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It is often encouraged on this site to check with other posts to make sure your own isn't a duplicate, and since my expertise is quite limited at the moment, quite a number of mine do tend to be duplicates.

My question is, if I find someone else's previous post/answer useful, would it be considered bad form if I were to upvote it (as they would receive a random notification for an answer they wrote a few years ago and most likely forgot)?

I want to give credit where it's due but what would be an acceptable time frame so people don't get feel inundated by trivial posts, especially for those who probably answer at least 10 questions a day, which would build up to quite a number of notifications.

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    $\begingroup$ This is very much ok. IMO it is the way it is supposed to go! Upvote posts that help you. The age of the post is irrelevant. Possibly the best known example is Arturo Magidin. He hasn't posted new answers for over 3 years, and is still getting 20-100 points rep daily on his old answers. $\endgroup$
    – Jyrki Lahtonen
    Commented Mar 29, 2016 at 7:08
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    $\begingroup$ I some times get random, out-of-nowhere upvotes on old questions (just this week I've gotten some on answers from last year), and I find it fun and interesting to reread what I've written myself but since forgotten. $\endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Commented Apr 4, 2016 at 13:08

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[...] would it be considered bad form if I were to upvote it (as they would receive a random notification for an answer they wrote a few years ago and most likely forgot)?

It's good form to up-vote good content one comes across. Moreover, I think for many it is rather a nice experience to be reminded by an up-vote of an old post. It shows that the content one created is of some lasting use.

There are some that do not like such notifications or points in general, but then they likely will decide to ignore or to discard them quickly in general. What I mean is there is not really much difference in getting a green +10 for a post one wrote a week ago relative to one one wrote two years ago.

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    $\begingroup$ This answer was written yesterday. Is too late to upvote it? $\endgroup$
    – Yeah..
    Commented Mar 30, 2016 at 21:58
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    $\begingroup$ Just give it a try. The worst that can happen is I'll shout at you. :-) $\endgroup$
    – quid
    Commented Mar 30, 2016 at 22:34
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    $\begingroup$ @Yeah.. your username answers your question! =) $\endgroup$
    – user21820
    Commented Apr 2, 2016 at 4:32
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    $\begingroup$ Or is it too early? I'll come back in a couple of years. $\endgroup$
    – Szmagpie
    Commented Apr 9, 2016 at 3:13
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    $\begingroup$ @Szmagpie yes, you might want to wait to vote for the important one from 39 to 40, in case the situation ever arises. In that case you could seize my internal gratitude for making me a guru on the subject. :-) $\endgroup$
    – quid
    Commented Apr 9, 2016 at 10:32

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