Author Topic: Deleting (Read 640 times)

JoanScholastica · « **on:** August 29, 2007, 05:53:40 PM »

is there any way we can delete our individual posts? :confused1:

coz in other forums, i used to have a delete button... :rolleyes:

thanks... :smile:

Kephapaulos · « **Reply #1 on:** August 29, 2007, 05:58:15 PM »

Chantcd doesn't allow us to delete, but I think if you ask him to delete some particular post of yours, I think he could do so. :jumping2:

JoanScholastica · « **Reply #2 on:** August 29, 2007, 07:13:04 PM »

i understand... :reading:

thanks... :smile:

clare · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2007, 04:49:43 AM »

You could always just edit whatever post you want deleted and replace the text with the word "Deleted".

Matthew · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2007, 09:23:23 AM »

Yes, technically you could. BUT...

If I start seeing a rash of posts that say "deleted" or something similar, I'm going to take the "edit" ability away. It's not necessary, since there is a "post preview" function.

I'd actually like to go into the program itself, and modify it so that you can edit for, say, 12 hours after a post is made, and not after that. But I don't have much free time for such things

Why am I against posts being deleted? The same reason I'm against web forum censorship. It goes against reality. It implies that a post you made "never happened" which is false. If you said something stupid, apologize. People will see that you are human, and that you are "big enough" to apologize. Isn't that so much better than "post? what post?" which is basically a lie.

If you write a letter to someone, and regret it (or want to add something later), you have to write them AGAIN. You can't magically change the contents of the letter on their desk. Ditto for in-person or phone conversations. Why should a web forum be any different?

Taking away the edit function would only make people think a bit more before they post. Is that a bad thing?

Anyhow, I experimented with taking it away (for about 10 minutes) but there was an outcry, so I reconsidered. But like I said, I don't want to see my forum become "swiss cheese" with tons of gaping holes. It makes it unreadable, especially for newcomers. Posts with tons of holes tend to make no sense.

My old "role model" the Usenet newgroups didn't have censorship -- but they also didn't allow you to delete/change your posts. So I would be consistent with my principles if I took away the edit function.

In Christ,

Matthew

clare · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2007, 03:54:50 PM »

Quote from: ChantCd

I'd actually like to go into the program itself, and modify it so that you can edit for, say, 12 hours after a post is made, and not after that. But I don't have much free time for such things

Why am I against posts being deleted? The same reason I'm against web forum censorship. It goes against reality. It implies that a post you made "never happened" which is false. If you said something stupid, apologize. People will see that you are human, and that you are "big enough" to apologize. Isn't that so much better than "post? what post?" which is basically a lie.

Well, recently on another forum, a Novus Ordo forum, I made a mistake in one posting, and I apologised and corrected it in a later posting, but I went back to the original posting, left my mistake there but added in bold that I had made a mistake and that I had corrected it in a later posting. I don't think that's rewriting history.

Quote

Anyhow, I experimented with taking it away (for about 10 minutes) but there was an outcry, so I reconsidered. But like I said, I don't want to see my forum become "swiss cheese" with tons of gaping holes. It makes it unreadable, especially for newcomers. Posts with tons of holes tend to make no sense.

Yes, members should be exhorted not to abuse the facility.

Clare.

Matthew · « **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2007, 04:43:19 PM »

Quote from: Clare

Well, recently on another forum, a Novus Ordo forum, I made a mistake in one posting, and I apologised and corrected it in a later posting, but I went back to the original posting, left my mistake there but added in bold that I had made a mistake and that I had corrected it in a later posting. I don't think that's rewriting history.

Clare.

What you describe (leaving it there, making a note that you apologized) is exactly what I would advocate. So I agree.

Rewriting history would be merely CHANGING your original post (without saying anything), so that anyone referring to your "deleted text" would look like a liar, a moron, a slanderer, etc.

Matthew

JoanScholastica · « **Reply #7 on:** August 30, 2007, 05:12:10 PM »

Quote from: Clare

You could always just edit whatever post you want deleted and replace the text with the word "Deleted".

yes, that's what i actually did... :rolleyes:

Quote from: ChantCd

If I start seeing a rash of posts that say "deleted" or something similar, I'm going to take the "edit" ability away. It's not necessary, since there is a "post preview" function.

Why am I against posts being deleted? The same reason I'm against web forum censorship. It goes against reality. It implies that a post you made "never happened" which is false. If you said something stupid, apologize. People will see that you are human, and that you are "big enough" to apologize. Isn't that so much better than "post? what post?" which is basically a lie.

If you write a letter to someone, and regret it (or want to add something later), you have to write them AGAIN. You can't magically change the contents of the letter on their desk. Ditto for in-person or phone conversations. Why should a web forum be any different?

i understand perfectly your decision. thanks for letting me know of your side about this. :wine-drinking: