This is why you should always read the manual before engaging in necromancy.
Good point. They just treat it like the “Comments” section of Facebook or some other site. They just want to comment on the subject itself, and aren’t interested in anyone else’s comments either before or after.
I’ve resurrected threads I originally wrote where I asked a question and nobody had the answer. When I eventually found the answer years later I would post it on the thread, because I know SD is tied to google and figure if anyone else has the same question they can now find the answer.
I don’t understand why zombie threads are unpopular here… I mean, like, I really don’t understand…
I don’t know that they’re unpopular. I think people like to comment on them because it gives one that certain sense of smug superiority that can be difficult to come by IRL. And let’s face it, who among us isn’t down for some of that every once in a while?
I kinda like em, especially when I’ve read like 3 pages before noticing some very aged reference, or some weird out dated context. I usually notice when I see someone who has been BANNED, then I’m kinda hoping I get to see why that person was BANNED as the thread continues…I have a lot of free time at work…a lot…
I’ve done it at least once accidentally. It’s occurred because I’ve had a lot of tabs open, then done a search for something resulting in me opening an old thread, then somewhere along the way lost track of the fact that one of the tabs is an old thread from the search rather than a new thread from the front page, and I’ve posted to it.
Yeah, I don’t know if unpopular is exactly the word. I also think people’s reactions to zombie threads can vary depending on what kind of thread it is.
If it was a debate thread that got very heated, people may be grateful that it finally died down, and don’t want to see the contentious issue get raised yet again. There’s also the frequently-mentioned fact that, if you’re resurrecting a ten-year old debate thread, many of the participants may not be around anymore. It kind of strikes people as somewhat unfair to make new arguments against people who are no longer able to respond.
On the other hand, if it’s just a general discussion thread where people are casually shooting the breeze about some topic, I think people are more tolerant of that. Some fresh information may have arisen in the intervening time that makes renewed discussion worthwhile, or newer people may have some new insights to offer. But the fact that the stakes are lower makes it seem less important, somehow, that the first part of the discussion took place many years ago.
But yeah, it can be jarring/funny to see a comment, think to yourself, “Now that guy really knows what he’s talking about,” and then realize it’s a comment that you yourself had written. Even funnier is seeing a comment, thinking, “Wow, that guy is full of shit,” and then realizing that it’s a comment you had written!
I would note that “Don’t resurrect zombies” is, if not exactly unique to the SDMB, not necessarily a universal internet rule. On the old TWOP forums, back when TWOP was still a thing, the explicit rule was that before starting a new thread, you were supposed to do a search and see if a previous thread on that topic existed. If it did, you were supposed to add your comment to it, even if it had been dormant for years, rather than starting a new thread on the same topic. A completely different approach to the issue.
The problem I see is that some random Googler will stumble across a years-old thread with an issue similar to one they’re having now. So the new poster then makes a post saying something like, “Hey, something like that thing is happening to me now, except it’s different in this way. Can you offer advice specific to me?”
Many posters here are likely to skim a lengthy thread, especially if they don’t recognize that it’s a zombie. So you get folks coming in and responding to the OP’s question (when the OP no longer needs help) and possibly never even seeing the new poster’s question. Nobody really wins, there (except those who are generally entertained by resurrection).
Its not up to posters to defend why they like fresh ideas crafted by people who actually take the time to create a thread and post it.
Its up to posters to defend why they are so lazy that they can’t create original threads instead of piggy-backing on the work of others in threads which are sometimes over a decade old.
As for new poster tips, “if it started more than two years ago and was last posted in over one year ago, don’t resurrect it, Dr Frankenstein.” needs to be added to the handbook along with
links to grammar checking sites, spell checking sites, and subtle hint about ‘The Evil Brick of Text’.
Thoughts…?
When that happens in GQ, if I get to it before it has too many replies quoting the old posts, I’ll try to split it off into a new thread.
I’m not really bothered by it. I just didn’t realize that googling non-members might come across it.
I kinda like the idea of building a new thread on an old one, but it is confusing when people post as tho they are giving advice/answers to questions asked years ago. Would be cool if the forum could do something like change the color of the font after a certain period, to clearly distinguish the old posts. (Yeah, I know the date is right there, yet I consistently miss it.)
I am often surprised when I open a thread because the title interests me, then read through it and come across a post of mine. I guess if the title interests me now, it should be no surprise that it interested me then. Always a nice benefit when you can read your own remote posts w/o cringing! 
I don’t think I’ve ever done it, but there’s a few times when I’ve come close.
Sometimes when a long-time poster is banned, I look through their posting history. Sometimes a particular old thread catches my interest, and I’m all set to post a reply, when I remember that it’s eight years old, and not a current one.
I knew I should have done more than just skim the Mod Manual…
Yes. When I realize I’m reading a resurrected zombie, I look for two things: the join date of the resurrector (yep, current month), and how many new posts it takes before someone makes an undead joke.
100% Post-Consumer Humans
Reduce
Reuse
Reanimate
I always chuckle when I see a poster replying 6 years later saying pretty much the same thing they said 6 years earlier. It reminds me of young people who complain about old people telling the same stories over and over. I chuckle because I know someday those young people will be those old people and their theme song will be the same one: Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vQpW9XRiyM
This is how I joined SDMB and I’m still here 3 years later. Now whether or not that’s a good thing is a different question. 
In 3 years I’m going to reopen this thread:) (JUST KIDDING)
Electronic calendars are good for far-future planning of mischief.