I've wondered why so many new users are responding to years and years old zombie threads. Someone new replies to one, and then a mod comes and closes it because, zombie. Well, I've now figured out why this is happening. I noticed "suggested" reading threads pop up in the bottom of my page, and the suggestions are not new threads, they are old!!
I have responded to one or two before.
I read the feed of threads and click on one, thinking it is fairly new, possibly give a response only to realize it is eight years old or something.
I'm like...why is it in the new posts feed?
Before suggestions were way down the line. I've begun looking at date first--already having complained about this. My usage has and is continuing to decline--sorta sad for me but my interest is waning. But looks like there are plenty of other new arrivals--something like 15 posts in two hours for some of them so all is not lost. Many seem to have similar spelling problems, so I won't have to deal with my 'tiny' bit of OCD in this regard.
I messaged a mod about this, I think there needs to be some judgement as to whether the thread topic is of perennial interest, or specific to the details of the OPs situation. In the one I messaged about, the OP specifically said in the first post they were starting a more "generic" thread on the topic.
I have posted about this on the Verticalscope (admin) forum asking that this be addressed. Xenforo has an addon that produces the "Recommended Reading" list. It has a parameter that can be set to “Exclude similar threads older than this many days”. The admin panel that I have access to does not have any access to this addon, to the admins at VS will need to do this. I don't now that they will. We'll see.
I agree that threads that have a more perennial interest should be not closed no matter how old they are. If you see a thread that is of perennial interest closed, PM me and I'll reopen it.
Older threads that are specific to a one particular poster are good candidates for being closed. They can still be read. They can be found by searching on keywords. But the OP on those threads is long gone and so posting to them makes no sense. They are not going to see the posts.
I think it also occurs because new posters often find their way to TAM through an internet search of a specific marriage question. That’s how I found out about this place. So my first post was to a zombie thread that spoke to my problem. I remember feeling embarrassed when some kind soul pointed out to me that it was a years old thread.
Besides TAM, I am also a long term member of a music forum and the same thing happens there. New members see the topic and jump in, they don’t think to look at the date.
I think it also occurs because new posters often find their way to TAM through an internet search of a specific marriage question. That’s how I found out about this place. So my first post was to a zombie thread that spoke to my problem. I remember feeling embarrassed when some kind soul pointed out to me that it was a years old thread.
Besides TAM, I am also a long term member of a music forum and the same thing happens there. New members see the topic and jump in, they don’t think to look at the date.
I agree that this is one of the ways zombie threads are raised up.
When it comes to a situation like yours in which a new user replies with their own issue, I will usually move their post to a thread of their own and notify them that I did this. Then I close the old thread.
It took me a while before it dawned on me that this was the best solution to what you experienced.
What I find interesting is that the previous forum platform used by TAM (Vbulletin) also listed posts for recommended reading. But it was done in a non-intrusive manner. I think most people just ignored it. But in this new format it's hard to ignore.
I think that the older posts are like "Dear Abby" topics. Interesting to read and can help others with similar issues.
So at my advanced age, everything is a zombie thread. I just read one from 2016 that I remember like yesterday. I got a song stuck in my head that was released in 1972. I still don't like it. Though it's gone from possibly romantic, to simply sick.
As has been said: Bottom line is more clicks equals more advertising value. Doesn't matter who is doing the clicking. Recommended Reading now draws the eye more directly. If one does not like it, he/she must act accordingly and pay closer attention to dates, etc. Also if one shows interest now, alerts 'follow' probably leading to clicks even if the comment was 'I'm out"...
As has been said: Bottom line is more clicks equals more advertising value. Doesn't matter who is doing the clicking. Recommended reading now draws the eye more directly. If one does not like it, he/she must act accordingly and pay closer attention to dates, etc. Also if one shows interest now, alerts 'follow' probably leading to clicks even if the comment was 'I'm out"...
I agree basically. It's a business thing. It costs VS money to run this forum (and all the others that they have). Most members will not pay for premium status ($19.99 annually). One of the benefits of Premium status is that there are NO ads at all. VS has to pay for their employees, servers, software, etc. It's not cheap.
If the parameters where changed to include only more recent posts (say up to a year ago), there would still be plenty of threads listed in the "Recommended Reading" list.
Since this thread I've been watching this more carefully. I've determined that the brain trust in charge has set the recommended reading to not recommend anything less than 5 years old.
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