At what point does a thread become necro?

Mad_Jack

Legend
I think the definitive answer to the question is that a thread is necroed when people see it pop up again and go, "Oh, hell, not this again?!?!"... :p Whether that's a day, a week, a year or a decade doesn't make much difference.

Reopening an interesting discussion after sufficient time has passed to generate new and/or different perspectives on the topic isn't a necro.
 

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aco175

Legend
Depends. If the topic is still valid or being asked again like certain classes being overpowered and you want to like the new thread to one we had last year and the year before that. There might be a new playtest that comes out so the thread is 'new' again.

I find that a lot of old threats come back from new posters who might come across something in a Google search and join the site to ask something not knowing it was an old thread.

Generally I think most threads are necro after a few months and all after a year of nothing.
 

I disagree that thread necromancy is always inherently bad. But, for very old threads (to me? >6 months) you have to ask yourself if a new thread would be just as good.
Sometimes the old thread has relevant info: complex rules discussions on which new light has just been shed for example. This would be “non bad” thread necromancy. (Although you also could’ve started a new thread where your first post quotes the relevant old info.)
Or the old thread is some kind of awesome old story hour or humorous post (“these men are not acrobats”) that deserves to be seen by a new generation: also non bad necromancy to me.
But if you just reviving an old argumentative or hostile thread form months/years ago? Bad necromancy. Don’t be a jerk.
 

aco175

Legend
I disagree that thread necromancy is always inherently bad. But, for very old threads (to me? >6 months) you have to ask yourself if a new thread would be just as good.
Sometimes the old thread has relevant info: complex rules discussions on which new light has just been shed for example. This would be “non bad” thread necromancy. (Although you also could’ve started a new thread where your first post quotes the relevant old info.)
Or the old thread is some kind of awesome old story hour or humorous post (“these men are not acrobats”) that deserves to be seen by a new generation: also non bad necromancy to me.
But if you just reviving an old argumentative or hostile thread form months/years ago? Bad necromancy. Don’t be a jerk.
Just got in under the necro-wire, now we can restart it.
 



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