NOTE: Be Aware Of The Year Old Thread Revival

41 replies
I've noticed that a few "newer" members, are posting in threads that are upto a year old...

This brings the old threads back to the top of the forum

I don't know if this is to increase post count, or just a strange coincidence?... but it's annoying. Silly one liners in threads that were finished 12 months ago.. :snoozefest!:

I've tried reporting a few, but it takes more than one to do it

Peace

Jay
#aware #note #revival #thread #year
  • Profile picture of the author Bill_Z
    I don't get it. Why would people bump a really old thread with a stupid reply? Wouldn't it make it more obvious that you are trying to increase your post count?
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    • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
      Originally Posted by Bill_Z View Post

      I don't get it. Why would people bump a really old thread with a stupid reply? Wouldn't it make it more obvious that you are trying to increase your post count?

      I have a theory. They run across the thread in a search, either on the WF or a search engine, find it interesting, and post a reply. Sometimes people see the dates or read the thread totally, they just want to comment on it.
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      • Profile picture of the author Scott Ames
        My Bad... I didn't read the entire thread before I replied either.
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  • Profile picture of the author NikkiG
    I have not been paying any attention to the age of threads...now I will.

    I'd hate to write something of incredible value in a boring old thread!
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    • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
      If you revive an old thread with new incredible value, I'll be thrilled to see it.

      If you revive an old thread to say "Thank you", I'll be scratching my head wondering why you did it..

      Originally Posted by NikkiG View Post

      I have not been paying any attention to the age of threads...now I will.

      I'd hate to write something of incredible value in a boring old thread!
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  • Profile picture of the author J Bold
    New users wanting to get up their post count so they can offer BS, rehashed WSOs often do this. It hasn't just been happening "recently," it happens all the time. Don't know why they chose this method, it's just a red flag for mods. There's tons of inane topics on which they can comment, just look at all the ipad/frank Kern list control/rant pointless threads here every day!
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    • Profile picture of the author grayambition
      Before reporting and encouraging others to report, you might want to attempt to ascertain the poster's intention.

      I don't think I've replied to a super-old thread, and I KNOW I've never replied to bump my post count... BUT I often search this forum and come across interesting threads from a while back. And when I'm brand new to a forum, I'll often read through as many posts as I can. I can see how a newbie, or even an oldbie searching through stuff, could innocently and inadvertently reply to a thread without thinking about its age.

      Sure, go ahead and report if it's a blatantly bs post. But the mere fact that it's bumping an old thread doesn't make it bs, imo.
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      Jan Weingarten
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      • Profile picture of the author aaallday2010
        I can't wait till next year just so I can bump this thread and piss everybody off. :p
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      • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
        Originally Posted by grayambition View Post

        Sure, go ahead and report if it's a blatantly bs post.
        I am doing... and was encouraging others to do so...

        But the mere fact that it's bumping an old thread doesn't make it bs, imo.
        I didn't say it does.. simply that in this particular instance, that one variable (age of thread) is the common theme.

        Jay
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        • Profile picture of the author mmurtha
          Originally Posted by JayXtreme View Post

          I am doing... and was encouraging others to do so...



          I didn't say it does.. simply that in this particular instance, that one variable (age of thread) is the common theme.

          Jay
          Yeah, I saw that trend too Jay.
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  • Profile picture of the author globalpro
    Jay,

    I see a couple of people that are doing this. Wouldn't be so bad, but the responses they are adding are definitely to drive the post count up.

    Thanks,

    John
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  • Profile picture of the author WhoDaresWins
    Why isn't there a time limit on threads? i.e. If it's 6 months old it gets archived. You can read it but not reply.
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    • Profile picture of the author Karen Blundell
      Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins View Post

      Why isn't there a time limit on threads? i.e. If it's 6 months old it gets archived. You can read it but not reply.
      now there's a great idea! It seems to me that would solve the problem, wouldn't it? And I don't think that it would be that difficult to implement.
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Hatfield
    You know, not once when I have went to read a post have I thought to look at the post count to make sure that the person knows what they are talking about.

    Maybe it is just me but I don't really worry about someone inflating their post count.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dennis Gaskill
    Some old threads deserve to be revived now and then because they are still valuable and can be brought back for very good reasons.

    Having said that, I do agree that adding useless posts like "me too" and "I agree" is not a good reason to revive an old thread. I saw one a couple weeks ago where the OP was asking for advice on something, but the thread was well over a year old and it's highly unlikely the OP still needed that advice.

    Probably the best thing that could happen is if everyone here just sent me $10 and I'll forgot about the whole problem.
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    Just when you think you've got it all figured out, someone changes the rules.

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    • Profile picture of the author ozduc
      Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

      Probably the best thing that could happen is if everyone here just sent me $10 and I'll forgot about the whole problem.
      Now there's a great WSO. With 170,000 + members, I can just see the headlines now.

      How to Make over $1 million in 24 hours or less.

      Everyone here on the Forum Just send me $10 and I'll Show you how I did it!


      Paypal to ozduc@yahoo.com.

      Hey I'll split it with you Dennis.
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    • Profile picture of the author Lloyd Buchinski
      What's wrong with old!? Maybe I'm getting sensitive.

      There certainly are times when info gets dated, but not always. And of course if it is just a case of bumping a post count up and no quality than of course that's a waste.

      Originally Posted by WhoDaresWins View Post

      Why isn't there a time limit on threads? i.e. If it's 6 months old it gets archived. You can read it but not reply.
      That is extremely easy to do with a forum. You tick a box and select the number of months or whatever. It's not done here because someone has a different opinion.

      Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill View Post

      Some old threads deserve to be revived now and then because they are still valuable and can be brought back for very good reasons.
      I agree pretty emphatically. I was just thinking a lot about a topic on another forum and was about to post something to the thread. I got the caution 'this thread is xxx days old do you really want to bring it back to life?' or something like that.

      Nothing like a little discouragement to keep me from posting, and it worked. Even though it is a completely valid topic now.

      I just started a forum and that was one box that I made sure wasn't ticked. I don't care how long the thread has been dead. The Vatican might be interested if it comes back to life, but it's not a concern of mine.

      Judge a post or a thread by it's date? Not me. That really out does the 'book by its cover' saying. I'm more interested in the quality and the communication. And the information. If I'm really bored, lonely and have absolutely nothing better to do, maybe I would start looking at the dates.

      (sweesh) Don't mind me. this one gets to me just a bit.

      best wishes, lloyd
      .......__o
      .......\<,
      ....( )/ ( )...
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      • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
        Originally Posted by Lloyd Buchinski View Post

        What's wrong with old!? Maybe I'm getting sensitive.

        There certainly are times when info gets dated, but not always. And of course if it is just a case of bumping a post count up and no quality than of course that's a waste.



        That is extremely easy to do with a forum. You tick a box and select the number of months or whatever. It's not done here because someone has a different opinion.



        I agree pretty emphatically. I was just thinking a lot about a topic on another forum and was about to post something to the thread. I got the caution 'this thread is xxx days old do you really want to bring it back to life?' or something like that.

        Nothing like a little discouragement to keep me from posting, and it worked. Even though it is a completely valid topic now.

        I just started a forum and that was one box that I made sure wasn't ticked. I don't care how long the thread has been dead. The Vatican might be interested if it comes back to life, but it's not a concern of mine.

        Judge a post or a thread by it's date? Not me. That really out does the 'book by its cover' saying. I'm more interested in the quality and the communication. And the information. If I'm really bored, lonely and have absolutely nothing better to do, maybe I would start looking at the dates.

        (sweesh) Don't mind me. this one gets to me just a bit.

        best wishes, lloyd
        .......__o
        .......<,
        ....( )/ ( )...
        Lloyd...

        Please read the whole thread, before jumping into a pathetic little hissy fit.

        The "age" of a thread is completely irrelevant, if the topic is worthy of discussion. It just happened to be that in this particular case, that one variable (age of thread) was the common theme in the problem that we had with new members reviving old threads to increase their post count.

        They were doing this, with the sole intention of increasing their post count...and adding nothing at all to the discussion... Are you seriously saying, as a forum that is moderated by it's members, that we should ignore this issue?


        Jay

        * http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...oderators.html
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        Bare Murkage.........

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  • Profile picture of the author MisterMunch
    I was a little confused when I saw you woundering how to give thanks, given you had given a lot of thanks.

    Thook a while to understand that the thread was very old.
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    • Profile picture of the author mmurtha
      Originally Posted by MisterMunch View Post

      I was a little confused when I saw you woundering how to give thanks, given you had given a lot of thanks.

      Thook a while to understand that the thread was very old.
      Lol I've did that a couple of times.

      Then I look up and notice the dates.
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  • Profile picture of the author mikemac1
    One thing to consider...

    They might actually be using the search function to find what they are looking for and replying on the thread instead of starting a new one about a subject that's been brought up or asking the same questions over and over again on new threads.
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    • Profile picture of the author shabit87
      Originally Posted by michael-mac View Post

      One thing to consider...

      They might actually be using the search function to find what they are looking for and replying on the thread instead of starting a new one about a subject that's been brought up or asking the same questions over and over again on new threads.
      THis is exactly what I've done on two occassions. I search and if the post gives me what I was looking for or I simply find it helpful or even feel I can contribute I comment on it, but now I think I will ask myself, is this thread good enough to be "relived" if not, I think I'll keep my findings to myself in the future.
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    • Profile picture of the author All Night Cafe
      Originally Posted by michael-mac View Post

      One thing to consider...

      They might actually be using the search function to find what they are looking for and replying on the thread instead of starting a new one about a subject that's been brought up or asking the same questions over and over again on new threads.
      This is a good way to look at it. Some complain when new
      threads are started and then they call attention to those.

      It like their way a thread just days ago on this same subject.

      What gives.

      Newbies who don't search old threads, think their's is a new
      question.

      Bumping their posts is wrong, but I usually tell them in
      a reply, this is not the right thing to do and it will not get
      you the right kind of attention.

      I guess warn them first.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ryan700
      Originally Posted by michael-mac View Post

      One thing to consider...

      They might actually be using the search function to find what they are looking for and replying on the thread instead of starting a new one about a subject that's been brought up or asking the same questions over and over again on new threads.
      That was something that was encouraged ages ago. Although I don't respond with short meaningless answers I do search for posts related to questions I have. At the time I was new there were people here telling the newbies to search for posts because they were tired of answering the same old questions over and over again.
      BTW, I comment on lots of old blog posts before I realize they are sometimes a couple of years old. Doh! I hit that submit button too quickly, lol. But I still get traffic from them!
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    They might be finding them through a search engine, too. I'm sure many longer tail keyword searches at Google turn up Warrior Forum threads all the time. Some of them will be old, of course. Not excusing the practice, just a possible explanation that isn't nefarious.

    John
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    • Profile picture of the author grayambition
      Originally Posted by Zeus66 View Post

      They might be finding them through a search engine, too. I'm sure many longer tail keyword searches at Google turn up Warrior Forum threads all the time.
      John
      Yep, they do. All the time. And I always check them out 'cause... it's the WARRIOR FORUM, so of course every post is filled with wisdom and incredibly amazing advice.
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      Jan Weingarten
      Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

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  • Profile picture of the author Deepak Media
    I may be a good idea to automatically lock threads which are more than a year old. Anyone thinking what I am thinking?
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOPoints
    I don't know if this is to increase post count, or just a strange coincidence?... but it's annoying.
    I was tempted to add a critical piece of new information to a 7+ month old thread that would have been relevant to the thread and to anyone else interested in the topic. But it just seemed in poor taste and bad manners to push such an old thread to the top. I kept the information to myself. It would be nice if replies could be added to old threads (maybe defined by 60 days since the last reply) without them being pushed back to the top. That way information can still be shared without annoying people and cluttering the top of the forum with older threads.
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    The one's that arouse my suspicion are the ones where the profile states "Member since 2007. Posts 10 (or a similar small amount), and then all of a sudden they have a flurry of activity, but still don't post anything worthwhile (the usual "I agree", "Great post", etc.).

    Although once again that doesn't necessarily mean anyting sinister, just suspicious.

    [Edit to add aditional rant.]

    Another type of post that gives me the sh|ts are the ones in the reviews section that state "This product looks good, but I haven't used it yet". [rant over].
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    • Profile picture of the author grayambition
      Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

      The one's that arouse my suspicion are the ones where the profile states "Member since 2007. Posts 10 (or a similar small amount), and then all of a sudden they have a flurry of activity, but still don't post anything worthwhile (the usual "I agree", "Great post", etc.).
      I resemble that remark.

      I joined in 2007, had about 10 posts, was away doing other stuff for a few years. Back now as of a couple of months ago. ready to get serious. Stuff happens.
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      Jan Weingarten
      Substitute "damn" every time you're inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be. ~Mark Twain

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  • Profile picture of the author mr2monster
    I've bumped threads from over a year ago because I'll do a search (which is what we yell at newbies to do, mind you) and forget that I found the thread in a search and not in the main forum..

    perhaps this is part of the problem?
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
    Hey Jay,

    I've replied to a few threads, some of my own, in the past six months. Then realised that they are really old and have been resurrected.

    I've also noticed a lot of very old warrior members coming back who have less than 10 posts. So they joined in 2004/4/5/6 but hardly ever posted...
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  • Profile picture of the author marley
    It is easily done. If you are searching for a specific subject or topic often the results will comprise of old threads. By the time you realise the thread is a year old you have already posted a reply. I speak from experience, sorry.
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  • Profile picture of the author JayXtreme
    If you have noticed the threads I am talking about, you would know that they were not "honest mistakes"...

    Jay
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    Bare Murkage.........

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    • Profile picture of the author ozduc
      Originally Posted by JayXtreme View Post

      If you have noticed the threads I am talking about, you would know that they were not "honest mistakes"...

      Jay
      I think it may be that people are trying to get their post count up and because they are new they don't realize the thread will be bumped to the top, so they just post fluff thinking it wont get read, as it is in a post that's buried deep in the forum.
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  • Profile picture of the author Davioli
    It's an old spammers trick.
    Old threads usually have PR on them. The idea is to post one liners in all those threads and then come back a few weeks later and add a sig link. This way "they" instantly get high PR links which they then keep rotating around between their websites.

    Personally, I don't see the need for a Dofollow sig link because it just encourages spammers to sign up and get free backlinks. Someone who knows their stuff is more likely to go and find suitable backlinks rather than rely on the warrior forum's sig link.
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    • Profile picture of the author Liam Hamer
      I've also noticed a trend lately of threads being bumped that are about a certain subject/product. They are all bumped with pretty much the exact same post too, "I use xxxx xxxxxx and it does everything I need, it's free too" or similar and then a link. The page that they link to is a video full of hype(that actually tells you nothing about the product) and an opt in box. The product is supposedly free.

      Last weekend there were 2 of these on the front page, and they both ended up being deleted. I haven't been around here much since then, but I've seen at least one or two this week. Anyone would think these people have been instructed to do this to build the list of whoever they are affiliated with, or worse it is the same person with multiple accounts :rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author kenboss
    I think some of us are missing the point here. There is nothing wrong, in itself, with posting on a thread which happens to be old, so long as it is still relevant and more importantly, so long as your post genuinely contributes something. Doesn't matter whether you came through a search engine or whatever!

    If a thread contains valuable content, then what does the date matter? It's delightful sometimes to see an oldie goldy thread bob up - there are some real classics buried down there - it's part of the richness of this forum. So I would not like to see anything introduced which would out-and-out make it impossible to reply to them.

    But I definitely uphold the original point of this thread - which surely is, that NO thread, and especially not an age-old one, should be bumped up with a self-serving useless post that contributes nothing. As Jay says, they're not hard to spot. And they clutter up the place.

    Ken
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    • Profile picture of the author kenboss
      Sorry, quick addendum -- Just a quick case in point from today, on the positive side:

      http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...AJeIKwyvqK2TVV

      This excellent & entertaining thread had been buried since May 09 - revived only today. The resurrector on page two was marley with a genuinely good post, the conversation has continued and the thread is deservedly revived.
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  • Profile picture of the author R Hagel
    Yep, I agree with Jay -- when you see some of these revivals, you know that they're not a "mistake." The person reviving the thread doesn't tend to add value.

    And, as Liam mentioned, sometimes the same person is reviving multiple threads on the same topic. If the spammer is a few fries short of a Happy Meal, he'll make the mistake of actually pointing to his sig file in all of his replies. Those folks don't last long here.

    Unfortunately, it's not always that easy to spot. So, as Jay suggested, you need to look at age of the thread as one factor (i.e., look at the big picture and look for patterns).

    Cheers,
    Becky
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  • Profile picture of the author Josh Anderson
    If I asked a question that was not fully answered or explored a year ago and some expert found it and finally delivered the answer or tip I had been seeking all that time it would be great... and if that then inspired new valuable discussion that would be great as well.

    What is not great is a silly one liner posted on an old thread that adds no value.

    Intelligent people will be able to readily see the difference between the two.

    There is nothing wrong with posting to an old thread and there is no rule against it either.

    Its the content of the post that matters.

    I saw a relatively new member of the WF post complaining about a discussion being continued that was fairly old... yet experienced members of the forum who were participating in the newer discussion were adding great content. The only reason the newbie was complaining was because the initial post that kicked the thread off was older... it made that person complaining look like the dunce... and they were.

    Be wise. Spot the spammers and one line nonsense people and report their post only.

    Don't worry if the thread is old... if it is not important it will die again. If it is important then great discussion will ensue.
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