# What's Better - Resurrect a Zombie Thread or Start a New One?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-resurrect-a-zombie-thread-or-start-a-new-one/755119>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 18, 2016, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-resurrect-a-zombie-thread-or-start-a-new-one/755119 "2016-05-18T21:35:18Z")\
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**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:** [May 18, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-better-resurrect-a-zombie-thread-or-start-a-new-one/755119/4 "2016-05-18T22:38:10Z")

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From the [FAQ](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=384745)

> [@FAQ - Guidelines and Etiquette on the SDMB](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/faq-guidelines-and-etiquette-on-the-sdmb/369402/4):
>
> Please be cautious about resurrecting old threads (that is, posting to a thread where the prior post was many months or years ago.) These are called “zombie” threads, and we are uncomfortable about them for a number of reasons, including(but not limited to) that such threads:[ul]
> 
> [li]Might open old wounds. If there were hard feelings and high emotions long ago, and they’ve been quieted down, why stir them up again?[/li][li]Revisit issues long dead (e.g., some rant by a poster who has since been banned or left)[/li][li]Can be unfair. The people who posted long ago may not be around to respond to your comments, or may have forgot that they even posted there.[/li][li]Can cause confusion (e.g., some public/newsworthy event that happened long ago but seeing an old thread title might imply it was new or recurring – a thread from Sept 2001 titled, “NYC attacked!” for instance.) [/li][li]Really old threads don’t show the names of posters. They got dropped when we migrated to VB, we didn’t know why then and we still don’t, but it’s pretty much irrelevant now.[/li][/ul]  
> So, rather than post to an old thread, you might want to start a new thread with a link to the prior discussion, and some comments in your opening post explaining what that old thread was about.
> 
> Now, with that as overview, there is a difference in approach in the different forums.
> 
> - In _Comments on Cecil’s Columns, Comments on Staff Reports, Games Room, General Questions,_ and _Straight Dope Chicago_: We’re less concerned about resurrected threads. The reasons we dislike zombie threads don’t usually apply. We’ll generally leave such threads open, unless there is some compelling reason for taking moderator action,
> 
> - In the other forums, and especially _the Pit_: moderators may choose to leave the thread open or to close it. Frankly, if it’s a long thread and the mod doesn’t want to read all the way through to see if whether there are problems, the mod will probably think it’s better to err on the side of closing.
> 
> (Note that “thank you for answering my question” is just plain good manners, and acceptable. However, reviving an old thread just to say “I agree” is considered bad form. If you’re going to resurrect an old discussion, at least add some value.)

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