Hi, I’m new to posting here, though I’ve read these boards for years.
Sometimes I’ll be clicking around the boards and get to page two or three of a forum, and want to respond to a thread. However, I never do, because I’m paranoid that the thread is now “too old” because it isn’t on the front page.
What is the proper etiquette for timeliness? I can recognize when something is a zombie and is ridiculously old, but what if the last post in the thread is, say, a week old and on the bottom of the second page?
I’d like to contribute more! Really, I would!
If it’s still on the normal forum pages at all I’d say you’re fine. Zombies are typically revived when someone finds a super old thread via a Google search or something.
The official policy on bumping threads is here. Note that 1) rules on bumping old threads are different in different forums, and 2) Dex defines, as a general rule, zombie threads as threads older than three months.
If you’re really worried about it, start a new thread with the info you want to add and link to the old thread.
I think the best and safest course of action is never to respond to any threads.
You wild man.
Hi Meggroll, glad you’re thinking of jumping in.
In general, I think a week old is still active – and I wouldn’t think twice about bumping anything up to about a month old, frankly. Beyond that – well, despite this:
We’ve relaxed this policy considerably, and are no longer reflexively closing zombies (thought we will if, for instance, it’s an acrimonious thread with numerous participants who are no longer posting here, or when the bump is made by a content spammer).
This doesn’t mean that you have to bump an older thread: as Inner Stickler suggests, you can always start a new thread and link back to the old one.
Have fun!
twickster, for the SDMB
It also depends on what you’re posting to add. If it’s just “Yeah, me too!”, then you should probably just leave it lie even if it’s only been a couple of weeks. On the other hand, if you find an epic question that went for ten pages without anyone finding an answer and you happen to be the world’s foremost expert on that topic and can conclusively settle it, then it wouldn’t matter if it was years old, go ahead and answer it.
Especially if it’s in GD. 
Thanks so much! Now I can start posting WITH IMPUNITY. Look out for Meg!
Actually, part of the registration agreement, (the part in white, so few people see it), restricts impunity to members who have offered more than $100,000/year for the privilege.
(For about half that, you can post with immunity, but we’ll still ban you if you break the rules–we simply refrain from making a house call to enforce the ban.)
You’re not impugning my impunity, are you Tom?
I was going to wait a few months before responding to this thread, but decided, “what the hell?”, and did it now.
I’m going to wait. Responding now would be just silly.
Me, too.
tom?
I’m curious-why do you do this over and over again? Does it have anything to do with the topic at hand?
I just laughed my ass off so hard at the adhay thread. But you’re right, it’s getting stale and should be put to rest. But with the style you argue with Czarcasm, if I were to tell you I had already planned on this being the very last “tom” time, you’d ask me for a cite.
And besides, you have to admit this “topic at hand” has devolved into simply good-fun-type jokes so I didn’t see any harm in submitting one last tom?
Okay, I just came up with two new thread ideas right now.
(avail in MPSIMS coming soon…)
Why is Czarcasm so cranky
&
Does Czarcasm really need a beer?
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board, Meg.
Very funny, Tom. 
He’s still consulting with the other mods. 
Of course he does. Hey, Czarcasm, what’re you doing after work? I’m only a time zone away