Necroposting

[Jenny A]

Long threads become hard to navigate and get lost in the fog of personalities.  And they often involve members no longer active, who are not around to defend themselves when quoted or to answer questions.  Bringing back these old threads often puts them in an undeserved bad light. 

This whole concern for the poster thing? I don't buy it. And even if I did, it's beyond ridiculous.

If you want to discuss the issue in the old thread just post a similar OP, or contrasting one if you disagreed with it and begin.  Or as is often the case, post the an OP about the issue actually being discussed in the old thread that interests you. Link the old thread if you think that that's necessary.  If you want to start an old fight from the old thread---just don't.

I thought this wasn't a rule. Why do I get the impression you think it is?

Pugnacious ain't ya?  Look, first of all, the fact you are getting a response is serendipitous because you removed my name from the quote line. Second, you asked why, and I told you why I think it should be a rule. 

The rule itself suggests other reasons:

Necroposting is not allowed. We consider necroposting to be the act of posting a new reply to a thread which hasn't had any new replies for 30 days or more. A warning notice will appear if you are about to necropost, however you will not be prevented from necroposting due to limitations with the forum software, and also to allow certain exceptions to the rule as outlined below.

Exceptions to this rule are granted by staff on a case by case basis. Usually if the thread is popular and intended to be an ongoing discussion, rather than one related to a specific event, necroposting is allowed. For example, in a thread where members are encouraged to post photos of themselves, necroposting would be allowed, but in a thread which is a discussion about a recent event or news article, necroposting would not be allowed.

Notice that while it contains exceptions, it is a rule.  I don't remember anyone being disciplined for violating the rule since I've been a mod (not all that long), but I can imagine circumstances in which we might.

What I don't understand is why starting a fresh thread bothers you so much.