Wait? We can't delete all our posts in a thread now?

[alkemyst]

How can this be a rule?

that's just bullshit.

 

[Gillbot]

How can this be a rule?

that's just bullshit.

Don't post private info on a publicly accessed forum. Once you post it, it becomes property of Anandtech. Simple.

 

[alkemyst]

No I have no problem posting stuff, but WTF is up when one can't delete it? Not like you are shoving it all up google's ass anyway.

 

[Gillbot]

No I have no problem posting stuff, but WTF is up when one can't delete it? Not like you are shoving it all up google's ass anyway.

Think before you post. You can't make a thread, fill it full of whatever then later go back and remove it. What if someone comes into the thread? They can no longer follow it because everything was removed. PLUS, it also teaches the lesson of think before you post.

Now, in some cases we will allow it but not after the fact. Ask and we may even bin the thread if there is good reason to do so. Otherwise, make your bed, lie in it.

 

[alkemyst]

damn that's awesome. wow just wow.

 

[olds]

What are you guys talking about?

 

[alkemyst]

HAL9000 deleted all his posts in an L&R thread and Dr. Pizza restored them all: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2168964

IMHO this is way over the top. Someone should be able to delete their posts ESPECIALLY in a thread they started.

 

[HAL9000]

HAL9000 deleted all his posts in an L&R thread and Dr. Pizza restored them all: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2168964

IMHO this is way over the top. Someone should be able to delete their posts ESPECIALLY in a thread they started.

Yup, I feel exactly the same way, i have raised this issue with the Mods to no avail, I'll stick with their decision even though I strongly disagree with it.

While I agree with the notion that you should think before you post, I also feel that I should have the right to edit, in any way I see fit, the posts I make, hence the edit option of the forum. If I feel a thread I have created has run it's course then I should be able to remove any information I feel is sensitive or as I'd like to call it "troll ammunition" from said thread, Particularly in L&R where the nature of the posts are generally sensitive anyway there are somethings I'd rather get advice on then remove after the fact, especially considering that we cannot post anonymously in L&R.

All that being said, the Mods do what they do when they consider it to be best for the forum at large. So I'll leave this in their hands, I have no issues with the moderation of this forum, but this rule I feel to be heavy handed.

As for continuity of the thread, in the example used here, the thread was locked, no one needed to continue reading the thread, anyone who wanted to continue this conversation was free to PM me, as someone did actually. Those involved in the initial conversation could see from subsequent replies the conclusion, and those not involved in the original conversation I would rather they were not privy to that information after the fact.

Again I realise that I should think before I post, and I do (to some degree) but this thread has already been used by two [unnamed] members to insult and ridicule me, and as I knew that would be the outcome of leaving my posts in the thread I chose to remove them, which would have averted these issues. I feel I was justified in removing my posts for this reason, and the insults I have received after the thread was locked confirms my reasons.

:hmm: This post got longer than I was anticipating.

 

[olds]

I think you should be able to delete what you post unless what you posted could be used as evidence of a crime.

But in this case, IDGAS about neckbeard so I am like, LOL.

 

[HAL9000]

But in this case, IDGAS about neckbeard so I am like, LOL.

:awe:

 

[guyver01]

I think you should be able to delete what you post unless what you posted could be used as evidence of a crime.

But in this case, IDGAS about neckbeard so I am like, LOL.

I agree... i think part of the reason is because necktard decided to go all temper tantrum at the end of the thread...

Neckbeard: Hey.. L&R.. what should i do about this issue?
L&R: MYOB
Neckbeard: naw.. i'll do what i want
Neckbeard: oh crap, it backfired. people hate me. what should i do
L&R: we told you. MYOB
Neckbeard: thanks for nothing<cry><delete>You all suck
L&R: whatever dude

 

[HAL9000]

I agree... i think part of the reason is because necktard decided to go all temper tantrum at the end of the thread...

Neckbeard: Hey.. L&R.. what should i do about this issue?
L&R: MYOB
Neckbeard: naw.. i'll do what i want
Neckbeard: oh crap, it backfired. people hate me. what should i do
L&R: we told you. MYOB
Neckbeard: thanks for nothing<cry><delete>You all suck
L&R: whatever dude

:hmm: Pretty sure that's not what happened, but nm.

 

[HeXen]

so if i make a thread about how i murdered my wife and is buried in the... and later i think the cops are onto me, i can't delete it?
that sucks, now there is no way to remove the guilt

 

[esquared]

I agree... i think part of the reason is because necktard decided to go all temper tantrum at the end of the thread...

Neckbeard: Hey.. L&R.. what should i do about this issue?
L&R: MYOB
Neckbeard: naw.. i'll do what i want
Neckbeard: oh crap, it backfired. people hate me. what should i do
L&R: we told you. MYOB
Neckbeard: thanks for nothing<cry><delete>You all suck
L&R: whatever dude

No HAL9000 had nothing to do with this. We previously have had members who have tried to go through their whole accounts and delete all their posts (as thread starters and posters both).

We are not going to have people derail a thread and make a thread(s) unreadable because they didn't like the responses or they had second thoughts later on.

The edit button is just that, an edit button to clean up punctuation, errors, add/edit information. It is not a REMOVE button.

Everybody needs to think twice or three times before pushing that send button. If you think you may be putting out sensitive information that you are having second thoughts about, don't send it.

 

[HAL9000]

No HAL9000 had nothing to do with this. We previously have had members who have tried to go through their whole accounts and delete all their posts (as thread starters and posters both).

We are not going to have people derail a thread and make a thread(s) unreadable because they didn't like the responses or they had second thoughts later on.

The edit button is just that, an edit button to clean up punctuation, errors, add/edit information. It is not a REMOVE button.

Everybody needs to think twice or three times before pushing that send button. If you think you may be putting out sensitive information that you are having second thoughts about, don't send it.

For future reference is it acceptable to remove the OP from a thread you create, or to edit it to reflect a change in the threads direction, thus making it indistinguishable from the original OP?

 

[esquared]

For future reference is it acceptable to remove the OP from a thread you create, or to edit it to reflect a change in the threads direction, thus making it indistinguishable from the original OP?

Editing an original post to reflect a change in thread direction may be fine as long as the original posts was there for the understanding of the original intent of the thread.

I don't see how you can remove the original post to reflect a change in direction of the thread and still have it the same as the original post.

I can be dense so you are going to have to give me an example.

 

[HAL9000]

Editing an original post to reflect a change in thread direction may be fine as long as the original posts was there for the understanding of the original intent of the thread.

I don't see how you can remove the original post to reflect a change in direction of the thread and still have it the same as the original post.

I can be dense so you are going to have to give me an example.

To give you an example some time ago, I posted a thread with a simple question in the OP that I could not find the answer for online, the question was answered in the first response so, knowing that the thread would then turn into a thread ridiculing me for asking such a simple question I changed the OP to ask something else and a distinctly different thread erupted from the new OP.

Another example would be where someone posts an OP in an attempt to deal with a specific issue, such as the thread in P&R at the moment about abortion, now that the thread has changed into a pro-life / pro choice debate, would it be wrong of the OP to change the OP to reflect the new direction the thread is headed in.

A third example would be in a situation where (this I have done) someone wants to post a very personal question, with only a few respondents required, but then wishes to remove the original OP about the exact instances of the questions posted, while continuing a general question. This example may read something along the lines of: My Girlfriend has had an abortion what do you think?. Only to latter to be changed to What do you think of abortion? this way the intent of the OP remains, while the personal details are removed (obviously in this case it would be pertinent not to post these details in the first place, but people make ill-advised decisions on a daily basis)

 

[esquared]

To give you an example some time ago, I posted a thread with a simple question in the OP that I could not find the answer for online, the question was answered in the first response so, knowing that the thread would then turn into a thread ridiculing me for asking such a simple question I changed the OP to ask something else and a distinctly different thread erupted from the new OP.

In this case you ask the mods to lock the thread. It preserves the original question by you, the answer it involved and the members who posted ridiculing posts may very well infracted depending on what they posted.

Another example would be where someone posts an OP in an attempt to deal with a specific issue, such as the thread in P&R at the moment about abortion, now that the thread has changed into a pro-life / pro choice debate, would it be wrong of the OP to change the OP to reflect the new direction the thread is headed in.


There are two choices here possibly three


1) This would be your question. If the thread starter felt so inclined to keep it open along with the change in topic direction he/she could edit the original post and add to the post by announcing that the thread appears to have gone off topic but in the interests of the members posting he/she is willing to let it go in that direction. Again, this depends on the thread starter and what he/she is willing to accept. The OP can also edit the thread title to include the change in topic (in there's room) but leave the original title in there too.

2) Ask the mods to mods to again lock it for being off topic.

3) This would have to caught early but a mod can edit/remove posts to keep the thread on topic or leave them there and warn people for thread hijacking. It depend on what the OP wants with his/her thread.

A third example would be in a situation where (this I have done) someone wants to post a very personal question, with only a few respondents required, but then wishes to remove the original OP about the exact instances of the questions posted, while continuing a general question. This example may read something along the lines of: My Girlfriend has had an abortion what do you think?. Only to latter to be changed to What do you think of abortion? this way the intent of the OP remains, while the personal details are removed (obviously in this case it would be pertinent not to post these details in the first place, but people make ill-advised decisions on a daily basis)



Rather then attempt to change the thread topic/direction in the manner you asked I have this suggestion.

In this case I would leave the thread alone. If you have your answer and you are getting posts that are not relevant and trolling in nature ask the mods to lock it.

Now regardless of that thread being locked or not locked, I would just create a new thread with your new topic. While you subject matter may be the same, abortion. The questions are quite different. One you're soliciting advice and the other you are asking opinions on the subject of abortion. Two different threads IMO.

Changing the thread topic from advice to now seeking opinions would seem to be confusing within that same thread along with the flow of the thread

I have bolded my answers to each question above

 

[HAL9000]

I have bolded my answers to each question above

All very valid.

Perhaps then this situation arises (which is the situation I found myself in leading to this thread being created)

I created a thread, with a minor personal issue I needed some advice on.
The advice came, from sympathetic people.
I updated the thread.
The sympathetic people weren't around, instead the trolls set it.
It became apparent that not only was the thread going of course, in the troll direction, but that also, said trolls would continue to reference the thread and it's content in order to ridicule me.

In that situation I thought the best route available to me was to remove the content to prevent it being referenced.

A couple of questions.

1) How should I have handled it better, and in the rules of the forum.
2) Isn't bringing information learnt in L&R to other sections against the rules? I.e. aren't the people that reference the original thread breaking the rules more than I, the OP was.
3) If (2) is true then surely, removing the route of the problem would be more effective than dealing with each troll who references it as they come. I.e. it would be less work for the mods if the original thread didn't exist.

 

[esquared]

All very valid.

Perhaps then this situation arises (which is the situation I found myself in leading to this thread being created)

I created a thread, with a minor personal issue I needed some advice on.
The advice came, from sympathetic people.
I updated the thread.
The sympathetic people weren't around, instead the trolls set it.
It became apparent that not only was the thread going of course, in the troll direction, but that also, said trolls would continue to reference the thread and it's content in order to ridicule me.

In that situation I thought the best route available to me was to remove the content to prevent it being referenced.



A couple of questions.

1) How should I have handled it better, and in the rules of the forum.

A PM to the mods or posting in the mod discussion forum would have solved this. Initially, getting a lock of the thread would have been easy. If there was still issues with the thread and it's content, it could be discussed in the mod discussion forum.



2) Isn't bringing information learnt in L&R to other sections against the rules? I.e. aren't the people that reference the original thread breaking the rules more than I, the OP was.


Yes that is correct. Rule #6 states the following:
L&R threads are only visible to authenticated members. Please do not quote L&R discussions in other threads outside of L&R (with exceptions for (1) the Moderator Discussions sub-forum, (2) the reported-post comment box, and (3) pm communications with moderators).

If there are cases of members breaking these rules, use the report post button and we will take care of it.



3) If (2) is true then surely, removing the route of the problem would be more effective than dealing with each troll who references it as they come. I.e. it would be less work for the mods if the original thread didn't exist.


No, we would rather people follow the rules as they are posted. It does seem rather simple doesn't it but there are those that choose to break them. Hence, the need for moderators

Again, answers in bold

 

[olds]

To me, the answers seem obvious.
1. Stop posting, or
2. Grow up, or
3. in the event neither of these can happen, ask Mods to lock threads that get too far off topic. And while you are waiting for the thread to be locked, ignore it. Don't engage people in that thread.

Feel free to mark this response as the answer and lock the thread.

 

[Greenman]

Am I to understand that the mods read every post that's been edited in every thread and compare them to the original to assure continuity in the thread? Or is it a pick and choose kind of thing where certain threads are audited and others ignored?

 

[alkemyst]

so if i make a thread about how i murdered my wife and is buried in the... and later i think the cops are onto me, i can't delete it?
that sucks, now there is no way to remove the guilt

Actually your post and any information the mods can figure out will be forwarded to your local authorities.

 

[guyver01]

Am I to understand that the mods read every post that's been edited in every thread and compare them to the original to assure continuity in the thread? Or is it a pick and choose kind of thing where certain threads are audited and others ignored?

The mods probably have a different interface, which shows edited content.
Similar to viewing a Word Document that's been edited, with markup tags enabled.

 

[esquared]

Am I to understand that the mods read every post that's been edited in every thread and compare them to the original to assure continuity in the thread? Or is it a pick and choose kind of thing where certain threads are audited and others ignored?

Seriously, how much time do you think we have on our hands?

We only look at those that are brought to our attention When you guys complain to us, we look into it. We don't go around looking for trouble.

Most of the time you guys get ratted out by your fellow members for not following the rules.