Some of the forums have very little activity so it is natural when someone new drops in they will reply to posts without checking first to see the age of the post.
I noticed a hack on vBulletin.org where you can install a module which will inform the user that they are posting in thread which is xx <--- Set by Admin Months Old.
I've seen that implemented at Sitepointforums and WHT, but those forums are bigger. I'm not sure it's the best approach for HD to be very strict on the revival of relatively old threads.
I like the idea of the hack.
It wouldn't necessarily preclude someone from posting, it would just alert them that the thread they are posting in is possibly outdated.
It might encourage people to start new and current threads.
I "manage" a couple forums for friends (support forums with the same "disease" that has disabled me) ... and I am real strict about not posting to threads that have been dead for 120 days or more. I find it just messes things up and confuses things.
Someone "resurrects" an old post ... people respond thinking its a new post & then they find out they've already responded to the post months or years earlier.
I do have a mod that notifies people a post is 120 or more days old ... but that doesn't seem to stop them from posting.
So I verbally jump up & down about it ... and suggest if they want to continue the thread ... make a new post with a link to the old post. It works for a wee while ... until we get a rash of new members & it starts happening all over again.
IOW ... if you are "anal" about it (like me) you can literally drive yourself nuts every couple months until everyone gets used to the rules ... OR ... save your sanity and don't worry about it.
Personally ... saving your sanity is the better option I think. Its too late for me though