bodhisamaya wrote:

*Edited for lack of delete option

Glad to know that you stopped by to check in

I agree with Fishface.  I think the best policy is to allow deleting and editing for some period of time, and then automatically disable it when posts reach a certain age.  But I wonder if this forum software provides that feature.

This was sent as a form letter email reply, like you might get from Smart.fm these days.  So I assume it was meant for mass reading:

Ice Cream wrote:

hey everyone... sorry for making you all worry! i'm ok... just got back from a long flight back from Japan about an hour ago.

Anyway, i wasn't hacked or anything, just felt like deleting myself... the more i deleted, the more i felt kind of free, so i carried on til it was all gone. To me, deleting the past lets me move forward sometimes. anyway, i'm a bit tired now, but just wanted to let you all know i'm ok!!!

To Fabrice: i guess we disagree about the ownership of our own posts a bit, to me, i haven't deleted anyone elses posts like if you could delete a whole thread, so they are mine to delete if i choose to, i think. I also assumed my posts weren't that important in the grand scheme of things. But if there's any information people really want that i posted, i can post it again or email or something when i'm not busy.

Anyway, even if i don't post, i'd still like to read the forums sometimes, so please unban me if you can! (it won't let me read any threads now i logged in to get the contact email)

Speak soon

Last edited by bodhisamaya (2011 February 10, 9:07 am)

Cranks wrote:

A better solution is to have a delete account button. If you choose to use it your account becomes inaccessible and all your posts automatically have their user name changed to "guest". You can no longer access your account, nor can it be restored. Also, no one can contact you as your contact information is wiped clean. You basically don't have any access anymore, but the overall flow of the forum is maintained.

In addition to this, in the delete dialogue you could add a "ban my IP" option, so you can never sign up again under your current IP.

This is a good solution to the situation where someone wants to erase their presence. However, I think FishFace's solution is also a good idea alongside this, as it is useful to have the option to edit posts. I don't think anyone should be able to delete posts though, apart from mods/admin.

travis wrote:

What about posts where the first post get's updated with new information? Like the Subs2srs thread or Audiobooks or NukeMarines guide etc? Just limit updates to 10 per day or something, or add a captcha to edits. If it's time consuming to make lots of edits people will just give up after the first few.

That's exactly what the site wiki is for. First post should just to the wiki, then update as needed  - done.

JimmySeal wrote:

I agree with Fishface.  I think the best policy is to allow deleting and editing for some period of time, and then automatically disable it when posts reach a certain age.  But I wonder if this forum software provides that feature.

No it doesn't.

The forum will move to PhpBB or something else more featured, eventually.

And btw, JimmySeal is banned for up to 48h because of an attack against kittycate44 in another thread, which prompted her to report it and then in IceCream copycat fashion, deleted her older posts, which annoyed the hell out of me, I'll give you that. Since kittycate44 can't take any criticism in a responsible manner, and decided to be as childish as IceCream, and specifically asked to delete her posts, I happily did so. I also banned her email and current IP.

I haven't made a decision regarding IceCream (edit: but I'll tell you, it won't be pretty). I'm busy trying to get some work done *sigh*.

thurd wrote:

This is how I'd go about this issue (once magical forum technology allows): Edit and delete should be time based. After that posts are considered to be owned by the forum and its community. You want to delete your account, fine but your name stays (reference in posts, if you change it to "guest" and its "IceCream" in the thread there's no way of telling who is who) & so do your posts.

Wow, to manage such a website and have to manage the users as well -- that sounds like of effort. Don't you have anybody tp help you manage people here? I think you may need some helpers.

ファブリス wrote:

JimmySeal wrote:

I agree with Fishface.  I think the best policy is to allow deleting and editing for some period of time, and then automatically disable it when posts reach a certain age.  But I wonder if this forum software provides that feature.

No it doesn't.

The forum will move to PhpBB or something else more featured, eventually.

And btw, JimmySeal is banned for up to 48h because of an attack against kittycate44 in another thread, which prompted her to report it and then in IceCream copycat fashion, deleted her older posts, which annoyed the hell out of me, I'll give you that. Since kittycate44 can't take any criticism in a responsible manner, and decided to be as childish as IceCream, and specifically asked to delete her posts, I happily did so. I also banned her email and current IP.

I haven't made a decision regarding IceCream (edit: but I'll tell you, it won't be pretty). I'm busy trying to get some work done *sigh*.

You are a responsible, fair admin that created this community and has given more to it than anyone could reasonably ask. Whatever you do will you'll have support.

I can understand her, wanting to get rid of all the ties that bind, but there are better ways. It hurts to see thousands of posts being deleted, when it is undoubtedly so that they contain useful information. It is nice of her to want to share any of the deleted information, suggesting to me that she has some backup somewhere. Who knows?

Anyway i don't like the fact of being denied to see what had been written. And it is sad that the aftermath of this is the taking away of rights granted to the individual user. Namely to be able to delete a post, when it is clear that what has been asked, or what has been posted, is not on topic. This happened to me twice and i was grateful to have that option, and not having to apologize for being off-topic, or having to tell someone: Hey, i misunderstood what you have been asking, please forget about it.

ファブリス I don't want to sweet talk you into giving us that option back. But it is less strenousness on your side when we have that option, than having to ask you constantly to remove or edit some things. And why would you change a running system? This board is fine as it is, i like it here, as it is. And it seems to have been fine for some years, nay? It has all the features one could ask for. So why would you want to add yet another generic board to the myriad of boards with UBB, VBB and what not?

The only other thing i want to say about the delete / edit post option is this. This was the most mature option to trust unto the users i have seen. And i have seen and been part of many websites and usergroups and mod groups in the past couple of years. This shows that you can trust the users here, so that they don't go rampant, to delete everything. And i don't think anyone else will ever come up with that idea again. So, trust us, please.

Dustin_Calgary wrote:

Nagareboshi wrote:

...

I'm less active than most here, and from what I've seen this has been an ongoing issue, but not to this sort of magnitude.  I remember when entire threads were disappearing because people were deleting "their topics" on a whim as well until that option was finally disabled.

It's not the first, won't be the last, as long as there are people and freedoms, they will be abused.

I see. Sure, there will always be the one black sheep out there, so to say. But as long as the majority is not so, let's call it undeliberate, why change? Just a rethorical question. And i do not say if this is something that has been an ongoing thing that removing an option is not the better option.

mafried wrote:

Strange that people insist deletingosts to be a right. This is not so anywhere else. You cannot go back and edit/delete matters of public record. Its a fact of life in the real world that if you participate in a public forum you give up the right to edit that correspondence.

I know you are speaking in general but I don't insist that it is a right to delete something from way back. Or deleting something in general. But it is undeniably a privilege given to every user here. And this privilege gave us the right to delete or edit posts. If it is the right to delete something said in a heated discussion, but with an explanation and an exuse afterwards, then this should be up to the individual user.

Last edited by Nagareboshi (2011 February 10, 1:21 pm)

Blahah wrote:

the option was available in the settings and she used it.

Abused it you mean.

Come on, thousands of posts... This feature was never meant to be used that way. Who would think about such an absurd scenario?

Perhaps I gave the false impression that I was defending IceCream's actions - I thought I made it clear that I don't think it's OK to delete all your posts. However, I also don't think we should ban IceCream. I think we should remedy the situation by preventing it happening again, not taking retribution.