Is it okay to revive an old forum post?

Post Reply New Topic

Say if I searched for a particular topic and I found that topic in an old forum post from some years ago, is it acceptable to add to it and post a reply instead of making a new topic?

We prefer fresh thoughts and insights on new threads rather than digging up old threads that have been talked out or died through lack of interest, but otherwise - "it depends".

It's mostly a question of being mindful before posting and asking yourself questions like "Is it really worth exhuming this thread for my post - what can I add that hasn't already been said?", and/or "When was the post I'm considering a response to actually posted?"

Some old threads contain posts by WP members who no longer visit so before considering a reply, click on the avatar or username of a poster and then "Search user's posts". From there you can see when they last posted or possibly, if it's been enabled, their "Last visited" date on the profile screen.
If either is more than (say) a year it's generally safe to assume they've wandered off to other things.

As well as a thread's age the content may be answering a question asked long ago, be about an old political issue or some news story that's no longer relevant and so on.
Wrong Planet has been around for decades so there will be a fair amount of old history lurking below the surface.

What Cornflake said.

It's difficult for me to find the right words to explain what kind of threads are considered timeless and what sort are more personal and best left dead.

For example, dragging up a thread from a member from 10 years ago asking advice about something in their personal life what wouldn't really be relevant today, is a bit pointless to bump to the top of the list, if you're just posting there to offer advice that will serve no purpose to anybody.

But bumping a fun type of thread that can be relevant in any era is more acceptable.

One time on a forum a person had started a thread about some political issue but hadn't posted in the thread or the site since 2004, then suddenly returned in 2019 to continue the debate in the thread (bumped right up) like he'd never left.
That fascinated me, as though he had waited for 15 years to get a few more responses then returned like in a time warp to carry on the argument, after all that time. Imagine not returning to a site for 15 years only to suddenly remember your username and password after so long of not visiting a site and just continuing on with a debate?