Newbies and their necromancy powers

[schrodinger]

Ok escapist, I know this is not a new thing, but how do they do it?

How do first day, first post brand new members manage to find old threads, some threads that are 3 years + and give a relatively detailed post.

Are they spam bots? people who really want to talk about the subject and didn't read the rules?
Is it like ghostbusters predict with the dead rising from their graves and a 1,000 years of darkness will come with dogs and cats living together, and mass hysteria?

 

[JoJo]

It's most likely that they find the old threads through Google and then sign up to the site just to comment, not realising that either the thread is old or that necros are a faux pas in these parts.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

From what I've seen of necromancy, it usually comes from people not realising how old a thread is. They may have just found it through the search bar/Google and assumed that they could just join in without noticing the actual dates.

Also, neither necromancy nor repeat threads are listed in the Code of Conduct. Just FYI.

 

[MysticSlayer]

I eagerly await when this thread gets commented on in 2016 and I get a random message from the troll who feels the need to quote me to really make his point clear.

Anyways, it's probably someone from a Google search, or it is someone who doesn't feel comfortable creating a new thread if one already exists regardless of age (some forums heavily discourage that). Either way, they probably didn't lurk the forums much to see how frowned upon the practice is.

 

[shrekfan246]

Also, neither necromancy nor repeat threads are listed in the Code of Conduct. Just FYI.

They're not, but since they've been getting shot down the past few months they should be.

OT: What everyone else said. People find the threads through searches and don't pay attention to the dates within the thread, or don't even notice that the posts have timestamps.

Which is actually something I have to commend The Escapist on. I may just be used to it now after having been here through three forum redesigns (or near enough), but the timestamps are much more obvious here than on many other forums I've browsed before.

 

[RJ 17]

The best is when you click on a Necro'd thread because it's something that you'd like to talk about. You read the OP and have a few comments to post about the topic at hand, then you realize "Good god! This thing's been dead since 2010!"

 

[IceForce]

Looks like I'm going to have to be the one to ask the obvious question.

Why doesn't this forum have some sort of auto-lock feature on old threads?

Like where, after a certain amount of time has passed since the thread last received a reply, the thread is automatically locked, and anyone who wants to necro it has to request a mod to unlock it.
That would put an end to new people necroing threads.

On other forums I frequent, that is how they operate. And they never have a problem with necromancers.

Why do we not have a similar system here?

Also, neither necromancy nor repeat threads are listed in the Code of Conduct. Just FYI.

If that's the case, then why are the mods enforcing rules that don't actually exist?

 

[TehCookie]

The best is when you click on a Necro'd thread because it's something that you'd like to talk about. You read the OP and have a few comments to post about the topic at hand, then you realize "Good god! This thing's been dead since 2010!"

I'd say the best part is going, "hmm this sounds familiar" only to realize you commented on it a years ago when it was new.

 

[RJ 17]

The best is when you click on a Necro'd thread because it's something that you'd like to talk about. You read the OP and have a few comments to post about the topic at hand, then you realize "Good god! This thing's been dead since 2010!"

I'd say the best part is going, "hmm this sounds familiar" only to realize you commented on it a years ago when it was new.

Hehehe, welllll both your scenario and mine happened to me last week, I believe. Saw a topic pop up that I felt I had something really interesting to comment on. Click the topic, read through the first few comments and spot myself having commented a year ago already.

Oh, another dead-giveaway for "You've Entered A Necro'd Topic!" is if you start seeing lots of perma-banned people. That tends to mean that the topic's been necro'd from years ago.

 

[Balimaar]

You really cant beat the system... if there is a topic already created on something that you just want to add a couple of important sentences to it... you cant win hahha

you either post in the old thread and get lol'd at by people for necro'ing old threads or create a new thread and get growled at 'use the search function n00b!'

 

[Souplex]

The ability of anybody to make clone threads is far worse.
Resurrections: Good.
Cloning: Bad.

 

[FPLOON]

Looks like I'm going to have to be the one to ask the obvious question.

Why doesn't this forum have some sort of auto-lock feature on old threads?

Like where, after a certain amount of time has passed since the thread last received a reply, the thread is automatically locked, and anyone who wants to necro it has to request a mod to unlock it.
That would put an end to new people necroing threads.

On other forums I frequent, that is how they operate. And they never have a problem with necromancers.

Why do we not have a similar system here?

Well, what if that kind of system was established here... how long would a thread last before it auto-locks? A week? A month or two? A year? 24 hours after the last relevant reply post was made??

And, would this system only be used for user-created threads or for all threads in general? I'm drawing a blank as to how it will all works out in the long run... (Then again, I would be lying if I said that I wasn't thinking about why most old threads, that weren't connected to featured content, were still open...)

OT: "Oh! A thread I can post on! The Escapsist threads are just like [insert other forum-related site here], right?"

Probably should still read the forum rules beforehand before thinking that this forum's "exactly" like the other forums you've probably came from... "Noob"... (*giggles* That's still a weird word to say, given my current position...)

Regardless, it all comes off as the "I didn't know" excuse in the end... *sighs* I don't even...

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I'm still in support of necroing threads over recreating threads about the exact same topic over and over. I know not everyone agrees with me on this, however.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Is that so bad?

I mean, if the topic is still relevant, is it better to start an identical new thread, or to revive an old one?

 

[Caiphus]

Well, what if that kind of system was established here... how long would a thread last before it auto-locks? A week? A month or two? A year? 24 hours after the last relevant reply post was made??

And, would this system only be used for user-created threads or for all threads in general? I'm drawing a blank as to how it will all works out in the long run... (Then again, I would be lying if I said that I wasn't thinking about why most old threads, that weren't connected to featured content, were still open...)

OT: "Oh! A thread I can post on! The Escapsist threads are just like [insert other forum-related site here], right?"

Probably should still read the forum rules beforehand before thinking that this forum's "exactly" like the other forums you've probably came from... "Noob"... (*giggles* That's still a weird word to say, given my current position...)

Regardless, it all comes off as the "I didn't know" excuse in the end... *sighs* I don't even...

It wouldn't be too difficult to come up with a limit on the age of threads. I mean, the mods are already using their subjective judgement on what necros deserve warnings, and how old the necro'd thread needs to be to get locked. We could just apply that slightly vague subjective judgement to the limit.

So, if the mods tend to give warnings out for 6 month necros, then that's when the cut-off point should be. If it's 3 months, then use 3 months.
Alternatively, lock threads if they fall off the 20 page limit. At that point, only the search bar/user posting history can find them anyway.

As to content-creator threads, necros are less annoying since they don't bump up the actual content. They only bump the forum thread, which is usually ignored by most people. And, again, mods don't like locking content threads, so it is unlikely that this would apply.

 

[Zombie_Fish]

If that's the case, then why are the mods enforcing rules that don't actually exist?

They're not, but since they've been getting shot down the past few months they should be.

It's kind of a long story. They were added as an amendment to the guidelines back in 2009ish, but after the guidelines were replaced with official rules (late 2010), they weren't included. This wasn't an issue however, as until very recently the person doing the necro was never punished for it.

Last I spoke with Nasrin about it, her reasoning was that changing the rules is a lot of effort as every user needs to agree to them again, so they only want to change the CoC if it is going to be a substantial change. I do agree however that it shouldn't be something to punish new users over until it is listed.

 

[Anomynous 167]

If that's the case, then why are the mods enforcing rules that don't actually exist?

They're not, but since they've been getting shot down the past few months they should be.

It's kind of a long story. They were added as an amendment to the guidelines back in 2009ish, but after the guidelines were replaced with official rules (late 2010), they weren't included. This wasn't an issue however, as until very recently the person doing the necro was never punished for it.

Last I spoke with Nasrin about it, her reasoning was that changing the rules is a lot of effort as every user needs to agree to them again, so they only want to change the CoC if it is going to be a substantial change. I do agree however that it shouldn't be something to punish new users over until it is listed.

Threadnomancy is relative for forums.
Zombie, you have committed the henious act of posting in a thread that has been dead for 6 hours...

This is why I don't tend to active the Escapist forums that much. Everyone posts crap too fast, why, I'll bet that by the time I finish this reply there would be an extra five more people people between me and Zombie_FIsh.

 

[Elfgore]

Something that I've always found funny it that other sites want you to bring back old threads instead of making your own. Yet if you bring back an old thread, that'sa warning for you.

I do think it's stupid they can warn you for it. Just lock the thread. Unless of course the post is actually warning material.

 

[Legion]

I can confirm Google search as one reason.

I got a PM from somebody about a music recommendation thread I posted a reply in about two years ago. I was very confused when I looked at the thread they linked me, until they explained how exactly they found it.

 

[Vegosiux]

If a thread gets necro'd with a good and well-written on-topic post, I don't really see much of a problem with it, actually. Especially if, as it happens, yeah, pops up on google search, the person signs up to reply and all...

But oneliners and stuff? Yeah, that's the forbidden arts. Hey, recently even one of my threads got necro'd. The legendary one. I actually took it as a compliment *snicker*