# Why not post original posting date?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-post-original-posting-date/729487>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [August 31, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-post-original-posting-date/729487 "2015-08-31T12:45:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-post-original-posting-date/729487/1 "2015-08-31T12:45:11Z")

</div>

I assume we’ve all done it. Open an interesting looking thread, start reading and suddenly realize it was originally started in 2002 and someone has revived the zombie. Why can’t the left hand side of the index do what the right hand side and say something like:

**Why not post original posting date?**  
08-31-2105, 8:45 AM by Hari Seldon

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-post-original-posting-date/729487/2 "2015-08-31T13:38:43Z")

</div>

Or you can put it in the mouseover - less obtrusive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-post-original-posting-date/729487/3 "2015-08-31T14:25:00Z")

</div>

I’ve seen it done on other vBulletin boards and it does seem like the least intrusive way of addressing the spate of zombie resurrections.

Another good option: [This vB-based board](http://www.filemakertoday.com/com/forum.php) has a warning that shows up at the top of a thread:

> [@](#):
>
> Warning: This is an Old Thread  
> This discussion is older than 420 days. information contained in it may no longer be current

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-post-original-posting-date/729487/4 "2015-08-31T16:45:36Z")

</div>

Does it require installing a VBulletin addon?

Probably won’t happen.

Does it require upgrading VBulletin?

Probably won’t happen.

Does it require custom scripting?

Probably won’t happen.

Does it, in fact, require any administrative action whatsoever?

Your turn to guess.