How do you feel about necroposting?

[simonsez]

I see pros and cons to both necroposting as well as not allowing it like I've seen on other forums.  I'm curious what the MMM forum community thinks overall.  Personally, I like it.  I view it as additional information and can view a progression of thought over time.  But if the ability went away, I wouldn't lose sleep over it.

Also, I'd like clarity on definitions.  What is necroposting?  Is it posting after a topic hasn't had any responses for 30 days? 120 days? A year?

I believe there is already a soft edit that exists when posting on old threads that the necroposter sees but no one subsequently sees.

[Dicey]

It's easy to fat finger an old topic, especially on a small screen, which is why I believe the warning was introduced. It's more of an FYI for the person about to post, I think.

I personally love them. I don't really like it when people start a new post on a topic that has been well-covered previously. There are metric fucktons of sage posts in our archives and I hate to see that collective wisdom go by the wayside. This is surely in part because this site's search function is...weak. Also, it used to be easier to use Google to find forum threads, but lately Google search results are becoming almost spam-like, which is apparently by design. Lately, goog has been serving up really old threads instead of recent results, which is possibly triggering some necroposting.

Some amazingly wise and prolific people have reached FIRE, drifted off into the sunset, and no longer post. A few others have been banned and are still missed. My favorite necroposts are case studies where someone returns to share their progress and achievements.

Thanks for asking!

[chemistk]

I voted "yes" but with a caveat,

I do enjoy when older threads get brought back around, whether it's for an update or for additional information on a topic, so long as the poster is aware that they are reviving a thread. I think it's also courtesy to acknowledge the action within the reply itself.

What is not so desirable is when a reply to a specific thread/poster/subtopic appears out of the blue, and then folks start chiming in with replies to people within that thread no matter the age, as if the conversation never stopped despite the extended length of time between posts.

[Sibley]

I voted yes, with the caveat that if you're necroposting and you're a new poster, there's a high likelihood that you're a spammer. However, if you allow necroposts then you're going to have situations where people are replying without realizing that it's old, so that's a downside that must be accepted.

[GuitarStv]

I've never understood the internet forum hatred of old posts.  If someone wants to write something, there's no reason at all to be concerned.  Most of the concern always revolves around an assumption that people don't read before posting  . . .  and if that's the case and you look like an idiot, it's really not the fault of the person who brought the old thread up.

[dividendman]

When I read the subject of this thread I thought it was going to be about people saving up posts for when they're dead and then someone else would post it for them... I'm not sure how I feel about that.... or this... :)

[nereo]

When I read the subject of this thread I thought it was going to be about people saving up posts for when they're dead and then someone else would post it for them... I'm not sure how I feel about that.... or this... :)

Come to think of it, with AI chat I don’t think we are far off from someone programming an AI program from continuing their feeds in a style mimicking their own far after they are dead. At the very least I expect we will be exposed to all sorts of musicians putting out songs after they are dead (and artists putting out paintings and novelists putting out novels…)

[Tigerpine]

I've never understood the internet forum hatred of old posts.  If someone wants to write something, there's no reason at all to be concerned.  Most of the concern always revolves around an assumption that people don't read before posting  . . .  and if that's the case and you look like an idiot, it's really not the fault of the person who brought the old thread up.

I agree.  I think one of the reasons forums die out is because they "run out things to talk about".  New members may want to participate in a discussion, rather than just read the wisdom of the ancients.  I would assume that's why most people join forums:  to participate.

I can understand not liking necroposts, but if it bothers you, don't reply to the necropost.  It seems simple to me.

[Villanelle]

I think it depends on the thread.  If it is someone asking for advice in a very detailed situation that is quite specific to them, it usually seems pretty pointless, especially when the response is clearly aimed at that person specifically.  For more general conversations, I think reviving old threads can be great. 

It's tough to articulate the difference, but I know it when I see it.  That said, it doesn't actually *bother* me.  it just seems pointless to post advice about a situation someone posted about, seeking advice, in 2017, and then hasn't been back to update.  The details are probably not the same, 6 years later (totally an example, so hopefully this doesn't mimic an actual recent necropost). If it is "should I pay down my mortgage" that becomes pretty general, but if it is much more detailed and personal, it's pretty pointless.

[elaine amj]

I don’t mind necroposts. Sometimes people just don’t realize and it’s usually no biggie anyway since the topics don’t change that much over time.

If it’s someone asking specific advice that is totally outdated, it’s usually a bit funny when some wise guy points it out to the person who revived the post 7 years later. Nothing to get particularly worked up about. And if it triggers a new conversation, no harm no foul if people want to talk even if it is not relevant to the OP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Cranky]

I think it’s kind of fun!

Some forums warn you that a thread is old, and add a note “128 days have passed…”

[charis]

Most recroposting here is knowingly, in the vein of updating, or re-raising a topic with a new question or point that would benefit from using the older thread rather than starting a new one.  However, it's annoying when posters inadvertently necropost to give advice to someone who hasn't asked for advice in a year, which causes other posters to think it's a new post.  There's almost never a time where that's useful.  That's where the warning is helpful.

[curious_george]

I love necroposting, especially when the post is 10+ years old.

I find it interesting looking through really old threads here. It seems almost like there was a very different group of people here 10 years ago. More low income, diy, outside the box thinkers. So those threads can be pretty interesting to read through at times.

[nereo]

I love necroposting, especially when the post is 10+ years old.

I find it interesting looking through really old threads here. It seems almost like there was a very different group of people here 10 years ago. More low income, diy, outside the box thinkers. So those threads can be pretty interesting to read through at times.

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

So yeah, it’s a lot different.

[simonsez]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

[Alternatepriorities]

I love necroposting, especially when the post is 10+ years old.

I find it interesting looking through really old threads here. It seems almost like there was a very different group of people here 10 years ago. More low income, diy, outside the box thinkers. So those threads can be pretty interesting to read through at times.

After 10 years of hanging out here and making a lot more than we spend eventually everyone has enough money to become fancy spendy pants... :)

The tone of the forum has definitely changed in the nearly 9 years I've been here, but my own wealth is up nearly 10 fold since I joined the forum and I've achieved a sustainable FIRE. I'm still mostly and DIY outside the box guy, but I will admit there are some problems I solve with money now that I would not have in the past.

[Alternatepriorities]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

I just realized that I joined the forum just a few months after you Nereo. I always thought of you as an elder member, but apparently you just have 12X as much to share. :)

I do enjoy seeing some the old topics come back up, especially when they turn out to still be relevant 10 years later or someone has an epic update.

[nereo]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

I just realized that I joined the forum just a few months after you Nereo. I always thought of you as an elder member, but apparently you just have 12X as much to share. :)

I do enjoy seeing some the old topics come back up, especially when they turn out to still be relevant 10 years later or someone has an epic update.

I actually joined about a year before my current user name, but there was some creepiness with a (now banned) former member and I went through forum witness protection. Back then I think a lot of us shared more personal details, myself included, perhaps because it was so small and tight knit. As it grew that backfired on me.

[sonofsven]

Necroposting is only allowed with a thorough hand washing afterwards.

[Metalcat]

Necroposting is only allowed with a thorough hand washing afterwards.

Fucking brilliant.

[By the River]

RemindMe! 5 years    (I assume that this forum doesn't have a function to automatically necropost in the future.  Also cannot use my work outlook account as I won't be here in 5 years.)

[Just Joe]

I'm fine with it and am guilty of doing this from time to time. The old question might still be relevant, and the necropost might offer an updated perspective on the original discussion. 

When I'm practicing my Google-foo to find a solution to questions I value the old questions/answers almost as much as the recent ones - except if they concern Linux which has evolved quite a bit in the past ten years.

I'd be quite happy to find a 2011 question/answer that included an updated perspective by someone.

[nereo]

RemindMe! 5 years    (I assume that this forum doesn't have a function to automatically necropost in the future.  Also cannot use my work outlook account as I won't be here in 5 years.)

Another question is: will MS Outlook still exist in 5 years…

[GuitarStv]

RemindMe! 5 years    (I assume that this forum doesn't have a function to automatically necropost in the future.  Also cannot use my work outlook account as I won't be here in 5 years.)

Another question is: will MS Outlook still exist in 5 years…

Not if we live in a just universe.

[jambongris]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

5 now. I had to look up my registration date, October 2012. Still mostly a lurker.

Crazy how time passes. Slowly then all at once. I still remember my mom asking me if I had heard about some money moustache blog by a guy from Ottawa who retired early.

[Alternatepriorities]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

I just realized that I joined the forum just a few months after you Nereo. I always thought of you as an elder member, but apparently you just have 12X as much to share. :)

I do enjoy seeing some the old topics come back up, especially when they turn out to still be relevant 10 years later or someone has an epic update.

I actually joined about a year before my current user name, but there was some creepiness with a (now banned) former member and I went through forum witness protection. Back then I think a lot of us shared more personal details, myself included, perhaps because it was so small and tight knit. As it grew that backfired on me.

Sorry to hear that. It would have been interesting to join the forum when I first started reading the blog, but looking back the only I posted about the first year was a bike ride and trying to meet Alaskan Mustachians. Nine years later I still think an Alaskan bike tour with other Mustachians would be a lot of fun.

[Metalcat]

Necroposting is fine if there's a reason and the person reviving the dead thread draws attention to the fact that they're necroposting.

But this is coming from a recent post where someone's very first and only post was to bump a totally random thread about handwashing.

Yeah, I'm going to ask questions and wonder how and why that was their first foray into a financial forum.

Especially since we had a lot of weird troll-y/spammy necroposts for awhile. I give it the side eye unless I see a clear reason for it.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

I just realized that I joined the forum just a few months after you Nereo. I always thought of you as an elder member, but apparently you just have 12X as much to share. :)

I do enjoy seeing some the old topics come back up, especially when they turn out to still be relevant 10 years later or someone has an epic update.

I actually joined about a year before my current user name, but there was some creepiness with a (now banned) former member and I went through forum witness protection. Back then I think a lot of us shared more personal details, myself included, perhaps because it was so small and tight knit. As it grew that backfired on me.

I seem to recall Spartana also had a 'fan' at one point.  I also joined under the user name 'SomeYoungGuy' previous to this iteration, but I nuked that account because it was mainly to complain that Pete wasn't approving my comments on his blog LOL

I wish necroposts were more obvious when there is a massive time gap between posts, like a highlight on the date of the previous post or making that 'warning' an attached note at the bottom of the post.  It can be really confusing when I join a thread that's like 'hah, gotcha, this whole thread is full of dummies' only to see that it's 3 years after the last post that was bragging about how amazing breadmakers are...

[Sanitary Stache]

I now almost wish I had clicked on that hand washing thread.

I find the necroposts useful most of the time. I do kick myself if I get ticked into a spam thread. But now I tend to look for context cues and just smile when a new poster adds a few words to a years old off topic. I almost enjoy spotting the people trying to drum up clicks for their website.

[Daley]

I tend to take a more "necroposting bad" from a practicality view simply due to database performance. Old inactive threads dredged back to life can hammer server performance by causing table scans on the database, just like really long threads and leaving old threads unarchived. A point I made four years ago, in fact, when the forum was starting to become really unusable due to lack of maintenance and the default board settings for the community at the time.

That said, necroposting older threads where questions were asked and then solved, then buries the answer not at the end of the thread, but in the middle, making it harder to locate. And there's also the quiet part about the quality posters and the time waste of re-reading an old thread to try and help on something already abandoned.

...but Rebs really liked the idea of keeping those default settings on the community as features despite their performance impact, and it's obvious the database is starting to buckle again on occasion, so. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[caracarn]

including my real photo for my avatar,

Wait!  What?   You're not a monocled dog?!!!    I'm totally crushed.

[nereo]

including my real photo for my avatar,

Wait!  What?   You're not a monocled dog?!!!    I'm totally crushed.

This is the most disappointing thing I have read on this forum.

[charis]

Well, the forum didn’t go live til Feb 2012, and 10 years ago there were scarcely 3k members. Of those, I count fewer than 30 who are still active (have posted in the last three years).

Interesting way to think about the history.  4 of those ~30 10 year oldies have posted in this thread!

I agree with the majority sentiment here.  I enjoy past nuggets of wisdom I've forgotten about or didn't see before or if it's a topic that doesn't interest me, I move on.

I posted this because I honestly had no idea if it was going to be a 50/50 split or which side would be in the majority.  There seems to be a bit of hand-wringing about necroposts every once in awhile and I was curious how members felt it as a group.

I just realized that I joined the forum just a few months after you Nereo. I always thought of you as an elder member, but apparently you just have 12X as much to share. :)

I do enjoy seeing some the old topics come back up, especially when they turn out to still be relevant 10 years later or someone has an epic update.

I actually joined about a year before my current user name, but there was some creepiness with a (now banned) former member and I went through forum witness protection. Back then I think a lot of us shared more personal details, myself included, perhaps because it was so small and tight knit. As it grew that backfired on me.

I seem to recall Spartana also had a 'fan' at one point.  I also joined under the user name 'SomeYoungGuy' previous to this iteration, but I nuked that account because it was mainly to complain that Pete wasn't approving my comments on his blog LOL

I wish necroposts were more obvious when there is a massive time gap between posts, like a highlight on the date of the previous post or making that 'warning' an attached note at the bottom of the post.  It can be really confusing when I join a thread that's like 'hah, gotcha, this whole thread is full of dummies' only to see that it's 3 years after the last post that was bragging about how amazing breadmakers are...

I did (was a RL in person "fan" from this forum) as did some others like @sol and I think @Metalcat. I depleted all my posts after I realized how much personal info I put on here, including my real photo for my avatar, which made it pretty easy to find me in RL.  Now I'm more causious.

You all were stalked irl by a member of the forum?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but it's more drama than we usually see around these parts.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

...
You all were stalked irl by a member of the forum?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but it's more drama than we usually see around these parts.

IKR - stalking IRL is not a frugal activity, very unmustachian and facepunchable

[GuitarStv]

...
You all were stalked irl by a member of the forum?  I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but it's more drama than we usually see around these parts.

IKR - stalking IRL is not a frugal activity, very unmustachian and facepunchable

Not with Apple's air tags!  Very minimal cost for full corporate backing/support to meet all your stalking needs.

[GuitarStv]

And yes, I am a fluffy white dog IRL. The mustache, monocle and top hat are just a disguise so no one will recognize me ;-).

It works!  I thought you were a capitalist based on appearance.

[Gremlin]

*Sets alarm to post in this thread every three years*

[Alternatepriorities]

*Sets alarm to post in this thread every three years*

I look forward to seeing how people's positions on the issue evolve overtime.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Maybe I'll start to like necroposts more when a thread about necroposting pops up on my new replies once every three years?  Thanks @Gremlin - make sure you tag me

[TomTX]

IDK, just wake the thread up in 10 years or so and I'll tell you. :D

[oldladystache]

9 years and 10 months. I guess I don't count. I was a much younger old lady then.

[RetiredAt63]

9 years and 10 months. I guess I don't count. I was a much younger old lady then.

You registered 10 days before I did!  (I went and looked us both up).

I was a spring chicken then.  A mere pullet.   ;-)

[Loren Ver]

I like necroposting and have even done it.  I really like it when folks update their voyage has things change.

I also find it funny, and you get to learn who doesn't read through the post, when someone does an update, and they get really out dated advice from a decade ago.  Yeah, that was resolved on page one, and there are only two pages.  :).  Ah, how the advice has changed!

LV

[Gremlin]

Yeah, it's okay.

[GuitarStv]

9/10 forumites choose necroposting over necrophilia.

[ChpBstrd]

Of all the world's forums, this one needs necroposting.

We're constantly talking through decisions that take years to play out, such as the OMY debates, home ownership debates, investment or RE debates, Ask a Mustachian questions, POYM/DPOYM, life choices, post-retirement satisfaction, vehicle advice, DIY advice, impact of short-term news on retirement outcomes, etc. Aside from a few small purchase decisions, almost everything here is interesting in the context of its long-term implications.

Even the daily banter of The Top is In offers context for those who think today's news is something to panic about.

If the forum was to add a feature (if the software is even being developed any more) it would be the ability to unsubscribe from a post. You'd use this if you grew tired of the topic or if there was a flame war constantly pinging your unread list. I'm sometimes reluctant to chime in on a thread if I'm only marginally interested and fear it will become a hot topic with daily replies for the next 7 months.

[Metalcat]

Of all the world's forums, this one needs necroposting.

We're constantly talking through decisions that take years to play out, such as the OMY debates, home ownership debates, investment or RE debates, Ask a Mustachian questions, POYM/DPOYM, life choices, post-retirement satisfaction, vehicle advice, DIY advice, impact of short-term news on retirement outcomes, etc. Aside from a few small purchase decisions, almost everything here is interesting in the context of its long-term implications.

Even the daily banter of The Top is In offers context for those who think today's news is something to panic about.

If the forum was to add a feature (if the software is even being developed any more) it would be the ability to unsubscribe from a post. You'd use this if you grew tired of the topic or if there was a flame war constantly pinging your unread list. I'm sometimes reluctant to chime in on a thread if I'm only marginally interested and fear it will become a hot topic with daily replies for the next 7 months.

Necroposting with purpose is fine, but random necroposts are incredibly obnoxious.

[deborah]

Of all the world's forums, this one needs necroposting.

We're constantly talking through decisions that take years to play out, such as the OMY debates, home ownership debates, investment or RE debates, Ask a Mustachian questions, POYM/DPOYM, life choices, post-retirement satisfaction, vehicle advice, DIY advice, impact of short-term news on retirement outcomes, etc. Aside from a few small purchase decisions, almost everything here is interesting in the context of its long-term implications.

Even the daily banter of The Top is In offers context for those who think today's news is something to panic about.

If the forum was to add a feature (if the software is even being developed any more) it would be the ability to unsubscribe from a post. You'd use this if you grew tired of the topic or if there was a flame war constantly pinging your unread list. I'm sometimes reluctant to chime in on a thread if I'm only marginally interested and fear it will become a hot topic with daily replies for the next 7 months.

But you can - you use notify, and unnotify.

[MustacheAndaHalf]

You'll regret revealing the spoiler tag - just warning you now.

9/10 forumites choose necroposting over necrophilia.

Spoiler: show

That joke... fucking... died.

[ChpBstrd]

Of all the world's forums, this one needs necroposting.

We're constantly talking through decisions that take years to play out, such as the OMY debates, home ownership debates, investment or RE debates, Ask a Mustachian questions, POYM/DPOYM, life choices, post-retirement satisfaction, vehicle advice, DIY advice, impact of short-term news on retirement outcomes, etc. Aside from a few small purchase decisions, almost everything here is interesting in the context of its long-term implications.

Even the daily banter of The Top is In offers context for those who think today's news is something to panic about.

If the forum was to add a feature (if the software is even being developed any more) it would be the ability to unsubscribe from a post. You'd use this if you grew tired of the topic or if there was a flame war constantly pinging your unread list. I'm sometimes reluctant to chime in on a thread if I'm only marginally interested and fear it will become a hot topic with daily replies for the next 7 months.

But you can - you use notify, and unnotify.

You've changed my life.