# Zombie threads **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 8, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550 "2006-02-08T16:23:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/41 "2008-09-26T18:06:27Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > … > I don’t know if there has been any official change in policy or anything, but it certainly seems that the mods are more willing to leave the zombies open than they used to be. > … Thay have made a change with returning posters. It was not announced, but mentioned in the ATMB by **TubaDiva** > [@How on earth do Zombie Threads get reopened?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-do-zombie-threads-get-reopened/465238/10): > > We’ve relaxed our stance somewhat on “zombie” threads – we used to close them all whenever we saw one. But with all the returning posters we’ve been more tolerant and tend to deal with this more on a case by case basis. > > You can always open a new thread and link to the old one – we prefer that, really – but in some cases it makes more sense to return to the old one. It depends. **BTW: Two tech notes …** The highlighted “ **\>** ” after Originally Posted by **Username** will link you to the original thread and location from where the quote came. You can go to options and set your default posts loaded from 50 to 200. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/42 "2008-09-26T18:27:01Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I’ll think on this and post what I come up with in another year or so. > > Russell So’d you come up with anything yet? (I have to admit, this would be a much more funny zombie if you had been the one to bump it!) ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2008, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/43 "2008-09-27T22:53:37Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > My hunch is that if one purposefully resurrects a zombie thread for good reason, one ought to report a previous post in it explaining what you’ve done and why – and that if the mods. agree it’s a valid reason, as they usually will, they’ll leave it open. > > At least that’s how I’ve seen it played out in practice, and how I feel about it. Mods? Is this close to board policy? Yeah, that’s pretty much the way it works in practice. It’s not a “rule” about not having zombie threads, it’s situational. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/44 "2008-09-28T01:11:22Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > I’ll think on this and post what I come up with in another year or so. > > Russell You’re nearly 18 months late, so far. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/45 "2008-09-28T16:48:53Z")
SEND… MORE… PARAMEDICS!!! Shouldn’t someone put a bullet through this thread’s brains? ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/46 "2008-09-28T18:30:52Z")
I’m still pondering. This aren’t issues to be considered lightly. ---
**Author:** ![Juniper200](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@Juniper200](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juniper200)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/47 "2008-09-29T04:27:09Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > Gentlemen…BEHOLD! CORN! I’m willing to put up with this zombie thread just because it reminded me of the finest Aqua Teens opening in history. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/48 "2008-09-29T05:09:53Z")
Why is it not sufficient to open a new thead, add some fresh commentary, and then link to the deceased thread? ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/49 "2008-09-29T06:21:01Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > Why is it not sufficient to open a new thead, add some fresh commentary, and then link to the deceased thread? Why is it not sufficient to open an existing thread, add some fresh commentary, and then profit? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/50 "2008-09-29T06:26:07Z")
> [@Santo\_Rugger](#): > > Why is it not sufficient to open an existing thread, add some fresh commentary, and then profit? You’re getting **profit**? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/51 "2008-09-29T08:08:00Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > Why is it not sufficient to open a new thead, add some fresh commentary, and then link to the deceased thread? One thing bumping a zombie does is send email notifications to the participants that are still around. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/52 "2008-09-29T12:56:40Z")
I’m getting sick of opening threads where I think it’s a new one on an old question needing individual answers. Somebody asking about a computer question or some similar question. After opening I find it was a question I already helped somebody on. An occasional old thread popping up and being locked out is not a problem. Having this continue to increase as it has in the last two weeks is getting annoying. I say lock all threads after a few months. Make people link to any relevant old threads and ask their specific question in the new thread. This means we don’t have to figure out where the new question is asked and what the poster wants pages into the old zombie thread. Yes this is an old zombie thread kill it. Wait zombies are hard to kill! ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/53 "2008-09-29T13:02:12Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > I’m getting sick of opening threads where I think it’s a new one on an old question needing individual answers. Somebody asking about a computer question or some similar question. After opening I find it was a question I already helped somebody on. An occasional old thread popping up and being locked out is not a problem. Having this continue to increase as it has in the last two weeks is getting annoying. I say lock all threads after a few months. Make people link to any relevant old threads and ask their specific question in the new thread. This means we don’t have to figure out where the new question is asked and what the poster wants pages into the old zombie thread. > > Yes this is an old zombie thread kill it. Wait zombies are hard to kill! Just take out the necromancer, damn it! ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/54 "2008-09-29T13:36:24Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > You’re getting **profit**? No, but only because I haven’t found any zombie threads I’ve felt the urge to bump lately. I ought to go out looking, though, rent is due in a couple days. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/55 "2008-09-29T17:36:50Z")
> [@Jragon](#): > > Just take out the necromancer, damn it! Its in the fruit cellar. You go first, I’ll cover you. ---
**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550/56 "2008-09-30T10:45:49Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > You forgot “posters who no longer hold the same beliefs”, which is much more valid than the first two IMO. Wait.. Are you saying people can change their beliefs? 😕 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/343550.md?page=2)