D&D 5E Why do people care when threads get necro'd?

[Oofta]

I may make a comment just to let people know that the posts they're reading are old. Especially when it's really old.

Doesn't mean I care, just that I want to let the person who necro'd a thread that time (and occasionally edition) has moved on and there might be new information.

 

[Umbran]

I may make a comment just to let people know that the posts they're reading are old. Especially when it's really old.

Doesn't mean I care, just that I want to let the person who necro'd a thread that time (and occasionally edition) has moved on and there might be new information.

Whether time has moved on or not, usually the people have moved on. If you are responding to a 15-year-old thread, the chances the poster you're responding to is still active is low. Telling folks that helps set their expectations about whether they'll get a response or not.

 

[jgsugden]

Scheduling a note for 2024 to necro this thread

There are two sides to a necored thread. One is a continuation of relevant discussion that stalled previously, but remains relevant. ANother is when someone necros a thread and people respond to elements that are no longer relevant or accurate due to changes in knowledge, product or other factors. Unfortunately, the second situation is far more common than the first.

The most common necro discussions I see are where someone has found an old thread, likely via internet search, that discusses a minor rule or opinion and then responds t it - not realizing that the situation has changed considerably since the last post was written.

I've suggested a number of times that it would be very beneficial to the community if there were a warning message when you respond to a thread that has not been updated in a long time. As long as people make informed decisions to respond to it based upon the situation and understand that things may have changed since 2017, there should be no problem.

However, it does get tiring to see someone bring up a thread just to disagree with it because the thread was written before Mordenkainen's was written and the person responding is doing so to say the initial poster is wrong and they can prove it by pointing to something in Mordenkainen's.

I almost always comment on a necroed threat to note it has been necroed just to frame the thread - but it isn't driven by anger. Except in those rare instances where someone did it just to try to ridicule something someone posted years ago.

 

[billd91]

I'm completely unfussed by threads that get the necro treatment.
I will note that looking at the forum via tapatalk may facilitate thread necromancy. I frequently see old threads listed as if they're still active and/or new.

 

[Charlaquin]

Who else immediately checked the date on this thread, just to be sure?

 

[Morrus]

However, it does get tiring

I mean, "tiring" is a strong word!

 

[jayoungr]

At some point, "the internet" collectively decided it was a bad thing, which I never really understood. Personally, I'm with @Laurefindel--I kind of like it when topics get resurrected.

 

[Laurefindel]

Who else immediately checked the date on this thread, just to be sure?

* raise hand *
but only because it was suspiciously on topic. Otherwise it probably would have woooshed way over my head.

 

[el-remmen]

The threads I'd like to necro are from pre-2002 - like my classic "BULLYWUGS GOT THE SHAFT!" thread complaining about a lack of hop attack for 3E bullywugs. Don't worry though, I gave them one for 3E and 5E.

 

[J.Quondam]

I'm usually just interested in why they got necro'd. There's a difference between when a spambot rezzes a thread to post copy-paste nonsense, as opposed to when a human does it because they just were delving into the bowels of history.
And the responses are almost always amusing... especially for ones about products or current events.
I do miss not having the OP dates visible on the main page for just that reason, though.