# When is it OK to bump an old thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 14, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-bump-an-old-thread/148418 "2003-01-14T01:18:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-bump-an-old-thread/148418/1 "2003-01-14T01:18:57Z")
Assuming it hasn’t been closed of course, and assuming that you’ve read through it and have something new to add to it? I’m talking about years-old threads. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-bump-an-old-thread/148418/2 "2003-01-14T01:23:38Z")
Disclaimer: IANAM (I Am Not A Mod) But _I_ believe it’s acceptable to start a new thread with a title regarding the new information and post a link to the old thread inside the thread for very old thread responses. ONLY MY OWN OPINION, I MAY BE WRONG. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-bump-an-old-thread/148418/3 "2003-01-14T02:16:53Z")
[FAQ - guidelines for posting at the SDMB](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=106617) > [@](#): > > 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: > [list=A][li]Wait until a suitable time has elapsed (_at least_ until your thread is no longer visible on the first page of the forum)[/li][li]Bump your thread only once[/li][li]Do **not** make a habit of **always** bumping **each** of your threads.[/list=A][/li]When you bump your thread, it is preferrable to include additional information relevant to the original post, which may help encourage posters to respond. > > **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:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-bump-an-old-thread/148418/4 "2003-01-14T19:11:58Z")
It’s no good on this message board, as we have no “delete post” option, but on other message boards that let you delete your own posts, you can perform what I like to call a “stealth bump”. Add your bump to the thread, then imediately delete the bump. Many message boards don’t move a post up or back when you edit/delete, so you get the effect of a bump, while keeping the signal to noise ratio in the thread low. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2003, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-is-it-ok-to-bump-an-old-thread/148418/5 "2003-01-14T21:09:49Z")
Like [this truly ancient one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3275)?