread is too much hassle seeing as the Mods edit non-Zombie thread titles fairly often, or so it seems. And **Gfactor** - an official warning to **PRR** for “Junior Modding”? I’m very disappointed. Especially since accusations of “Threadshitting” are A) Not uncommon, B) Not usually something people seem to get warned over, and C) Not, IMHO, an “Official Warning” offence. Then again, I’ve never understood the prohibition on “Junior Modding” around here, either… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/57 "2011-02-07T01:53:25Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Is your “big grin” your sign that you think you’ve trapped me in a contradiction? I don’t consider it a contradiction. Not being able to restrain yourself for any significant length of time from commenting on subjects you’ve stated are a waste of time just indicates, in your own words, that the subjects have control, not you.😉 I mean, I feel for you. I vowed to give up Cheetos this year, but I relapsed today and had a handful. Addiction is powerful! 😃 Maybe we both need a good 12-step program. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/58 "2011-02-07T03:16:28Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Or…just read the thread and pay attention to the words on the screen. > > The date of the OP is the _first_ thing in any thread and in any post (after the title). It’s really not all that hard to read the date–it’s not like it’s hidden. It’s pretty well obscured: grey text on slightly lighter grey banner. It’s as if it’s been specifically deemphasized so that people will read the content of the post first. But, even if it weren’t, people tend to ignore the stuff that is shown for every post. It’s just human nature. I mean, how often do you pay attention to the [chrome](http://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia_term/0,2542,t=browser+chrome&i=38972,00.asp) of your web browser? BTW: I’m a novice JavaScript programmer, and even I can see a way to automatically highlight the date if it’s older than a certain time. Heck, I might look into writing a Firefox/GreaseMonkey plugin that will do it, although that’ll be a bit harder. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/59 "2011-02-07T06:28:22Z")
Isn’t it possible in vBulletin to have an auto-locking feature. I mean, I thought it’s possible to set it up so that if a new post isn’t made in a thread for, say, 60 days, the thread is locked. I’m not saying you want to do this, but if the goal is really to stop zombie threads, that would be a solution. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253/60 "2011-02-07T10:42:52Z")
For those who use Firefox and the Greasemonkey add-on, below is a script I just wrote that warns you in big red letters when the thread you are reading is more than one year old. Feel free to use it. Just copy & paste the code below into a Greasemonkey script. ```auto // ==UserScript== // @name SDMB highlight old threads // @namespace Polerius // @description Highlights threads that are more than 1 year old // @include http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php* // ==/UserScript== (function() { var allPosts = document.getElementsByClassName('normal'); var warnString = ""; // Find the first occurrence of a date for a post and see how old it is for (var i = 0; i < allPosts.length; i++) { if( allPosts*.innerHTML.match(/status icon and date/)) { if( allPosts*.innerHTML.match(/(\d{2})-(\d{2})-(\d{4})/)) { var postDate = new Date(RegExp.$3,(RegExp.$1)-1,RegExp.$2); var today = new Date(); var diff_days = Math.floor((today-postDate)/(1000*3600*24)); // If the thread is too old, show warning to user if(diff_days > 365) { var diff_years = Math.floor(diff_days/365); diff_days = diff_days - 365*diff_years; warnStr = "
This thread is " + diff_years + " years and " + diff_days + " days old!
" allPosts*.innerHTML = allPosts*.innerHTML.replace(/(\d{2}-\d{2}-\d{4}, \d{2}:\d{2} .M)/, "$1 " + warnStr); } } break; } } // Also add warning to last post on this page (in case you don't read the first post) if(!(warnStr == "")) { var last_idx = allPosts.length-1; allPosts[last_idx].innerHTML = allPosts[last_idx].innerHTML.replace(/(\d{2}-\d{2}-\d{4}, \d{2}:\d{2} .M)/, "$1 " + warnStr); } })(); ``` [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-way-to-mark-zombie-threads/570253.md?page=4)