is someone deleteing large threads?

[lianna 3]

I have been following this thread with interest... and I have to say that I think a poster should be able to delete their own posts, but NOT the entire thread. I think it was very sad to lose the Scar Stages thread. All those pictures deleted, pages and pages. How many hundreds (thousands) of people viewed those pics to get an idea of what to expect? I know I did. That was a loss of valuable pics/information compiled for months or years.

[Alexandra 55]

I don't think anyone has voiced the opinion that users shouldn't have the ability to delete their own posts. I certainly don't think that. And now members have the ability to change their own usernames, giving them more protection from inadvertent revelations.

The technical details will have to be addressed by Alex the board owner, but I'd imagine it's possible to delete a starting post and leave the rest of the thread available.

[PhotoNut 7]

So, if the information which is added to an ongoing thread is extremely valuable and should be saved for future reference, then why not start a new thread in the appropriate forum and ask the moderators to make it sticky? That way it is easily found without having to dig through long threads with a ton of other comments that don't really apply to the important info. Just a thought.

And StrawartS, I agree with you as well. I think sometimes we take this stuff way to seriously. I'm sure there are hundreds of threads filled with extremely important information here on LBT. Many people have put a lot of time into sharing on those threads, but most of us don't ever go back that far and read them. So when new folks join LBT and ask similar questions, the same information gets posted again, by the same people or by someone else. This isn't like a work of literary art. It's more like an ongoing discussion. And things come up now and then which could be helpful for others in the future, so they can be made sticky.

I think I'm still of the opinion that we should have the right to delete a thread we've started. We don't record every conversation, every chat session we have online, etc. I see no reason to be all upset over the loss of a thread that's probably served it's purpose, hurt someone, or just because someone regrets starting it in the first place.

[cashley 0]

Which Kelly got her feelings hurt and deleted all their threads? It wasn't (formally know as) bigbellykelly was it??? I love her post and she always has so much great to post and I love her PS post.

I hope it wasn't her.

[Alexandra 55]

Cashley, it was Dylansmom, and I don't think any of us know precisely why she chose to take such a drastic step and delete all her threads. I know I have no idea, that's for sure.

Photo, I completely agree with you about this being an ongoing discussion. But we never know what's going to mean something to someone and the ability to delete threads completely leaves a door wide open for chaos. Now that I'm thinking about it in a whole new way, I'd like to see this changed as soon as possible.

My guess is that MOST people don't even know they have this ability. And now that we're talking about it, we might see threads disappearing right and left. I sure hope not.

[PhotoNut 7]

*laughs* Alex, I hope not too!

Well, if that's what you all are going to do I can tell you this for sure. People will certainly be thinking twice about how they begin a thread.

[Alexandra 55]

People will certainly be thinking twice about how they begin a thread.

I don't think that would necessarily be a bad thing, do you?

[Dianechef 3]

I agree with P'Nut! I am sure that Dylansmom deleted her thread because she felt like she was being attacked for her beliefs. Deleting the thread made the attacks stop.

However, if she were to simply delete her own posts, that would have probably accomplished the same thing.

I stayed away from the DaVinci Thread simply because I saw what was going to happen right off the bat. There are lots of beliefs & feelings in LBT & everyone has a right to believe what they want. I think Dylansmom got slammed & was very, very hurt. I haven't seen her around here since. It's very sad.

[StrawartS 2]

Alex, I'm concerned that you say you'd like to see the delete feature changed as soon as possible. It seems like you're having an alarmist reaction, and as I don't really know the extent of your power as a moderator, I hope that you'll wait for more feedback before making a blanket suggestion to the other Alex.

I'm best known for my PB thread. But if someday I decide that it was too personal, or I used the word fuck too many times in it, and I want to delete it, I want that option to be there. If deleting my own thread is no longer an option, I will defintely change my posting behavior - I just won't post, because the permanence of my fleeting words worries me.

And perhaps my perspective is off - what kind of vital information are we concerned about losing? Scar pictures? Religous debates? And to suggest that now that we've brought the deletion debate out in public everyone will go on a mass deleting spree is pretty far-fetched. It took me a good few hours to delete my old posts, and I doubt many other people have the time or interest to do the same.

[Alexandra 55]

Let's try not to ascribe reasons to actions someone took; we could debate that forever and it would get us nowhere. We're no longer talking about a specific situation, but what to do in the future.

Thanks.

[StrawartS 2]

And here's an example of how deleting a thread can be GOOD -

Our DFW group is meeting this weekend, but the restaurant closed down recently. So Janet deleted the old thread and started a new one since she couldn't edit the title. The new thread eased the confusion of having to read through tens of posts to finally realize that the location had changed.

[Alexandra 55]

Sorry Strawarts, we crossed in cyberspace.

Don't worry, even if I could I wouldn't be changing any features! All I'm doing is encouraging discussion about it. I've posted a thread in the moderators' section so we can all discuss the subject. As far as my being alarmist, it's just that I honestly have never considered this that closely before--obviously because this sort of thing has never happened. Literally scores of threads were just deleted by one person, and I'm not at all happy that that's possible.

[Alexandra 55]

People can always request that a moderator delete a thread, so that's a moot point. And closing a thread makes it drift to the bottom. The DFW example could have been handled in other ways; deleting the thread wasn't at all necessary.

StrawartS, deleting your own words will always be an option. Don't you see the difference between that and deleting possibly MANY other people's words?

[StrawartS 2]

Yes, I see the difference. But if the only way I can delete a thread that I started is by deleting the replies, I don't see the big tragedy.

I understand the option of asking a moderator to delete or lock a thread. But maybe I'm just too independent. The idea of asking someone for permission to delete a thread upsets me. For instance, if the only way I could delete my thread would be to ask your permission, Alex, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that because I now know how you feel about thread deletion. I would assume that you would question my motives and give me a difficult time. My instinct could be off, but it just doesn't feel right to me to be policed like that.

I think I've gotten too spoiled with LBT. I've started going to other boards, and the rules are outragous! One board requires you to earn points before you're allowed to have a signature or avatar! I like that this board is mature enough to give everyone the freedom to post as he or she pleases.

Think of a thread as someone's blog. When I start a thread, you can post your reply to it, just like you can comment on my blog entry. But the thread remains something I created. On my blog, if I don't like your comment, I can delete it. I can't delete replies to a thread, but I can delete the whole thread. My motivations for wanting to do so should be irrelevant. And if your comment is so groundbreaking, start your own thread.

[StrawartS 2]

Wait, am I arguing with myself here? I just re-read the last line of your post, Alex. It seems like you're saying that however this mess turns out, I will always be able to delete my own posts, even if they are thread starters.

In that case, I'm just beating a dead horse. Sorry.