# Zombie threads **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 17, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636 "2011-09-17T17:11:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/1 "2011-09-17T17:11:25Z")
Is there a way for the mods to enable a feature to mark zombie threads as such? I’m thinking like a small “z” icon where the open/closed envelope icon is now. I thought we would all appreciate a heads up about zombie threads before we click on them. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/2 "2011-09-17T17:18:17Z")
Search for “zombie” in the title of threads in this forum and you will see that this topic has been covered many, many times. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/3 "2011-09-17T17:20:28Z")
> **[some way to mark Zombie threads?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=595929)** > > I’m aware of some recent policy changes that allow Zombie threads to be re-animated after a long peaceful slumber. Unfortunately, I find it particularly annoying that I read a thread only to realize its several years old and may not be particularly... ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/4 "2011-09-17T17:32:06Z")
It looks like a vBulletin template could be modified to flag zombie threads: > **[Resurrecting old threads? - vBulletin Community Forum](https://forum.vbulletin.com/forum/general/chit-chat/81976-resurrecting-old-threads)** > > Hi there, > > Do you ever find that a member will come along, perhaps do a search on a topic and resurrect a thread from ancient history talking to the participants on that thread without realizing the date? > > What do you do? > > Is there a way to set a... > [@](#): > > Personally, I put clock icons in front of threads if they are more than 30 days old, through template conditionals of course. (something like this: \) Also have the date and time showing in the Starter column, so people will know if it is a resurrected thread. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/5 "2011-09-17T18:21:31Z")
Our IT guy prefers we stick pretty close to vanilla vBulletin without much alteration to the system. That’s not an option in our current version of vBulletin. The first thing in the post is the date. The very first thing. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/6 "2011-09-17T18:52:51Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Our IT guy prefers we stick pretty close to vanilla vBulletin without much alteration to the system. That’s not an option in our current version of vBulletin. > > The first thing in the post is the date. The very first thing. That doesn’t mean most people check the date. The last thing I think about when I see a thread I want to read is “I wonder if this is a zombie thread”. Only after reading the thread and hitting the post that tells the world it’s a zombie thread do I usually realize it. Occasionally I recognize it’s a zombie thread before reading it, but more often than not, I don’t and simply plunge into it. With that said, it’s not the biggest problem in the world, and if the thread topic interested me enough to click on it to read, I usually don’t mind reading zombie threads. But it would be nice if there were some quick visual clue, (like a locked thread with the padlock), that would tip me off immediately that the thread is a zombie, I would appreciate it. Maybe instead of a padlock, a nice big “Z” on zombie threads would be nice. Give it the mark of Zorro! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/7 "2011-09-17T19:25:22Z")
Hm, weird I searched for the term zombie and I just got actual zombie threads. As discussed in the other thread, this only requires a tiny bit if effort by the IT guy, and it’s over. There is no reason whatsoever actual human mods should spend time on this issue. It’s an extremely simple one liner of code that accomplishes the zombie marking. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/8 "2011-09-17T19:27:02Z")
It doesn’t seem like a script to determine “what is a zombie thread?” would necessarily be terribly accurate. It’s possible for two threads, started the same day, to receive a new reply the same day months later, but with one being a zombie (“how can I use three pounds of hamburger, a cucumber, and a jar of peanut butter, need to know quick”), and the other one not (“Joanie Loves Doofus Season 36 thread”). Both threads are old, both are getting new replies, but one was inactive for months while the other has been getting several posts a week the entire time its been around. So, comparing first and last post dates is out, what about comparing the two most recent posts dates? Nope, because what happens after someone zombies a thread? Someone else comes in and replies to the zombification, suddenly the dates between the two most recent threads is virtually nil. What about going through the thread and just looking for any large gap between two posts, and if it’s large enough, mark as zombie? First, you just killed the hamsters. Second, what if Joanie Loves Doofus has a gap midway through the season. Suddenly when the 2nd half starts now it’s a zombie? I think not. . ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/9 "2011-09-17T19:29:19Z")
> [@The\_Niply\_Elder](#): > > Hm, weird I searched for the term zombie and I just got actual zombie threads. If you’re referring to the post by **John Mace** , he said “Search for “zombie” **in the title of threads in this forum**.” This would have been the result: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=7076912](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=7076912) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/10 "2011-09-17T23:47:31Z")
Since Great Debates used to be a forum that absolutely prohibited zombies, after the rule was relaxed, I began putting an edit note in the first post of the thread and the post that revivified the zombie. It is a bit of a hassle, but it seems to be working. Making the appeal that “it would not take much work to change” will not result in a change and will simply irritate everyone who has been through this. Regardless how little effort anyone believes any particular change would require, please understand the following: IT at Creative Loafing is stretched very thin, maintaining the financials, the publishing, and the other internal systems of Creative Loafing. The SDMB is a sideline that they are willing to support only as long as it does not interfere with their primary responsibilty. Any change to the vB software is a potential glitch. If they need to take time away from their primary responsibilities to deal with a typo in a patch or to discover that some undocumented aspect of vB did not like their “enhancement,” they are wasting time that they need to spend on their primary duties. They will not do it. As it is, periodic burps in the system drag them away from their primary tasks more often than they or we would like to see, so asking them to take more time away for a cosmetic enhancement will simply not be received well. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/11 "2011-09-18T00:00:34Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > If you’re referring to the post by **John Mace** , he said “Search for “zombie” **in the title of threads in this forum**.” > > This would have been the result: > > [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=7076912](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=7076912) More like [this.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=7077700) ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/12 "2011-09-18T00:10:40Z")
> [@x-ray\_vision](#): > > [some way to mark Zombie threads? - About This Message Board - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=595929) I expected that to link to at least a four year old thread. I like zombies. I mean the threads. I like dusting them off and seeing what people were like way back in 2004. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/13 "2011-09-18T10:04:36Z")
As far as I can see, most resurrections are by new posters. They may not be aware of the conditions attached to bringing zombies back to life, so, however you flag it, it may not make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/14 "2011-09-18T11:05:27Z")
I like zombies to. And I also like the guilt trip I receive when I realise I have been had. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/15 "2011-09-18T15:50:17Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > As far as I can see, most resurrections are by new posters. They may not be aware of the conditions attached to bringing zombies back to life, so, however you flag it, it may not make a difference. The idea is to mark threads as zombies after they’ve been resurrected (as that’s when a thread becomes a zombie) so other readers can identify a thread as a zombie, not to mark all old threads as zombies. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/16 "2011-09-18T17:54:50Z")
Not necessary, as inevitably a plethora of posters leaps forward to make brain-eating jokes that alert everyone to the zombie status of a thread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/17 "2011-09-19T13:19:30Z")
Can we get a zombie stickey? I don’t mean I want you to resurrect a sticky from 5 years ago - I was thinking more in the lines of: a zombie is a… people are making brain eating jokes because… we have more since google… you can’t see some poster’s names bacause… we used to ban them, but now… we can’t tag them because… we’ve discussed the issue here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, etc. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/18 "2011-09-19T14:28:46Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Can we get a zombie stickey? That’s a good idea. I’ll hoist it up the mod flagpole and see who salutes. Arr! Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day! ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/19 "2011-09-19T22:24:40Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > Can we get a zombie stickey? I imagine so. Try throwing honey at it. [QUOTE=Darth Panda] I don’t mean I want you to resurrect a sticky from 5 years ago - I was thinking more in the lines of: a zombie is a… people are making brain eating jokes because… we have more since google… you can’t see some poster’s names bacause… we used to ban them, but now… we can’t tag them because… we’ve discussed the issue here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, etc. [/QUOTE] Oh. Not as much fun, but potentially more useful. Good thought. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636/20 "2011-09-20T00:18:17Z")
It was a great suggestions, **Darth Panda** , and my reward for taking it to the mod loop was getting volunteered to draft it. Doing that, then passing it around for comments and revisions, will take a couple of days, so don’t hold your breath, but we’re working on it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zombie-threads/596636.md?page=2)